I have used MEK for cementing plastic parts together for years.   The only difference is the the MEK evaporates a lot faster.  Strength and durability is the same as far as I have been able to determine over the past 15 years that I have been using it

Don

I asked about this on another forum post... 

http://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/node/7063

My local hobby shop has just informed me that all the standard plastic solvents (Ambroid, Tenax-7R and similar) are now not readily available in canada, due to a change in customs regulations between Canada and the US.

Living in Canada, that creates a problem.  However, I discovered that good old Lacquer Thinner contains Toluene, Methyl Alcohol and MEK, and you can buy liter cans from any big box store for less than $10.

Other than being VERY liquid, it works great. This is where a syringe comes in handy.  You can get those form Hobby Lobby...

John

Plastics cover the whole range from very resistant to organic solvents all the way to highly sensitive to organic solvents. Styrene happens to be on the far end of the highly sensitive to organic solvents scale. Hence, many solvents will easily melt styrene.

Using solvent with styrene is more akin to welding than gluing. Solvent dissolves the styrene temporarily, dissolved styrene from the two parts flow together, solvent evaporates, styrene returns to a solid. There is no "glue" in the final joint. The two parts have become one styrene part.

Therefore, any solvent that will dissolve styrene will also weld styrene. MEK just happens to be very strong solvent well suited to the task. Many others will work. Lacquer thinners, as noted above, are good suitable replacements because they contain strong solvents for melting lacquer paint. The evaporation rate of the solvent will determine the work and set time.

You can make your own "thick" MEK by dissolving a small amount of styrene into the can prior to using.

I may sound like a broken record (remember those?) but make sure that you use any solvent with proper ventilation!  Sniffing this stuff can turn your brain to mush - which will really reduce your enjoyment of your model railroad.

Rick

I've used MEK, lacquer thinner, and a variety of commercial glues and solvents.  MEK is by far my favorite.  As has already been noted, it is very thin - I use a long handled paint brush to apply it (glue a straw to the side of the can to hold the brush).  Unlike any of the commercial glues (except perhaps Testors) that I have tried, MEK leaves absolutely no residue.  I have even used it on painted models to attach detail parts (anybody try to assemble a painted P2K Mather stock car kit?) and had no paint damage at all.  It is quite "hot" however, so you have to take care when gluing thin parts.  The flip side of that is that laminating thin styrene onto a thicker car side gives something very close to "oil canning" seen in many prototype cars.

You can make your own "thick" MEK by dissolving a small amount of styrene into the can prior to using.

If you read the label on a bottle of Testor's liquid cement, that's exactly what it is. MEK with a little styrene dissolved in.

Don

A few years back, Well really a lot of years back, I worked for an aviation fixed based operator. They used  MEK to strip the paint on aircraft. The Mek solvent not only is a breathing hazard, but can be absorbed through the skin. I have used it for a solvent myself, but I try to avoid skin contact.

Regards,

John

Weldon 3 is a great alternative to MEK or Plastic Cement.

Here is a link to read more...
http://www.delviesplastics.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=D...

Jimmy Simmons

I've got a little glass jar of MEK mixed up with Barge Cement. Makes a nice "instant gummy/adjustable hold" liquid cement.

I got the idea from Les Halmos, not sure where he found it at.

MEK Dangerous Try Weldon 3

Agreed, MEK is dangerous however Weldon 3 is methylene chloride (dichloromethane) which is arguably a more hazardous solvent.

Neither should be used carelessly. Little drop of either in an eye would be a very very bad thing. Safety first!