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oddball chemical question

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T

Tinster

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Locktite blue tube.

Anyone know how to get it off my polycarbonate
prescription glasses?

I wiped it off with a cloth but it left a smear
residue. Or did it etch the polycarbonate?

I tried windex with no results. I'm afraid to experiment
with my nasty chemicals.

Anyone know? /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/blush.gif

thanks,

d
 
One of the reasons I insist on GLASS glasses!

I've been wearing glasses for 52 years. I had one pair that had plastic lenses. Never again. Within two months, I could hardly see out of them. GLASS you can clean with anything short of sandpaper.

Sorry I can't help you out Dale, but this doesn't look good...no pun intended.
 
I don't even want to GUESS just how it got there... but I think it likely there's a new set of cheaters in your near future. That stuff is made to stick to things. It likely wouldn't melt or dissolve polycarbonate, but if they're surface coated with anti-scratch or some other non-glare type coating it may have attacked that. Best to check with the outfit who cut the lenses.
 
A bit of google sluthing and I found:

--Old info from LOCTITE CORP:
In regards to your letter about the blue Loctite Threadlocker 242, these
products are anaerobic, including threadlockers, pipe sealants and
retaining compounds. Anaerobics will stress crack and attack most
plastics, for the proper adhesive selections we offer a technical
information service at 1-800-562-8483 option #1.
 
Sorry, Dale, I think it's time for new lenses. I believe Loctite blue is based on cyanoacrylate adhesive, which will stick to polycarbonate. Acetone or MEK would be suitable solvents, but they will attack polycarbonate.

If they were just safety goggles, I'd suggest trying to clean them up with suitable abrasive, but not prescription glasses.

If it's an option for you, you might want to think about some inexpensive, over-the-counter corrective lenses to wear while working in the shop. Here in CA, the 99 cent stores sell 'reading' glasses in various strengths for $1 each ... I've got probably 2 dozen of them scattered all over so I can grab the appropriate strength for the job at hand. Obviously they have no allowance for astigmatism or left/right differences, but they work well enough for me.
 
I have plastic lenses, because one of the first pairs of glasses I ever had were glass, and one of the lenses exploded while I was wearing them due to a stress point on the frames. I know that says more about the technician that installed them, but I've never had a plastic lense throw shards in my eye. Trick to plastic is to only use soft cloth to clean them. Toilet paper and tissues contain chunks of clay that will scratch most plastic lenses.(put them under a microscope sometime. You'll be amazed)
As for Dales issue. Ewwwww. dosen't look good. Hope you find somthing Dale. I can't think of anything.
 
TR3driver said:
Sorry, Dale, I think it's time for new lenses. I believe Loctite blue is based on cyanoacrylate adhesive, which will stick to polycarbonate. Acetone or MEK would be suitable solvents, but they will attack polycarbonate.

If they were just safety goggles, I'd suggest trying to clean them up with suitable abrasive, but not prescription glasses.

If it's an option for you, you might want to think about some inexpensive, over-the-counter corrective lenses to wear while working in the shop. Here in CA, the 99 cent stores sell 'reading' glasses in various strengths for $1 each ... I've got probably 2 dozen of them scattered all over so I can grab the appropriate strength for the job at hand. Obviously they have no allowance for astigmatism or left/right differences, but they work well enough for me.
Click to expand...
/bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/iagree.gif
Tr3Driver is absolutely correct Not only will it stick to the polycarbonate lense but it etches it`s way into the surface too!
I never wear my everyday glasses while working on cars or welding. Do what Tr3Driver suggests get some cheapies to use instead. Or you could use goggles over the top of your glasses, but then you have the fogging up thing to contend with.
 
I don't think there are any cyanoacrylates in Loctite blue although Loctite does make cyanoacrylate glues (superglue). Loctite blue is a methacrylate ester (or so it says on the tube). It will polymerize in the absence of oxygen. When you put it on the threads and tighten, air is excluded and it polymerizes to form a hard plastic that locks the pieces together. The result for your glasses is the same - it attacks the plastic lens.

Bryan
 
Bryan said:
...Loctite blue is a methacrylate ester
Click to expand...

yup. It does additionally state in bold type: "May attack some thermoplastics" on the label of my bottle of 242.
 
As I live and breathe this is the truth !!

I tried a whole range of non-nasties and nothing
even thought about removing the Locktite blue.

So just for the heck of it, I tried one of those
expensive aftershaves the Mrs buys me from time to
time. Legerfeld vaporisateur took the smear right
off and cleaned the polycarbonate right nicely as well.

I'm guessing alcohol might have had the same effect
but I didn't have any. So for future reference.........

Dale /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/thumbsup.gif
 
Well at least you did not have to waste any of that good Puerto Rican rum...
 
TR6oldtimer said:
Well at least you did not have to waste any of that good Puerto Rican rum...
Click to expand...
I diden't leave him any /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/devilgrin.gif

And now yer eyeballs will smell good Dale!
 
I have polycarbonate lenses too (my prescription is pretty extreme, and glass makes for an uncomfortably heavy pair of lenses) and I once had a splash of Future floor acrylic on one lens. I found that ammonia took it off completely, but if Windex hasn't done the job in this case then that's not going to be much help. Since the lenses are trash anyway if something doesn't work, I'd definitely try pressing masking tape onto the mess and then yanking it off -- it's surprising what will come off of surfaces that way, although I've never tried it on glasses. Well, that's not quite true -- my polycarbonates were coated with antireflection stuff that eventually started to bubble and peel, so I used tape to quickly and cleanly get it all off at once. The only other thing I can think of would be an art gum or white "Magic Rub" eraser, worked over the patch from the edge in. These erasers are clean enough not to scratch (hopefully) at least when they're new, and "draggy" enough to apply a lot of shear force to the blotch and hopefully peel it back from what it's stuck to. I suspect it'll be etched underneath, though.
 
Good news indeed, Dale! Now we know what to use as loose juice on Loctited threads!! /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/jester.gif
 
Tinster said:
As I live and breathe this is the truth !!
Click to expand...

Chuckle, can't be!

Randal thinks it's an cyanoacrylate adhesive, and aweman swears he's right, and that it's etched the plastic.

Good tip to try to remember. After shave does many things beyond prepping the face for scraping.
 
Good news/bad news

In sunlight, the Locktite blue is indeed removed.

But..............

In sunlight the poly is also slightly etched.

Ah well- learning curve.

d
 
I have a older pair of plastic lens eye glasses (or should they be called 'eye plastics') that I use in the shop so I don't destroy my nicer pairs. I have cleaned up fine scratches and paint over spray with Novus plastic polish 2 and a soft cloth many times.

Cheers,
John
 
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