Quick Solvent Question

sequoia

sequoia

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 22, 2014
Messages
3,355
Reaction score
513
Location
Little River, California
I can no longer get naphtha. It has been outlawed in California. My question: What to use to clean between sand out with nitro? I do have denatured methanol, but have never used it on a nitro finish. Will it work? Thanks.
 
On your way back from Burning Man stop in Reno and grab five gallons of naphtha . I have not used alcohol. If you epoxy pore fill alcohol will soften the epoxy and make a mess. I was fortunate a couple years ago to find a hardware store that had ten gallons in the back room. I would think you could use odorless thinner in pretty much the same manner as naphtha but test first it might be too oily.
 
Last edited:
Bestine. Ultra fast evaporating solvent originally used by graphic artists as a rubber cement thinner. Art stores or online.
 
Just in case anyone is interested and FYI, quick research shows (who knew?):

Naphtha (/ˈnæfθə/ or /ˈnæpθə/) is a general term that has been used for over two thousand years to refer to flammable liquid hydrocarbon mixtures.

Also, "naptha" can be any sort of witches brew of volatile hydrocarbons that a manufacturer wants to put in it. Strictly it is defined as volatile that has a very low flash point (-40 degrees). "Mineral Spirits" are volatiles that have a higher flash point (0 degrees). Naptha is used with nitro cellulose finishes (and other finishes) because it evaporates very fast.

I think I might just follow Chucks method: Water. Certainly a lot easier on the body.
 
No need for Naptha. Not at all. I have never used naptha, ever, for cleaning between sanding on lacquer. A damp rag is fine, at most. Compressed air also works great. After the initial coat/s of lacquer, (thinned of course) if a spec of dust of something lands in the fresh sprayed finish, it is sanded out with some fine abrasive ( most of the time I use a 3" disc of abralon 1000, just because I have it, and it works well, and if I am a few coats in, it will not leave deep scratches. A few passes and the nib is usually gone)


Naptha, no. Definitely no. Who made that up? Naptha is for thinning oil finishes, when you want a faster set than with paint thinner.
 
While I agree naphtha is not needed to clean dust it does work well for that. It is also valuable as a preview and to show color, imperfections, sanding scratches and spots of glue, or epoxy sand through. I would not want to be without it if I don't have to be. For cleaning sanding dust or between coats I use a vacuum with a fine brush attached followed by pine tar tack cloth.
 
I'll use Naptha for the same reasons Michael mentioned. I think it's a must for cleaning the joints before glue up of Cocobolo. During finishing, low compressed air with a tack tag is all I ever use.
 
RPA_Ukuleles said:
Bestine. Ultra fast evaporating solvent originally used by graphic artists as a rubber cement thinner. Art stores or online.
Click to expand...

I've never used Bistine between lacquer coats, but do know it doesn't harm dry lacquer in any way and will remove sticky substances from a finish. I use it often around my shop for removing tape residue, especially the aggressive double-stick variety.
 
Wow... Bistine ain't cheap. $50 bucks for 4 oz. on the manufacturer's website. Wonder what this stuff actually is...

MkFDRkFENjEzOTJEQjgxRDZBOEU6NDYwMGFhNTY2YjI1N2FhZjYyNWNkZDhiMjY2NjhjODY6Ojo6OjA=.jpg
 
Can you buy lighter fluid in California ? I think it is the same stuff.
 
Last edited:
i use my hand
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

rustydusty
Quick neck support…
Replies
2
Views
182
rustydusty
rustydusty
B
Do we have an app or quick link button for our phones?
Replies
5
Views
216
YooperGirl
YooperGirl
Jim Hanks
Timber vs Kala quick comparo
Replies
6
Views
632
Jim Hanks
Jim Hanks
LittleGem
Quick Transitions Help
Replies
11
Views
917
LorenFL
LorenFL
shanmoon
A quick blurb....Flight Concert Voyager CEQ
Replies
5
Views
473
Dohle
Dohle
Top Bottom