solvent dispenser

[darryl]

I was watching a vid earlier where a guy used a custom dispensing setup for acetone. It was basically a container with a shallow tray on top of a pump stem. Push down on the tray with a rag and solvent would gush up into the tray to soak the rag. I presume there would be a one way ball valve to prevent backflow. Looked like a pretty good idea. One handed operation, and you don't open the container except for refilling.

[Noitoen]

Around here they sell those in the beauty shops with nail varnish remover (colored acetone)

[boslab]

They have them in the sealy catalogue ( automotive tools, ) seems like they use them in garages a lot
mark
plunger can

[Dan Dubeau]

I bought one a few years ago when I got my Tig. It was much bigger than I thought when I ordered it . but thought it would still be fine. I filled it with acetone, and it worked great for the first couple projects I used it on, but then as typical in my shop I didn't use it for a couple months and by the time I needed it again the acetone had all evaporated. Not sure If I got a defective one or not, but I just stick to a rag and the original can now. I guess it would be great in a busy shop where the rate of use is greater than the rate of evaporation.

[Tungsten dipper]

These work great!

[Dan Dubeau]

These work great!

Those are the bottles I use now. They work great and are cheap. That one is filled with lacquer thinner, but I have had acetone/tranny fluid combo in one before and it didn't eat it. It did evaporate though. The thinners dont though

[Bob Engelhardt]

These work great!

The problem with a tight bottle and a dip tube is that it will thermal pump. When it cools it will draw air in through the tube & when it heats it will push the fluid out the tube. If that sounds improbable, let me assure you that I've lost bottles of paint thinner to that.

Now, I drill a hole in the side of the bottle where my finger can close the hole when I want to squeeze fluid out.

[BCRider]

The problem with a tight bottle and a dip tube is that it will thermal pump. When it cools it will draw air in through the tube & when it heats it will push the fluid out the tube. If that sounds improbable, let me assure you that I've lost bottles of paint thinner to that.

Now, I drill a hole in the side of the bottle where my finger can close the hole when I want to squeeze fluid out.

For solvents with a vapor pressure that is higher than atmospheric the same issue will occur. But in that case the evaporation of the solvent in the bottle causing some pressure will make the contents evaporate the whole bottle up and out the spout.

TD, have you actually used those bottles for acetone? If you have and there wasn't any issue it must mean that the vapor pressure of acetone is roughly the same as atmospheric. But on a warmer day?

Those little dispensers with the dish on top sound a lot like the alcohol bottles that were always found in doctors' offices. They'd dab a ball of cotton on the lid to wet with the alky to swab the skin before a shot. Now, of course, it's all about separate alky wipes in little packages to help fill up landfills.

[eKretz]

I use one of those type dispensers for IPA on my electronics/basement workbench. Mine used to be a hand disinfectant dispenser or something. I repurposed it after it was empty. It's got a push down pump and small dish on top, but additionally has a twist-to-close function, which prevents evaporation losses. Not sure if it would hold up to acetone or not.

[JRouche]

I used to use them with iso alcohol on the electronics solder/de-solder bench. Dunno how the acetone would react. It loves to eat plastics. JR

[Tungsten dipper]

For solvents with a vapor pressure that is higher than atmospheric the same issue will occur. But in that case the evaporation of the solvent in the bottle causing some pressure will make the contents evaporate the whole bottle up and out the spout.

TD, have you actually used those bottles for acetone? If you have and there wasn't any issue it must mean that the vapor pressure of acetone is roughly the same as atmospheric. But on a warmer day?

Those little dispensers with the dish on top sound a lot like the alcohol bottles that were always found in doctors' offices. They'd dab a ball of cotton on the lid to wet with the alky to swab the skin before a shot. Now, of course, it's all about separate alky wipes in little packages to help fill up landfills.

I have used acetone in that bottle for 5 years with NO leakage. I do have a heated and well insulated garage, (R-40 in ceiling) with little temperature change. I also have one filled with alcohol with no problems. Like Dan, I mainly use them for TIG welding. Just order 4 more bottles for WD-40, solvent, and for replacements.

[alanganes]

Like either of these maybe:

https://www.mcmaster.com/solvent-dis...-dispensers-6/

https://www.mcmaster.com/solvent-dis...ble-liquids-6/

[BCRider]

I have used acetone in that bottle for 5 years with NO leakage. I do have a heated and well insulated garage, (R-40 in ceiling) with little temperature change. I also have one filled with alcohol with no problems. Like Dan, I mainly use them for TIG welding. Just order 4 more bottles for WD-40, solvent, and for replacements.

Thanks, that says a lot about those two products.

I guess the bottom line is that if a product is in a sealed container and it puffs out with pressure that vents when the cap is removed then it's not a good product to use in one of those syphon pickup bottles. And you're right, I don't recall acetone cans feeling "plump" and hissing when the cap is removed now that I think about it.

[IronDeficient]

I watched a vid that featured one of those dispensers recently too. It got me to thinking that what I wanted was a storage bottle that wouldn't lose the acetone, but also had a precise applicator. I'm using acetone mostly for gluing ABS. I found a little polyethylene eyedrop squeeze bottle, turned a brass adapter to fit and put a luer taper on the end.

So far, it's working well. It's been about a week and I haven't seen much sign of evaporation. A larger bottle would be an improvement though, as this is tiny.

I'd tried acetone in an actual hypo before, but it ate the plunger end.

[Tungsten dipper]

The best part of all of these dispensers is you store small amounts of flammable liquids in your shop. I store the gallons of solvents outside in my shed away from the house.