| Jeff B |
| (Member) |
| 06/08/12 11:32 PM |
Substitute for Mineral Spirits
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MS sold here in California has recently been reformulated. The result is a significant increase in drying time. Before the change, on a warm day, MS wiped on a board would evaporate within minutes. Now it takes hours!
This is causing a problem with my usual finishing process which is a varnish, BLO, MS mix.
So my question is: Is there something that can be substituted for the MS in this mixture?
Thx, Jeff
| MikeSmith |
| (Member) |
| 06/09/12 06:53 AM |
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Re: Substitute for Mineral Spirits
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You could always Amtrak down to San Diego, jump across the border, buy a real can of mineral spirits in Mexico, then Amtrak back...
| jmcphail |
| (Member) |
| 06/09/12 08:49 AM |
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Re: Substitute for Mineral Spirits
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Naptha?
| giradman |
| (Member) |
| 06/09/12 11:01 AM |
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Re: Substitute for Mineral Spirits
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jmcphail said:
Naptha?
Agree - I've used that home-made finish on a number of projects and will often substitute naphtha for a quicker drying time; also usually use it on bare wood to check for any unseen defects, glue spots, etc. - disappears quickly. I do like the smell of 'odorless' MS a little better.
| daveferg |
| (member) |
| 06/09/12 11:42 AM |
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Re: Substitute for Mineral Spirits
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giradman said:jmcphail said:
Naptha?
Agree - I've used that home-made finish on a number of projects and will often substitute naphtha for a quicker drying time; also usually use it on bare wood to check for any unseen defects, glue spots, etc. - disappears quickly. I do like the smell of 'odorless' MS a little better.
+1 When people ask me about making your on wipe-on poly, I always suggest naptha due to faster evaporation time.
I was unaware of any formula change in mineral spirits---though when given the choice, I buy product labeled "paint thinner", which may or may not be the same VOC level.
| Jeff B |
| (Member) |
| 07/03/12 04:53 PM |
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Re: Substitute for Mineral Spirits
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Can't seem to find naptha around here. Will acetone work? How about lacquer thinner?
Thx, Jeff
| JR1 |
| (Member) |
| 07/03/12 05:09 PM |
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Re: Substitute for Mineral Spirits
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I have never tried that. Probably a lot less acetone though. The only way is to try it and see on some scrap. I treat acetone like gasoline and only use it out doors.
I'd appreciate knowing how it works. You can always switch to waterbornes like Crystalac or GF. They work really well over oils or shellac. They are a huge improvement over oil/varnish stuff.
| jteneyck |
| (Member) |
| 07/03/12 07:16 PM |
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Re: Substitute for Mineral Spirits
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Jeff B said:
Can't seem to find naptha around here. Will acetone work? How about lacquer thinner?
Thx, Jeff
If you can't find Naptha, use Coleman camp stove fuel (white gas). Same stuff.
John
| Howard Acheson |
| () |
| 07/04/12 02:16 PM |
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Re: Substitute for Mineral Spirits
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Jeff B said:
Can't seem to find naptha around here. Will acetone work? How about lacquer thinner?
Thx, Jeff
Naphtha has high VOC emissions and is probably banned just as mineral spirits is.
| Howard Acheson |
| () |
| 07/04/12 02:24 PM |
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Re: Substitute for Mineral Spirits
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Couple of points.
First, Oil/varnish mixture finishes are intended to be absorbed into the wood. Use a faster evaporating thinner like lacquer thinner or acetone may be evaporated so fast the the vanish and BLO will not be absorbed as deeply as it should.
Second when mineral spirits or paint thinner evaporates from a varnish/BLO mixture it leaves without changing the chemical composition of the oil or the varnish. Lacquer thinner and acetone may actually make some chemical changes to oil and varnish and who knows what you will end up with.
Carefully test any "brews" you come up with to make sure the performance of the finish is not significantly compromised.
| Jeff B |
| (Member) |
| 07/04/12 02:26 PM |
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Re: Substitute for Mineral Spirits
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Thanks Howie,
I'll probably stick with the MS I can find here and learn to be patient.
Jeff
| jteneyck |
| (Member) |
| 07/04/12 03:07 PM |
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Re: Substitute for Mineral Spirits
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Naptha is the next closest thing to MS, and Coleman stove fuel is Naptha.
John
| Richard D. |
| (Off his rocker) |
| 07/04/12 05:47 PM |
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Re: Substitute for Mineral Spirits
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I haven't looked lately but I remember seeing Naptha at the local hardware store. Not so much at Home Depot though.