Cleaning up unmixed epoxy and hardener

[Poignard]

What is the best solvent for cleaning out hypodermic syringes that have been used to measure out very small amounts of epoxy resin and hardener? For some reason unmixed epoxy resin and hardener seem harder to clean up than when they have been mixed!

 

[zambant]

Vinegar

 

[Iain C]

Soap and hot water are surprisingly good!

 

[maxcampbell]

Acetone. I used vinegar for years, because I was told to, then discovered acetone.

 

[VicS]

Acetone. I used vinegar for years, because I was told to, then discovered acetone.

Acetone did not seem to be effective when I tried it.

Keep meaning to try meths ......

 

[Poignard]

Acetone did not seem to be effective when I tried it..

Nor when I have tried it. Leastways, it worked fairly well for mixed epoxy but not for the individual resin and hardener.

I'll try the vinegar and soapy water suggested above

 

[savageseadog]

MEK, Methyl Ethyl Ketone

 

[bigwow]

The bin worked for me. I figured it would cost more to clean than replace.

 

[Strathglass]

I have just today used soap and water to clean resin pump and acetone for the hardener. I did strip them down fully but they ended up very clean.

West make a special cleaner but it's use is hardly cost effective.

 

[oldsaltoz]

Epoxy resin is water soluble, poly resin is not.

You can remove the bulk with soap and warm to hot water or white vinegar, then use a little Acetone to remove the very thin layer that is left.

Just make sure the ventilation is very good when using Acetone.

Good luck and fair winds.

 

[Amulet]

What is the best solvent for cleaning out hypodermic syringes that have been used to measure out very small amounts of epoxy resin and hardener? For some reason unmixed epoxy resin and hardener seem harder to clean up than when they have been mixed!

Don't bother. You can keep them lying around and reuse them for a good few weeks. Then chuck them away.

Buy your syringes in big quantities and cheap. And here's the contradiction. Never buy the non-sterile ones from glue and resin suppliers - they're ludicrously expensive. Pretend you're a doctor and buy medical ones 100 at a time for a quarter of the price - economies of scale.