Basic Acetone Question

RichR

To give some coins with PVC issues a dip, can I buy acetone/nail polish remover from a drugstore...or do I need to get hardware store commercial strength?

steveben

use 100% pure.

joeykoins

Best bet, hardware.

chipper10

<< <i>To give some coins with PVC issues a dip, can I buy acetone/nail polish remover from a drugstore...or do I need to get hardware store commercial strength? >>



Not sure if nail polish remover is pure acetone or not. I'd just go buy a quart at al local home improvement store in a metal container for about $7 and have a lifetime supply of pure acetone if I were you (I did do this a while back myself).

steveben

also, use a glass bowl. i have a glass bowl that has a lid. the bowl has a concave/convex bottom such that the coin can sit in the bowl and let the acetone flow underneath it. don't rub, scrub, poke, roll, or pat anything that doesn't come off. that's my advice. rinse the coin with water afterwards. let it the coin air dry afterwards. anything that doesn't come off...you're out of luck. that's my opinion at least. good luck.

RichR

And I'm assuming using a shallow glass or porcelon dish is best for the job...as acetone reacts with many plastics?

For let's say...a cent or a dime...do you just dip it and swish it around...or do you use a Q-tip to gently go over the surface?

And I'm not talking high-end coins here...just stuff out of circulation that my father stored in PVC bags about 50 years back.

BAJJERFAN

<< <i>And I'm assuming using a shallow glass or porcelon dish is best for the job...as acetone reacts with many plastics?

For let's say...a cent or a dime...do you just dip it and swish it around...or do you use a Q-tip to gently go over the surface?

And I'm not talking high-end coins here...just stuff out of circulation that my father stored in PVC bags about 50 years back. >>



Let it soak first. You may need to do the swabbing after a second soak. FWIW all acetone sold thru WalMart and home improvement outlets is pretty much the same.

RichR

I'm also assuming that I should open the windows wide...or I'll die!

chipper10

<< <i>I'm also assuming that I should open the windows wide...or I'll die! >>



No you should use a glass bowl with a tight fitting lid. Pyrex makes a very nice one designed for food storage--get one. Also remember acetone has an extremely low flash point which equates to EXTREMELY flammable so no open flames or pilot lights where the filling of the bowl is taking place.

ModCrewman

I will generally set mine on the stove (with stove off) and turn on the exhaust fan which pulls the fumes outside. It probably evaporates faster with a breeze running over it, but it's cheap enough that I'm not too concerned about using a little extra.

lcoopie

It's very flammable also

RichR

So then...I'm either going to get asphixiated or blown up...got it!

Maybe I'll let the wife take care of this!

lcoopie

Not blown up

Just burnt up

Not explosive

Pokermandude

Yep, need a glass bowl. Acetone will eat/melt plastic. With a lid also made of something that isn't plastic, since it will evaporate and affect the lid too. Glass is your best bet all around.

OriginalDan

Here are the steps that I follow. I don't recommend doing anything that may be hazardous and I take no responsibility if something bad happens.

Supplies
Small glass bowl with 100% pure acetone.
Bowl with distilled water next to it for the rinse.
Dry t-shirt/rag to lay the coin on and dab dry next to that.

1. put the coin in acetone for 5-10 minutes, or longer if needed
2. remove coin from acetone, let sit in distilled water for a little bit
3. remove coin from water, dab dry very gently
4. Coin should be completely dry after step 3, but let air dry for a while just in case

Couple hints.
- Replace the distilled water every so often.
- good ventilation is your friend, as others have mentioned.
- a q-tip, very VERY gently applied can help with the bad gunk. Practice on junk silver first.

telephoto1

Just to piggyback on what's been said...use pure acetone, NOT the nail polish remover stuff... nail polish remover also has some various added oils, etc. in it that you don't want on your coins.
Also, glass containers, no plastic. It it's just a few small pieces, a baby food jar with a lid works well.

