Is it OK to cover a glass bowl with aluminum foil while bathing a coin in acetone?
TheGoonies1985
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Does the acetone interact in some bad way with aluminum foil?
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I am assuming it is OK but I am not sure to be honest.
You want something airtight.
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For the fumes I imagine?
Also I recommend only doing acetone soaks outside and not smoking.
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Yes for the fumes and to keep the acetone from evaporating away.
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Thanks but would the aluminum foil be OK outside then? I do not smoke. I know it is flammable so they are nowhere near a source that could ignite it. I have 2 with metal lids but I now see rust on the metal lids hence my question.
This is the type I have:
But the lids are getting rusted from the acetone.
In my previous life we regularly had liquid paint (as opposed to powder paint) and solvents running through various aluminum components. No problem. Aluminum 6061-T6.
So in your opinion if I use my jars and tightly put the aluminum foil on the top it should be OK? I will change the aluminum foil of course. I mean the type of aluminum foil you use in your oven when cooking.
If it was me I wouldn’t worry aboput it and if I did I would put a glass plate over the jar.
I use the same jar and lid but I have a piece of aluminum foil screwed in between the jar and lid. Works great. No evaporation. Good luck. Peace Roy
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This is the type I have:
Yeah that may be the solution aluminum foil with a glass plate over my jars. The lids for some reason rust.
I will try this as well thanks.
Should I redo my coins because the lid had rust or am I fine?
Some rust may have fallen in, but once you rinse the coins whatever was still in the acetone should come off the coin.
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How long are you bathing the coins? I dipped one in acetone outside, left it in for about 15 minutes, then redipped in fresh acetone...never covered it. I just don't know if covering the acetone is necessary unless you are soaking for an extended time as the acetone does evaporate quickly.
There was a guy about 8 years ago. He was driving around in my city with bomb making material in his car. He decided to light up a cigarette. WELL there was an explosion that blew out the windows of his car. Lucky for him he survived with only some burns. Never heard a follow up on the news about this guy.
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I cover a small container with tinfoil when using acetone all the time.
I've used these 2 oz. disposable Jello shot cups and lids with no problem.
The acetone didn't react with the plastic material that I could see.
Now, if you were old school you'd be asking about TIN foil.
I use a small glass bowl ( pyrex, I think) bought a set at the grocery store. I just cover with a teacup saucer. I don't see why Al. foil should be a problem, though
@Goldbully It would be interested to know what those cups are made of.
I’d be really hesitant to put acetone or keystone in those.
Also do you really need to soak coins that long in acetone? I really don’t know but I think the longer you do it the more luster burn you would get.
Martin
I know this doesn't help with the OP's question, but I remember when we were kids we loaded little aluminum foil balls into a 2 liter bottle, dropped in some muriatic acid from the pool shed, closed the top of the 2 liter and chucked the whole thing in the pond. Boom. Please don't tell my kids.
I let them soak for 6 hours each side. Was just a guess.
Do you rinse with tap water or fresh acetone? I do both. Start with water then acetone.
Just some cold tap water here then pat dry with a soft bath towel.
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Thanks
6061 alloy with the tinsel strength of 6 seems a bit high for aluminum foil. Don’t ya think? If that rings true I sure don’t get it.
I put my coins in a small glass storage bowl with relatively straight sides. I put foil over the top and form it tightly around the rim of the bowl and them put a rubber band around it to keep it tight. I've only done it for a couple days of soaking, but I don't see why it couldn't be done for longer.
How the heck long does one soak coins to have acetone evaporate with some kind of a lid on it?
"When they can't find anything wrong with you, they create it!"
Maybe the lids are not 100% sealed (I tight them as much as I can and there is no smell) I do my coins for 6 hours each side with new acetone when I turn the coin over. Maybe I need better seals.
I'm just saying acetone doesn't evaporate that fast as others make it seem like - unless of course you leave a jar totally uncovered overnight.
"When they can't find anything wrong with you, they create it!"
Most likely when I clean it and put it upside down the acetone touches the lid. Live and learn as they say. Now I know not to do that.
Aluminum foil > @Steven59 said:
Even a pin hole in a plastic covering and you'll notice it evaporating. I do some soaks for weeks and it can completely evaporate. This is especially problematical if you use the acetone over and over because the contaminants in it become more concentrated as the acetone evaporates.
Acetone isn't supposed to be hazardous to your health but if you don't cover it then it will be a large component (by volume) of your indoor air pollution in the winter.
A few years ago I done some experimenting with ugly / toned circ. 90%. Acetone in small covered glass bowls, 3 coins per container. Variable was the time immersed. To many different times to list here but the main conclusion was anything over 30 minutes saw no appreciable difference and those that were immersed for 4 to 7 days ( my maximum time ) showed a noticeable loss of luster. Acetone for the longer dip times was changed daily. Now I know it's not laboratory based but I tried to have as few variables as possible. The biggest being the crud/toning. Tried to sort the toning of the 3 coins per container into one with very little dirt/toning, one moderate and one really cruddy coin. My conclusion, when I do dip coins ( which isn't often ) 30 minutes is my maximum. mostly less. Rinse with new acetone, then distilled water, then dry between folds of a cotton towel. Others may not agree, and that's O.K. This system works for me.
Just a thought from the rookie...
I used to work at an automotive paint store. We would sell hard plastic cups for mixing paint and solvents. Most had a lid to preserve the paint for future use. Has anyone used them for a soak? Would they be less likely to scratch your coins?
Any before and after photos of coins?
Polystyrene plastic dissolves in acetone. Polypropylene, hi density polyethylene (HDPE) and Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) don’t dissolve in acetone but something may end up leaching out of them if the acetone is left in them for a very long time. One time I tried using a mason jar with its regular lid and the rubber gasket melted and oozed down into the acetone just from the vapors inside of the bottle.
Aluminum foil should be fine but may not give an airtight fit. I like glass though, and I like these small weighing glass bottles because they are all glass and because they are so small you can easily soak a coin in less than a tablespoon of acetone.
Mr_Spud
Thanks just ordered those glass bottles you posted. Will use those from now on. Same type a little different that is all they had on amazon Canada. They are glass and full glass lids.
I am thinking the rust look was dirt that cam off the coins and when I cleaned the bottle and set them upside down on the lid part for a few hours the ''dirt'' showed there and a bit on the glass in that area as well. Must be ''dirt'' the acetone took off some of my coins. It was brownish and had some a but on the glass top part as well were the lid is closed.
I imagine acetone does take off other stuff on coins and not just PVC correct?
Yes it does. PVC, light dirt, etc.
That is most likely the case light dirt came off and looked like rust I clean my lids today and it easily came off with rubbing alcohol.
'' I do some soaks for weeks and it can completely evaporate. "
What type of coins need that long of a soak? Ancients?
"When they can't find anything wrong with you, they create it!"
Haven't done any ancients. I could see an extended dip time on centuries old crud.
If you have it plastic wrap is > @Steven59 said:
Most ancients that need a long soak are in olive oil.
Most of the coins that need a long soak in acetone are cu/ ni proofs.
Problem coins can be had pretty cheaply and many of them don't require much effort to look right. Often it's just a matter of covering up bad cleanings or removing PVC or contaminants. Probably three out four coins that are being "given away" by the market can look normal again. a lot of cu/ ni proofs can't be cleaned. A lot of German states coppers need long soaks in acetone or olive oil. Some BU mint set cents require long soaks in acetone.