mineral spirits ?

[enfield]

o.k. I see lots of reference to "mineral spirits" for thining liquid alox etc. is it the same as varsol or paint thinner ? and is mineral oil a completely different thing? I dont see anything at the hardware store that says mineral oil or mineral spirits. thanks.

[Bert2368]

Mineral spirits = Stoddard solvent = white spirits = paint thinner . Get it wherever they sell oil based paints. Not real old fashioned gum turpentine, the modern less toxic lower odor replacement for it in thinning and cleaning up oil paints.

Varsol is Exxon-Mobil's trade name for a whole range of solvents formulated from within the mix of substances making up "white spirits"- They're usually more expensive, as they have been further refined.

[montana_charlie]

Mineral oil is entirely different from mineral spirits. They aren't even close.
CM

[looseprojectile]

barbeque lighter fluid, everyone has it. I use it for cleaning crud out of gun actions also.

Life is good

[August]

Some barbeque lighters are napthamene, I believe.

Paint thinner = Mineral Spirits. Used to own a painting company, so I'm pretty clear on this one.

[Pepe Ray]

Mineral OIL
Found at the pharmacy section of your supermarket.

[enfield]

that sounds good, I thought it was same as paint thinner but wasn't sure. thanks much for the clarification :veryconfu. Ward.

[AZ-Stew]

If you have a Home Depot or Lowes near you, they will have it in the paint department.

Regards,

Stew

[rhead]

Some barbeque lighters are napthamene, I believe.

Paint thinner = Mineral Spirits. Used to own a painting company, so I'm pretty clear on this one.

Same thing with a british accent.:-D

[StarMetal]

Mineral oil is a petroleum product. We made it at the refinery I worked at. Some girl that worked on the same unit as me use to go over to another unit to get a bottle of it as she used it as a lotion. Same stuff baby oil is made from, except the baby oils have perfumes in them too.

Joe

[shotman]

you dont need it just heat the lube will do same thing same temp as hot tap water

[Sprue]

Yup! When I used to use Alox, all I ever did was to hold the bottle of Alox under hot running water till it was thin enough to suit me. Just shake and listen to it as you heat it. Your choice, what ever you decide, will work best. I strive for the KISS method.

Heat Alox
Apply average 12-15 drops per 100 boolits
Shake Rattle and Roll
Dump onto tray for drying (never touching) -leave lie as they fall.
Agitate them once or twice in a 24 hr drying period
Load em up.
Send em down range
Repeat process

[BD]

Paint thinner is a pretty generic term which could refer to a number of different things including lacquer thinner, enamel reducer, methyl ethol ketone derivatives, turpentine, as well as "odorless" mineral spirits, (previously known as Stoddard Solvent). I don't recall odorless mineral spirits being commonly used to thin paints until the general concern about VOCs occurred in the eighties.

I used it by the 55 gallon drum in the tannery to clean furs and sheepskins in the sawdust drums. It came from the chemical supplier labeled as either Varsol or 3M Solvent #xxx. I believe the bulk of it was used in the dry cleaning industry and as a parts cleaner in industry. These days I think pretty much anything labeled "mineral spirits" is Stoddard solvent due to the concern with VOCs.

I don't have an excess of fond memories of the tannery biz, but it certainly kept me well supplied with corn cob grit, walnut grit and ed"s red.

BD

[leadeye]

I have had the best luck thinning Alox with VM&P naptha. An alipthatic solvent like mineral spirits only much faster drying.:-D