RichieURich

Or, do it outside so the fumes don't get to you.

chipper10

A glass container with a tight fitting plastic lid is perfectly acceptable for use with acetone. While true that the evaporating vapors can work on the lid it would most likely take decades for the lid to deteriorate. I just checked my can of acetone that I purchased last year from Home Depot and the lid is plastic on it. You do not want to use a plastic bowl though. I prefer the pyrex bowl with the red plastic lid, as if fits very tightly, for extended soaks. Acetone is one of the few organic compounds that is miscible (mixes readily with) water and that is what allows a dip in distilled water to be effective while the coin is still acetone wet.

GOWYO

Gentlemen. Thanks for info on acetone. One question I've had is how are you removing/ moving the coin from the acetone? I would think you would want something soft but not succeptible to dissolving in the acetone? Rubber tongs? Thanks for the help

chipper10

<< <i>Gentlemen. Thanks for info on acetone. One question I've had is how are you removing/ moving the coin from the acetone? I would think you would want something soft but not succeptible to dissolving in the acetone? Rubber tongs? Thanks for the help >>



I use nitrile gloves. You can buy a box of 100 for less than 10 bucks. I keep them around the house for jobs where dexterity is needed and I want a little protection from what I'm handling. I use them when handling lawn chemicals or similar situations.

GOWYO

<< <i>

<< <i>Gentlemen. Thanks for info on acetone. One question I've had is how are you removing/ moving the coin from the acetone? I would think you would want something soft but not succeptible to dissolving in the acetone? Rubber tongs? Thanks for the help >>



I use nitrile gloves. You can buy a box of 100 for less than 10 bucks. I keep them around the house for jobs where dexterity is needed and I want a little protection from what I'm handling. I use them when handling lawn chemicals or similar situations. >>




Awesome thanks I have plenty of those around. I didn't know they wouldn't react w acetone. Problem solved!

chipper10

<< <i>

<< <i>

<< <i>Gentlemen. Thanks for info on acetone. One question I've had is how are you removing/ moving the coin from the acetone? I would think you would want something soft but not succeptible to dissolving in the acetone? Rubber tongs? Thanks for the help >>



I use nitrile gloves. You can buy a box of 100 for less than 10 bucks. I keep them around the house for jobs where dexterity is needed and I want a little protection from what I'm handling. I use them when handling lawn chemicals or similar situations. >>




Awesome thanks I have plenty of those around. I didn't know they wouldn't react w acetone. Problem solved! >>



Actually acetone is relatively safe on undamaged bare skin for short term contact. Acetone will work on nitrile gloves over time but I use the disposable gloves when reaching in for a coin and then toss the gloves when I'm done. Never had any issues. I work with a whole host of solvents all the time. Flammability issues aside, acetone it pretty tame. Now things like toluene, tetrahydrofuran, triethylamine and methanol are a little more worrisome.

OriginalDan

<< <i>Gentlemen. Thanks for info on acetone. One question I've had is how are you removing/ moving the coin from the acetone? I would think you would want something soft but not succeptible to dissolving in the acetone? Rubber tongs? Thanks for the help >>


I just use bare hands and then rinse/dry quickly afterwards. No biggie, I still have all my fingers (although I haven't checked if they are shrinking in size).

GOWYO

<< <i>

<< <i>Gentlemen. Thanks for info on acetone. One question I've had is how are you removing/ moving the coin from the acetone? I would think you would want something soft but not succeptible to dissolving in the acetone? Rubber tongs? Thanks for the help >>


I just use bare hands and then rinse/dry quickly afterwards. No biggie, I still have all my fingers (although I haven't checked if they are shrinking in size). >>



Isn't there a concern about leaving fingerprints then?

BAJJERFAN

<< <i>

<< <i>

<< <i>Gentlemen. Thanks for info on acetone. One question I've had is how are you removing/ moving the coin from the acetone? I would think you would want something soft but not succeptible to dissolving in the acetone? Rubber tongs? Thanks for the help >>


I just use bare hands and then rinse/dry quickly afterwards. No biggie, I still have all my fingers (although I haven't checked if they are shrinking in size). >>



Isn't there a concern about leaving fingerprints then? >>



Shouldn't be if you handle them by the edges. Try to find wooden forceps or tweezers. One thing is that gloves can have residue wash off into the solvent and contaminate it.

lkeigwin

I use wooden chopsticks.
Lance.

