in the uk go into a chemists like boots, ask at the pharmacy counter, they will have small bottles (like 50 or 100ml) it wont be cheap as buying in large quantitys, but only a few quid for a small bottle. I seem to recall I got mine in a morrisons Pharmacy as boots were out of stock.

Ok, handy to know, I did try my regular pharmacy but they directed me to the nail polish.

I used a 0.2 tool to break what ever it was up but the tip go brok off in the nozzel, so I though, bugger it, nothing to lose now, so I forced through the equivalent of 100mm of filament with the hot end heated to its maximum temperature and slowly the brill bit tip came out and there seemed to be something stuck to it in with the filament that forced the blockage and the tip our, it appeared to be a swarf of metal which I can only say must have been within the filament I was using as it only happened after using the cheaper of my filaments.

mark.giblin wrote:

Well I thought that it being a gel, like most things that are, melt when heated and its not like I can apply an open flame (blow torch) to it so a non incandescent source of heating.

Maybe if I were to part boil a bottle of gel in its container at the boiling point of acetone, hope that the seperation allows for decanting of the raw acetone.

The other option is to distil nail polish.

Seriously - do not heat the stuff directly!

if you want to try to warm it, heat some water - take the hot water OFF the stove, place the bottle of gel polish remover in the hot water. And even then I would use a lot of caution..

or maybe take a look at the links Tin Falcon was so kind to share..

Maybe he just wants to see if his insurance covers Acetone explosion.

Mark I would seriously advise you to read the MSDS on Acetone. It is bad enough as it is but when heated it creates vapors that can be ignited by the tiniest spark like static or even a light switch being turned on. Do yourself a favor, check out Tin's links and forget about the Gel. You will thank yourself in the end and so will your neighbors.

Well I thought that it being a gel, like most things that are, melt when heated and its not like I can apply an open flame (blow torch) to it so a non incandescent source of heating.

Maybe if I were to part boil a bottle of gel in its container at the boiling point of acetone, hope that the seperation allows for decanting of the raw acetone.

The other option is to distil nail polish.

Seriously - do not heat the stuff directly!

if you want to try to warm it, heat some water - take the hot water OFF the stove, place the bottle of gel polish remover in the hot water. And even then I would use a lot of caution..

or maybe take a look at the links Tin Falcon was so kind to share..

https://www.ebay.co.uk/bhp/pure-acetone-500-ml

http://www.mbfg.co.uk/acetone/acetone-500ml.html

https://www.floc-king.co.uk/products/ac … nner-500ml

Maybe if I were to part boil a bottle of gel in its container at the boiling point of acetone, hope that the seperation allows for decanting of the raw acetone.

The other option is to distil nail polish.

Just think of microwaving a bottle of gasoline.....

Any store that sells nail polish, should have nail polish remover.. look around, I am sure you can probably find something.

at this point, I would also suggest purchasing a spare nozzle or two for backup.

carl_m1968 wrote:

Sometimes you got to bite that bullet if it is something you need. But like the other guy said nail polish remover is acetone as well. A watered down version so it takes longer to work. It also sometimes has a moisturizer in it due to the drying effect of acetone on skin and nails. That needs to be cleaned up with alcohol once the acetone work is done.

Yeah, I still got plenty of bullets to chew on already... Any ideas on how to soften them up a bit, bloody hard to chew...

Yes I know and the acetone I have seen in the shops is Gel type, which seems to be more popular and I have had a few weird looks when I say I have an FDM and need acetone for it, then explain why pure acetone is needed.

I found a source on amazon, it looks like I will have no option other than to try nail polish gel, I am wondering if the gel could be broken down by blasting it in the microwave, see if melting it will make it easier to work with.

Not sure heating acetone is a good idea, it does have a flash point and microwave could achieve that much faster than a warming plate.

Sometimes you got to bite that bullet if it is something you need. But like the other guy said nail polish remover is acetone as well. A watered down version so it takes longer to work. It also sometimes has a moisturizer in it due to the drying effect of acetone on skin and nails. That needs to be cleaned up with alcohol once the acetone work is done.

Yeah, I still got plenty of bullets to chew on already... Any ideas on how to soften them up a bit, bloody hard to chew...

Yes I know and the acetone I have seen in the shops is Gel type, which seems to be more popular and I have had a few weird looks when I say I have an FDM and need acetone for it, then explain why pure acetone is needed.

I found a source on amazon, it looks like I will have no option other than to try nail polish gel, I am wondering if the gel could be broken down by blasting it in the microwave, see if melting it will make it easier to work with.

carl_m1968 wrote:

You can get a quart can at home depot or Lowes. I used to buy it there when I used ABS.

In the UK, things are much stricter, you can't just order chemicals, some chemicals can only be sold to established businesses or trades. Because I live in a multi-story building, there was a few changes to the tenancy agreements, like wording was altered to be quite ambiguous because of Grenfell Tower, anything of fire risk, you are not allowed to keep in your residence and that includes eBikes.

Certain trades have certain chemicals, if I was in to fibreglass and had my own fibre glass moulding shop, I'd be just fin getting hold of the stuff. The general public as a whole, even if you have a hobby or past time you enjoy, there is often some by law you're breaking, not allowed to do something because of certain dangers, my last landlors inspection, the agent was fraking out because she saw two extension leads being used out of a double socket and had the local fire department come around and inspedt for a fire hazzard. So you see,  I have got to be careful.

When I look on the US continent, I can get an IBC of the stuff for next to bugger all $$$ wise.

Only place I have found that looks like lab quality stuff is via Amazon in the UK and it is 500ml and looks to be £6 + £4.47 delivery as this requires hazardous chemicals handling. I don't like giving Amazon my money, to me, they are no different than ebay and walmart. Very handy but destroying ma & pa shops.

Sometimes you got to bite that bullet if it is something you need. But like the other guy said nail polish remover is acetone as well. A watered down version so it takes longer to work. It also sometimes has a moisturizer in it due to the drying effect of acetone on skin and nails. That needs to be cleaned up with alcohol once the acetone work is done.

You can get a quart can at home depot or Lowes. I used to buy it there when I used ABS.

In the UK, things are much stricter, you can't just order chemicals, some chemicals can only be sold to established businesses or trades. Because I live in a multi-story building, there was a few changes to the tenancy agreements, like wording was altered to be quite ambiguous because of Grenfell Tower, anything of fire risk, you are not allowed to keep in your residence and that includes eBikes.

Certain trades have certain chemicals, if I was in to fibreglass and had my own fibre glass moulding shop, I'd be just fin getting hold of the stuff. The general public as a whole, even if you have a hobby or past time you enjoy, there is often some by law you're breaking, not allowed to do something because of certain dangers, my last landlors inspection, the agent was fraking out because she saw two extension leads being used out of a double socket and had the local fire department come around and inspedt for a fire hazzard. So you see,  I have got to be careful.

When I look on the US continent, I can get an IBC of the stuff for next to bugger all $$$ wise.

Only place I have found that looks like lab quality stuff is via Amazon in the UK and it is 500ml and looks to be £6 + £4.47 delivery as this requires hazardous chemicals handling. I don't like giving Amazon my money, to me, they are no different than ebay and walmart. Very handy but destroying ma & pa shops.