rjb
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Posts: 187
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Post by rjb on Aug 30, 2012 18:00:00 GMT -8
New source of ethyl acetate in US- The topic of what fluid is used for dispatching insects comes up a lot here. Some of us like ethyl acetate for beetles because it is less embrittling than ethanol for some things and low toxicity (compared to cyanide for example). The easy place to buy it in the US has been small bottles of "acetone-free nail polish remover" at Walmart or Target. This is mostly EA but has a long list of extra stuff added, including some pink coloring agent. I just found that Home Depot and Lowe's are selling something labeled "M.E.K. Substitute" by the quart and gallon. I don't know why one wants a substitute for methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) but it turns out this is pure ethyl acetate, with no additives. Sadly it is not particularly cheap, a gallon costs $23. which is about the same price/ounce as the nail polish remover.
At least the stuff is clear, colorless, and evaporates without residue.
Rick
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Post by admin on Aug 30, 2012 18:06:20 GMT -8
New source of ethyl acetate in US- The topic of what fluid is used for dispatching insects comes up a lot here. Some of us like ethyl acetate for beetles because it is less embrittling than ethanol for some things and low toxicity (compared to cyanide for example). The easy place to buy it in the US has been small bottles of "acetone-free nail polish remover" at Walmart or Target. This is mostly EA but has a long list of extra stuff added, including some pink coloring agent. I just found that Home Depot and Lowe's are selling something labeled "M.E.K. Substitute" by the quart and gallon. I don't know why one wants a substitute for methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) but it turns out this is pure ethyl acetate, with no additives. Sadly it is not particularly cheap, a gallon costs $23. which is about the same price/ounce as the nail polish remover. At least the stuff is clear, colorless, and evaporates without residue. Rick Rick, That is fabulous information! Thanks very much. I'm going to check it out.
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Post by beetlehorn on Aug 30, 2012 20:24:28 GMT -8
I agree Clark! Looks like I'll be making a run to Lowe's this weekend as well. Thanks for the heads up! Tom
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ckswank
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Country: USA
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Post by ckswank on Aug 30, 2012 22:00:56 GMT -8
Thanks for the tip. Good info. Will be checking it out as well.
Charlie
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leptraps
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Post by leptraps on Sept 4, 2012 9:34:22 GMT -8
I have a source in Louisville, Kentucky and the price is $27.75 per Gallon in a five gallon Pail. It is $19.85 per gallon in a 50 Gallon Drum. This is 99% Ethyl Acetate.
I use this in light traps. However, if this is true, I will check it out. $23.00 per Gallon in gallon cabs is a deal.
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Post by byronagetz on Sept 4, 2012 22:57:55 GMT -8
The information you share is quiet helping for me.It solve my problem. Thanks for sharing it
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rjb
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Posts: 187
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Post by rjb on Sept 5, 2012 7:48:58 GMT -8
I researched this a little more. Lowe's price for a gallon $23.94. (Sorry about truncating the price- I had bought a lot of items at the same time and forgot the actual price.) Home Depot may only sell this in quart size. I thought they were simply out of the gallon size, but their website doesn't seem to mention gallons. I bought the gallon from Lowe's and tested it- no residue left on evaporation. Rick
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WillM
New Member
Posts: 14
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Post by WillM on Sept 24, 2012 19:00:52 GMT -8
The MSDS for Klean-Strip MEK Substitute states that the solvent is a mixture of acetic acid (think vinegar) and ethyl acetate, maybe 5-6% acetic acid but that is my guess. That your brand of MEK Substitute evaporated with no residue suggests that acetic acid was not present, the acid not being very volatile. Either way the bugs die. And I add my thanks for the heads up.
A UK Safety Data Sheet for MEK Substitute listed acetone, >90%, as the major ingredient, so you Brits beware 8^)
Will
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bret
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Posts: 4
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Post by bret on Jun 11, 2013 9:35:34 GMT -8
It's fantastic to know pure ethyl acetate is more-or-less readily available now and in large quantities. I'm coming late to this thread, but thanks for the post. Note that if Lowe's and Home Depot don't have the gallon tins, check your local auto parts stores; I found they carry it as well and at a comparable price.
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Post by Borja Gómez on Jun 11, 2013 15:59:48 GMT -8
Hello
It's curious to find out that the ethyl acetate it's hard to find there in the US. Here in Spain I can buy it easily in stores wich sells products for laboratory, like instrumental for the lab, machines, chemicals reactives, etc... It's like 12€ 1L, and it's 99,99% pure (for use in chemistry labs). There are even more pure versions, but way more expensive wich are for the experiments wich need more purity. The same with other chemicals as acetone or ethanol. So have you ever tried to go to a store like this? maybe you will have luck there.
Regards
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w1
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Have had a great start to my season
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Post by w1 on Jun 11, 2013 19:40:22 GMT -8
Great thread: going to try this out soon. Paying to ship ethyl acetate or drive to LA is a pain especially when I'd rather be hunting. Thanks
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Post by bandrow on Jun 14, 2013 13:38:46 GMT -8
Hi All,
Here's another tip unrelated to ethyl acetate, but none-the-less valuable. JoAnn Fabrics carries the 'Pigma' brand permanent pens that are perfect for writing labels, especially for insertion in alcohol samples. They carry a variety of sizes in black, as well as a multi-set of colored pens. They ARE NOT in the pen section - they carry them only in the QUILTING ACCESSORIES section. The price is around $3.50, but they regularly have 30-40% off sales on the quilting items. Definitely cheaper than the various science supply companies.
Cheers! Bandrow
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rjb
Full Member
Posts: 187
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Post by rjb on Jun 19, 2013 18:32:41 GMT -8
In answer to Borja Gomez: In the US, there are chemical supply companies like Fisher and Sigma but they usually will not sell to members of the general public. I was a professional chemist for many years and could purchase anything from those companies. If they didn't sell it, then I would make the chemical myself. As a (retired) member of the public, I can not buy from them (at least that was true a few years ago, I have not checked recently). In larger cities, there may be some small chemical suppliers who will sell to everyone. The important point was only that Home Depot and Lowe's are everywhere in the US, so this makes the ethyl acetate very easy for everyone to find.
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