Barry

<< <i>Or, do it outside so the fumes don't get to you. >>


I agree. And you won't die right away from the fumes. It will just destroy your liver. Then you'll die.

OriginalDan

<< <i>

<< <i>

<< <i>Gentlemen. Thanks for info on acetone. One question I've had is how are you removing/ moving the coin from the acetone? I would think you would want something soft but not succeptible to dissolving in the acetone? Rubber tongs? Thanks for the help >>


I just use bare hands and then rinse/dry quickly afterwards. No biggie, I still have all my fingers (although I haven't checked if they are shrinking in size). >>



Isn't there a concern about leaving fingerprints then? >>


Not really, as already stated handle the coin by the edges. Also, the whole process cleans your fingers quite well! I'd doubt there's any oil left after the time your fingers are dipped in acetone then in water then wiped dry.

Cam40

if PVC is the problem, then acetone may not be the silver bullet solution.
yes acetone will remove alot of the PVC, depending on the severity of damage
but, it (acetone) doesnt fix what would be permanent surface damage caused
by the sticky melted stuff anyway.

LanLord

<< <i>And I'm assuming using a shallow glass or porcelon dish is best for the job...as acetone reacts with many plastics?

>>

If you use a food safe plastic bowl (like tupperware or similar), it will not be harmed at all by the acetone. Food safe is going to be HDPE and acetone won't touch it. I don't like the glass idea because glass is harder than any of the metals you're going to soak in the acetone, so if something is going to get a scratch, it will be the metal.

COALPORTER

<< <i>

<< <i>And I'm assuming using a shallow glass or porcelon dish is best for the job...as acetone reacts with many plastics?

>>

If you use a food safe plastic bowl (like tupperware or similar), it will not be harmed at all by the acetone. Food safe is going to be HDPE and acetone won't touch it. I don't like the glass idea because glass is harder than any of the metals you're going to soak in the acetone, so if something is going to get a scratch, it will be the metal. >>



True. Some hobby and art supply stores sell acetone in plasic bottles. Hardware store sell metal cans.

I use acetone all the time for art painting and DO NOT think it is a good idea to contact with skin. I always
have rubber gloves on. I think it is highly topical and absorbs into you very fast. I can feel it.

messydesk

<< <i>

<< <i>I just use bare hands and then rinse/dry quickly afterwards. No biggie, I still have all my fingers (although I haven't checked if they are shrinking in size). >>


Isn't there a concern about leaving fingerprints then? >>


The acetone will dissolve the oils on your fingertips rather quickly.

coindeuce

I handle coins every day that have acquired a film of PVC. I have found MS-70 to be just as effective and a heck of a lot safer than acetone. MS-70 only presents a complication when working on copper type, and even with copper there are methods that will allow use of MS-70 without affecting color of the coin.

BAJJERFAN

<< <i>

<< <i>Or, do it outside so the fumes don't get to you. >>


I agree. And you won't die right away from the fumes. It will just destroy your liver. Then you'll die. >>



I worked with 10s of thousands of gallons of the stuff over 40 years in a chem lab with nary a problem.

DeutscherGeist

I read through this entire thread, so I will offer my two cents.

