Uh oh.........major Alox problem

[3006guns]

It's a major problem because it's an almost FULL quart container of Alox that's been sitting for about three years. I used a tiny amount in my initial experiments back then and carefully resealed the bottle, but now it looks to be solid!

Did I just cost myself a full bottle or is there a way to thin it back down with something like turpentine? A quart is an awful lot to throw out................

[nagantguy]

Heat it up, should be fine, I once to save room put a few of the small bottles into a larger bottle and after using it I didn't put the screw top lid back on; put it into a pot of near boiling water for about 3 mins and was back in business!

[shoot-n-lead]

When I used it...I would microwave for a few seconds...check and do more, until it would pour...normally took about 30 seconds.

[centershot]

Boil water in a pot big enough to put the ALOX container into. Once the water is boiling SHUT OFF the stove. Remove the cover on the ALOX and place the ALOX Bottle in the pot. Let it sit for 10 minutes or so. When it has softened up add some Odorless Mineral Spirits to it to thin it out, this replaces the solvents that evaporated out of the jug. Once it is in a pourable condition, pour it off into canning jars with screw top lids, this will prevent a repeat of this situation down the road.

[3006guns]

Thanks everyone. I wouldn't have been upset, except it's still a BRAND NEW bottle! :)

Lesson learned: separate into smaller containers and keep any air out it. I wonder if storing it in zip lock bags might work? That way, any air could be exhausted before sealing. The bags could be stored in a larger, solid container in case of spills. Bears looking into.........

[Elkins45]

The solvent will eventually diffuse through almost any common plastic container. Putting it in glass works, but so does the warm water dunk or microwave. And you can't squeeze glass...

I've just taken to dripping some mineral spirits onto the top of the lump and swishing it wround until it dissolves enough alox to reach the desired viscosity. Why fight it?

[gwpercle]

IF you put it in the micro wave , for goodness sake put it in a dish that can hold the alox in case the bottle splits. I would gently heat it...gently , double boiler or microwave.
Don't put it on high, in a 1500 watt unit for 10 minutes and walk away. You can thin it with mineral spirits , use odorless, and store in plastic bottles that mineral spirits come in. That type plastic will resist the mineral spirits. Or put it in a metal can with a screw on top , I get mine from House of Cans , inc.

[ShooterAZ]

I once put a bottle of LLA in the microwave, with the top off. It spouted and caught fire like a volcano. I don't recommend putting it in the microwave! Now I just microwave a large coffee cup 2/3 full of water until boiling, and immerse the bottle in the cup after taking it out of the microwave. Works perfectly.

[Elkins45]

Microwaving is best done in 10-15 second increments with liberal agitation between heatings.

[centershot]

Thanks everyone. I wouldn't have been upset, except it's still a BRAND NEW bottle! :)

Lesson learned: separate into smaller containers and keep any air out it. I wonder if storing it in zip lock bags might work? That way, any air could be exhausted before sealing. The bags could be stored in a larger, solid container in case of spills. Bears looking into.........

As Elkins45 has said, think "SOLVENT-PROOF" containers, not "AIR-PROOF". That's why I suggested the canning jars. Not the quart size, just the little half-pint jelly jars, they're the perfect size!

[3006guns]

Thank you for the clarification........just so happens that I have some little glass baby food jars that ought to do the trick.

[Soundguy]

remember.. once you get it softened by heat, the original solvent was naptha, not mineral spirits.

may be why some of you complain about gummy non drying alox...

Naptha flashes off way, way faster.

[centershot]

remember.. once you get it softened by heat, the original solvent was naptha, not mineral spirits.

may be why some of you complain about gummy non drying alox...

Naptha flashes off way, way faster.

Excellent point, Soundguy! Odorless mineral spirits was probably chosen for this purpose because it is somewhat less hazardous to work with. If you're careful, there's no reason you can't use naphtha instead.

[GrayTech]

mineral spirits is also called solvent naphtha and isn't the same as naphtha or white gas.

[Soundguy]

The msds is very clear, no guessing needed, I've actually read it it, many here answering may not have. ;)

[psweigle]

Very good of you to post this. Thank you, it's information like this that helps so many of us in this hobby.

[DerekP Houston]

The msds is very clear, no guessing needed, I've actually read it it, many here answering may not have. ;)

Nope I have not messed with naptha before. Is the kleen-strip brand that home depot carries the same? I usually have mineral spirits on hand either way so it's not that big a deal to add another qt to the stockpile.

