Acetone

Acetone is a good solvent for most plastics and synthetic fibers including those used in laboratory bottles made of polystyrene, polycarbonate and some types of polypropylene. It is ideal for thinning fiberglass resin, cleaning fiberglass tools and dissolving two-part epoxies and superglue before hardening. It is used as a volatile component of some paints and varnishes. As a heavy-duty degreaser, it is useful in the preparation of metal prior to painting, it also thins polyester resins, vinyl and adhesives.

Rubber Tapping

Rubber tapping is the process by which rubber is gathered. An incision is made in the bark of a rubber tree, which cuts through the planting cycle to optimise the latex yield.

rubber tapping or tapped process
Almost in all the rubber plantations, the same way it works is simple and done manually. Each night a rubber tapper must remove a thin layer of bark along a downward half spiral on the tree trunk with rubber tapping knife. Required precision, care and special ability to do this work so that the tree can produce latex in a long time. Then the opposite side will be tapped allowing this side to heal over. The spiral allows the latex to run down to a collecting cup.
rubber tapped knife
Depending on the final product, additional chemicals can be added to the latex cup in order to preserve the latex for longer. Ammonia solution helps prevent natural coagulation and allows the latex to remain in its liquid state. Plastic bags containing a coagulant have replaced cups in many plantations. This form of latex is used as the raw material for latex concentrate, which is used for dipped rubber products or for the manufacture of Ribbed Smoke Sheet grades.

Naturally coagulated latex, sometimes referred to as cup lump, is collected for processing into block rubbers, which are referred to as Technically Specified Rubbers (TSR).

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