I would not recommend dipping coins in distilled water for a final rinse. Water (moisture) and coins are not friends! Of course, distilled water would be better than tap water because it is purer without any of the particle matter. Instead of the final rinse in water, let the final rinse be in fresh acetone. I would have 3-4 bowls of acetone laid out in sequence. The first bowl would be the initial soak. It is your first line of conservation and will be the most contaminated acetone as it removes the most oils and residues. The second bowl is the second rinse. The acetone will remain a bit cleaner than the first. The third one removes trace amounts of residue and it is not so contaminated that the contaminants swim or settle back on the coin. The fourth bowl is the final rinse and the coin should be free of contaminants by that time. The final rinse of acetone ensures any trace amounts of contaminants to be off and the coin can be taken out and laid out on a clean cotton cloth and blow dried. The acetone evaporates completely in seconds, so no water rinse is necessary. The blow drying is just for good measure and ensures no moisture build up from the room is starting to settle on the coin (your room where this work is being conducted should ideally be at an archival safe temperature and humidity). After blow drying while on the cotton cloth, wait a few minutes for cooling before putting it in capsule or flip. DO NOT PUT THE COIN IN WHILE HOT.

So, I think the distilled water rinse should be replaced with a fresh acetone rinse. Using fingers for handling coins while in acetone is a problem because the contaminants will come off of the skin and into the acetone. It is not really a health risk when doing only a handful of coins every now and then, but it is not a sterile way of doing the whole coin bathing process. Also, wearing nitrile gloves is not a solution to conduct a more sterile process. The nitrile gloves are not acetone proof! Acetone will slowly eat away at it. So, using nitrile gloves in acetone adds to the contamination. However, nitrile gloves are excellent for handling DRY coins when you want to put them in capsules or flips and want to avoid the lint from using cotton gloves!

So, handling coins with fingers while conducting the acetone bath is not perfectly sterile. Your skin is constantly producing the oils, so even though the acetone takes it off, it is being replenished on the spot and that winds up in the acetone bath. The coin will release enough contaminants in the acetone that residue from fingers are only adding to the problem.

Very hard plastics are immune to the effects of acetone, so tongs for handling coins made of such material would be your best bet. Wooden tongs are good but I would dip them thoroughly in a separate bowl of acetone first to ensure all particles are off. Someone mentioned using chop sticks. Make sure you soak those in acetone first and master the art of catching flies with them or else you may risk mishandling coins and dropping them on the floor!
From what I have been researching, polypropylene (PP) and high density polyethylene (HDPE) are resistant to acetone and may as well be immune to it 100% (Don't quote me on this yet as this is preliminary research). I want more solid proof before committing. Both PP and and HDPE are used in food containers and are inert and safe for our health. PP is also used to make archival storage material for coins, documents, photos, comics and baseball cards! PP is one very versatile material that all collectors should know about.

BUYING PRODUCTS: Make sure you purchase 100% acetone. Nail polish remover is not 100% pure, so avoid it! Hardware stores have this pure type, but always read the label no matter where you buy it from. I have no idea where to get some excellent hard plastic tongs at this moment as that is what I am searching for right now.

DaveWcoins

<< <i>Not blown up

Just burnt up

Not explosive >>



Phew!

ColonelJessup

<< <i>I read through this entire thread, so I will offer my two cents.

I would not recommend dipping coins in distilled water for a final rinse. Water (moisture) and coins are not friends! Of course, distilled water would be better than tap water because it is purer without any of the particle matter. Instead of the final rinse in water, let the final rinse be in fresh acetone. I would have 3-4 bowls of acetone laid out in sequence. The first bowl would be the initial soak. It is your first line of conservation and will be the most contaminated acetone as it removes the most oils and residues. The second bowl is the second rinse. The acetone will remain a bit cleaner than the first. The third one removes trace amounts of residue and it is not so contaminated that the contaminants swim or settle back on the coin. The fourth bowl is the final rinse and the coin should be free of contaminants by that time. The final rinse of acetone ensures any trace amounts of contaminants to be off and the coin can be taken out and laid out on a clean cotton cloth and blow dried. The acetone evaporates completely in seconds, so no water rinse is necessary. The blow drying is just for good measure and ensures no moisture build up from the room is starting to settle on the coin (your room where this work is being conducted should ideally be at an archival safe temperature and humidity). After blow drying while on the cotton cloth, wait a few minutes for cooling before putting it in capsule or flip. DO NOT PUT THE COIN IN WHILE HOT.

