29-04-2020, 04:16 PM
(This post was last modified: 29-04-2020, 04:18 PM by ppppenguin.)
PVC and polystyrene aren't happy neighbours. The plasticisers in PVC will dissolve polystyrene. This is especially dramatic with expanded polystyrene but happens with solid polystyrene too. PVC insulated cable and expanded polystyrene thermal insulation are a very bad mix. The expanded polystyrene dissolves and the PVC goes brittle.
The photos are of a couple of polystyrene drawers that I've used to store PVC grommets. I know I shouldn't but I have, and for several years. It was hard work getting all the grommets unstuck. They don't seem to have become brittle. I tried to smooth out the left drawer with some acetone but that's made it go cloudy.
The drawers are still fully usable but not very pretty.
I've been using some of the lockdown time to sort out the many drawers of components in my lab. Lots of the drawers have a slot for label. I've set up a spreadsheet to print sets of labels on to thin card. Works very nicely. These drawers (I have over 100 of them) don't have anywhere to slot in a label so it has be stuck on. I've been soaking off many old faded labels, removing the residues with petrol or IPA. But what to use for new labels.
I don't have an old fashioned Dymo. I do have a simple labelling machine but it won't do the complexity I want for some of the labels and it would be very tedious. So it's spreadsheet again. In theory I could print on to sheets of label paper but I don't have any the right size. So print on to paper or thin card, then glue on to drawers.
What glue? I tried Prittstick which doesn't really stick well enough. Uhu does stick well but the solvent may attack the polystyrene slightly and it's awkward to handle cleanly. I settled on ordinary builders' PVA. Tried a brush but found a finger easier. Not come out too badly.
All label cutting was done with a sharp craft knife, steel rule and cutting mat (old plastic kitchen chopping board).
You can see the results in the 2nd photo.
The photos are of a couple of polystyrene drawers that I've used to store PVC grommets. I know I shouldn't but I have, and for several years. It was hard work getting all the grommets unstuck. They don't seem to have become brittle. I tried to smooth out the left drawer with some acetone but that's made it go cloudy.
The drawers are still fully usable but not very pretty.
I've been using some of the lockdown time to sort out the many drawers of components in my lab. Lots of the drawers have a slot for label. I've set up a spreadsheet to print sets of labels on to thin card. Works very nicely. These drawers (I have over 100 of them) don't have anywhere to slot in a label so it has be stuck on. I've been soaking off many old faded labels, removing the residues with petrol or IPA. But what to use for new labels.
I don't have an old fashioned Dymo. I do have a simple labelling machine but it won't do the complexity I want for some of the labels and it would be very tedious. So it's spreadsheet again. In theory I could print on to sheets of label paper but I don't have any the right size. So print on to paper or thin card, then glue on to drawers.
What glue? I tried Prittstick which doesn't really stick well enough. Uhu does stick well but the solvent may attack the polystyrene slightly and it's awkward to handle cleanly. I settled on ordinary builders' PVA. Tried a brush but found a finger easier. Not come out too badly.
All label cutting was done with a sharp craft knife, steel rule and cutting mat (old plastic kitchen chopping board).
You can see the results in the 2nd photo.
www.borinsky.co.uk Jeffrey Borinsky www.becg.tv
