Is This Plastic Vinyl?

If it's vinyl, acetone or MEK will dissolve it. If it's polyethylene or polypropylene, they won't.

Mike

acetone or MEK will also dissolve ABS, styrene and some others.

Right after I posted the above, I added what you just said almost word-for-word. I don't know where it went.

Mike

You know what they say about great minds.

In a word, no. Depending on the formulation, PVC can range from very rigid to very flexible.

My guess is that if it's extruded angle it could be ABS, PVC or polystyrene. Or any of a dozen others.

If there is no recycle symbol on it it's hard to say.

Long ago, we used the smell test to help determine the type of plastic we were dealing with. Carve off a hunk, set it on fire and smell the smoke.

Don't know if you can find information the test on Google, or not.

Go ahead and put it up. It'll last for awhile.

Find a thick piece of copper wire, heat it with a torch until it glows, hold it to the plastic in question and place the wire in the flame again.

PVC will produce a distinct green glow when burnt with copper.

Don't breath the fumes. Not pleasant.

See if you can find someone with an infrared spectrometer (most chemistry labs have one), I use one all the time at work to identify differences polymers

Even if is is vinyl, if it is meant for indoor use it may not have UV resistance and will break down after a few years in the sun. Vinyl siding, rain gutters, etc., have chemicals formulated within the plastic to resist UV rays. The UV rays of the sun are very unfriendly to many types of plastics. Unless you can paint it with a UV resistant paint, it may not last long.

-Dennis

This has so little to do with your question... except that some of the same (possibly) components are involved... take a quantity of styrofoam (such as you'll find in a throwaway(?) coffee cup) & mix it with gasoline/petrol to make a terrific glue like material. Great if your out camping & need to patch a boat, etc. That's it for now. Carlos

"The choices you make might be mistakes but its never too late to turn around." Tony Lang- musician

FYI:

That happens to be the basis of a well known recipe (at least in the 70s) to make the gelled filling for Molotov cocktails...

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Just my $0.02...

Hello The JMAN:,

I thing there could be too much information in your reply................

Hi vgsdvawt:

If this angle you have is flexible chances are it is vinyl. In case it is not. Try drilling holes where you intend to fix it rather than forcing the screw or nail through. As forcing a nail through will put stress into the plastic and the solar damage will make it crack very much quicker. Just a thought.............

If you drill it and it is fragile and possibly splits, is is likely not to be vinyl. Also from my experience, and I think I know the plastic angle you talk of, this will split. And I would advice to use a two inch or larger angle laid on top of a piped silicone sealant of some sort to prevent water intrusion.

Take care............................

Go to your local building supply store, buy an outdoor grade piece of trim for less than $1 a foot and put it up. I'm guess you don't want to have to redo the job next year or the year after if you put up a non-weatherable grade.