So, I think the distilled water rinse should be replaced with a fresh acetone rinse. Using fingers for handling coins while in acetone is a problem because the contaminants will come off of the skin and into the acetone. It is not really a health risk when doing only a handful of coins every now and then, but it is not a sterile way of doing the whole coin bathing process. Also, wearing nitrile gloves is not a solution to conduct a more sterile process. The nitrile gloves are not acetone proof! Acetone will slowly eat away at it. So, using nitrile gloves in acetone adds to the contamination. However, nitrile gloves are excellent for handling DRY coins when you want to put them in capsules or flips and want to avoid the lint from using cotton gloves!

So, handling coins with fingers while conducting the acetone bath is not perfectly sterile. Your skin is constantly producing the oils, so even though the acetone takes it off, it is being replenished on the spot and that winds up in the acetone bath. The coin will release enough contaminants in the acetone that residue from fingers are only adding to the problem.

Very hard plastics are immune to the effects of acetone, so tongs for handling coins made of such material would be your best bet. Wooden tongs are good but I would dip them thoroughly in a separate bowl of acetone first to ensure all particles are off. Someone mentioned using chop sticks. Make sure you soak those in acetone first and master the art of catching flies with them or else you may risk mishandling coins and dropping them on the floor!
From what I have been researching, polypropylene (PP) and high density polyethylene (HDPE) are resistant to acetone and may as well be immune to it 100% (Don't quote me on this yet as this is preliminary research). I want more solid proof before committing. Both PP and and HDPE are used in food containers and are inert and safe for our health. PP is also used to make archival storage material for coins, documents, photos, comics and baseball cards! PP is one very versatile material that all collectors should know about.

BUYING PRODUCTS: Make sure you purchase 100% acetone. Nail polish remover is not 100% pure, so avoid it! Hardware stores have this pure type, but always read the label no matter where you buy it from. I have no idea where to get some excellent hard plastic tongs at this moment as that is what I am searching for right now. >>



Excellent understanding of the process. Distilled water has no use whatsoever in this process. As you state, and it's good science, multiple consecutive acetone rinses is far superior for eliminating contaminants. any good conservationist/coin doctor knows that . . .

lostincoins

As stated the food grade rubermaid containers are safe for acetone, I have had my dirty acetone in a container for over a year with no damage. I save my used acetone and filter out the particles then use it for other cleaning and painting needs. You can get some tongs from a science supply store that are chemical safe. I have a couple of them that I use for acids also.

jonathanb

If you're going to the hardware store anyway, grab the methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) in the can that's further down on the same shelf as the acetone. acetone and MEK are very similar chemically. MEK is somewhat less nasty from a health perspective, and also evaporates a bit more slowly. MEK is a bit more expensive, but a big can is still under $10 at Home Depot, so we're not talking huge bucks either way.

AMRC

<< <i>use 100% pure. >>



It is called "Technical Grade" and you cannot find it at Home Depot.

Acetone is not a dip. But, yes it is safe on coins and does a great job of removing PVC. Please use it in a well ventilated space, and no where near a flame.

krueger

I have taken PVC off many coins, using MS70 ,Q-tip rolling method per instructions, works great better than Acetone
in my opinion.
I wear Nitrile gloves from Walmart when handling at all times and even during rinsing.

I Have used other chemicals without gloves and I believe they get into your blood stream
I fear this is not a good idea. I am no doctor, but I do not want toxic chemicals in my bloodstream.

Krueger

garrynot

<< <i>Yep, need a glass bowl. Acetone will eat/melt plastic. With a lid also made of something that isn't plastic, since it will evaporate and affect the lid too. Glass is your best bet all around. >>



Also be sure you don't dispose of acetone into plumbing as there might be plastic piping. I dispose of mine into a rock bed in my yard.

topstuf

California doesn't allow it to be sold anymore.

I'm eking out my last pint or so

mr1931S

What is Cali's problem with Acetone?

Kudbegud

<< <i>What is Cali's problem with Acetone? >>


Used in Meth production