[Soundguy]

I'm not familiar with that brand, however somewhere on the can should be its ingredient list, and/ or a address you can download a MSDS for.

[SharuLady]

Is Denatured Alcohol like naphtha or white gas ? The reason I ask is that I have a quart can of Denatured Alcohol.

[Soundguy]

Denatured alcohol is simply ethanol that has been treated , bitered, etc.

[D Crockett]

I think I should go and check out the 1/2 gal can that I have not opened in a few years I might have the same problem. but after reading this thread I now know how to fix it thanks everyone for the help . D Crockett

[GrayTech]

The msds is very clear, no guessing needed, I've actually read it it, many here answering may not have. ;)From SDS linked from Lee liquid Alox web page... "LPA[emoji768]-142 Solvent -Paraffinic Naphthenic Solvent". This is closer to mineral spirits than white gas. Made by Sasol chemicals. I worked for the parent company Sasol/Polyfin for years as a chemical engineer. For even further evidence look at the uses list, paints and coatings yes, but no mention of fuel.

[Bookworm]

From SDS linked from Lee liquid Alox web page... "LPA[emoji768]-142 Solvent -Paraffinic Naphthenic Solvent". This is closer to mineral spirits than white gas. Made by Sasol chemicals. I worked for the parent company Sasol/Polyfin for years as a chemical engineer. For even further evidence look at the uses list, paints and coatings yes, but no mention of fuel.


But, is LPA 142 closer to Naptha, or Mineral Spirits ?

Next batch of anything I mix up, I'm going to try Naptha.

[Soundguy]

I see there are quite a few versions of that msds floating around.

[dragon813gt]

But, is LPA 142 closer to Naptha, or Mineral Spirits ?

Next batch of anything I mix up, I'm going to try Naptha.

He said it's closer to mineral spirits in his post. Naphtha, white gas, is highly flammable. Mineral spirits are definitely easier to work w/.

[Tom W.]

Midway sells solvent proof bottles. Three a decent price, at least when I bought them. I used one for Hoppes #9 because they are a bit thicker and won't crack if you drop it. I seldom use LLA anymore, as I prefer JPW....

[Jniedbalski]

Naphtha or white gass is what they use in zippo lighters. We also used naphtha in body shops to clean cars before painting to remove wax grease sylicone and other oils. They had two types a winter or cold weather cleaner that dried faster and a summer one that dried slower. If you used the winter one in summer it would dry almost imeadetly. The summer one smelled more like mineral spirits and the cold weather one smelled more like zippo lighter fluid naphtha. Naphtha is flammable but not like gasoline is. Just be carful with it

[Soundguy]

If you look at light aromatic hydrocarbons, these chemicals are actually a range of molecules with fraction boiling points in a range, and identified by number of carbon atoms.

For instance.. Light vs heavy naphtha ..heavy is higher Bp, more carbon.. Etc.

[Bookworm]

Naptha and white gas are not the same. They smell different.
They have different meds sheets.

[Grump]

Aww, naptha ain't THAT dangerous.

Sure it lights easy, very, very easily. But one of our stupidest Jr. High tricks was to dribble a bunch of Ronson (?) lighter fluid on our hand and light it up. Nice visible flame, slight resistance to being waved around in the breeze...

Just get the flame out before the evaporative cooling stops protecting your skin!

Quantity is key...

NO, DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME KIDS! Some of us are truly lucky to still be alive.

BTW, they are now AFAIK officially called "Safety Data Sheets" but few businesses got the memo. Guess the word "Material" is sorta obvious? But it's one of the few moves I have EVER seen towards fewer words.

[GhostHawk]

Yes light naptha was used in zippo type lighters. That stuff will evaporate readily.

Charcoal lighter fluid is also naptha, of a heavier grade, does not evaporate nearly as well.

But the right mix of the charcoal lighter fluid and alcohol would let a zippo fire up. Although it did tend to smoke more.

For getting a bunch of alox loosened up either would probably do. Pour some in the container, add a couple of large caliber cast boolits. Let sit for a while then start shaking.

[mold maker]

Is there a specific name for the "light naphtha" used for lighter fluid? VMP Naptha was always available where I worked, and everybody's Zippo used it for fuel, but It did smoke worse and had more smell. I have had ocassion since then to need a gal. or so, but in the lighter fluid cans it's pricy, and I no longer have a wholesale source.