theoldwizard1 wrote:
Kamphiker wrote:
Any tricks in keeping shelf Life ?
I purchase the smallest size containers for occasional use. By the time I get to another project I have to throw out the last purchase & buy new.
It is the air in the can that kills it !
The cans have very little air when they come out of the factory and may even be vacuumed sealed. Add air when they are opened and life gets shorter.
You are half correct. PVC cement has two basic parts. Resin and solvent. When you open the can, air enters and contacts the resin. It begins to cure. (harden) At the same time, the volatile solvent(s) escape out of the can. You smell the solvents. The solvent (THF) is important because it dissolves (melts) the pipe and the fitting so that the two eventually fuse together. The resin fills any voids between the two making the joint water/air tight. The solvent portion also contains thinners (acetone and cyclohexanone) to get the viscosity of the cement correct for the ambient temperature, the pipe material/diameter, and cure time.
Chum lee
