The first step to determining the most appropriate solvent is to check the waterproofing tape data sheet or manufacturer’s instructions. mineral spirits or paint thinner, acetone, xylene, toluene, MEK, and; alcohol; Which solvent works best? Just curious what most of you use to thin your oil paint. Thread starter bigken462; Start date Dec 31, 2011; ModelRailroadForums.com is a free Model Railroad Discussion Forum and photo gallery. This will help you make an informed decision on whether to use paint thinners or mineral spirits. I looked at the cans and could not find anything differnt between the discriptions or uses. Alcohols are quick to evaporate, with little or no residue, not very aggresive. Paint thinner is $2.00 a quart cheaper than mineral spirits!!! Mineral spirits is basically refined paint thinner so it doesn't smell as much and is more concentrated. Under what circumstances (in the real world) do you use one or the other? Mineral Spirits is a good thinner for enamels, both airbrushing & washes, & … We cover all scales and sizes of model railroads. They will also thin oil-based materials, for example, paints and varnishes. Don't let it get anywhere near your (finished) guitar! I still would not use it in an ultrasonic or in a large container inside. Mineral spirits are a solvent that is commonly used for cleaning equipment, thinning paints and can also be used as a cleaning agent. They are great solvents, cleaners and degreasers because they are not water based. Ketones are flammable, aggressive with a low flash point, quick evaporating no or little residue. Turpentine is used primarily with artists oils, not good for thinning enamels for airbrushing, but can be used for washes. Critical when considering dilution, but not to be overlooked as a cleaner or wash, as in your case. Turpentine is a distillation of pine-tree sap. In general, these terms are used interchangeably. What Is Mineral Spirits . Acetone is a strong solvent that will melt (and bond) some guitar bindings, pickguards, glues etc. Whether you're a master model railroader or just getting started, you'll find something of interest here. Lacquer thinner is just that, a solvent for lacquer. Make sure you are using “old” mineral spirits and not the Klean Strip Grean kind that looks like white latex paint in the bottle, and it comes in a white plastic bottle with a graphic of a green tree on the label. MINERAL SPIRITS VS. ACETONE. Some of the options include; methanol, acetone, grain alcohol, and absolute isopropyl alcohol. Lacquer thinner is a blended mixture of two or more solvents. Thinner vs. Turpentine. Mineral spirits are made from petroleum. I just went to Lowes yesterday to buy some mineral spirits and right next to the spirits was 'paint thinner'. Mineral Spirits Versus Acetone December 25, 2020 - 3:10 am Ecolink A USA Chemical Supplier December 24, 2020 - 4:34 am Video Jet Printers December 24, 2020 - 2:32 am Then I looked at the shelf sticker and there was the difference!! These common solvents are ideal for a large variety of uses. Both products are derived from minerals. Obviously, lacquer … Discussion Starter • #1 • Feb 3, 2009. Mineral Spirits vs Lacquer Thinner Many people don’t realize the difference and using them wrong can be disastrous for your project. Not so ideal for thinning enamels & should never be used as a thinner for washes. I can't tell you the chemical difference, but acetone is very hot with a fast evaporation rate. Mineral spirits and paint thinner are pretty much the same thing. I've been trying to finish spraying a 60-ft gate/fence out back, and w/o thinning the paint (Hammertone) at least 4:1, it comes out too thick. Which you need to do when you're cleaning brushes and rollers. Because its lighter than most chain lubes, you can use them for cleaning your drivetrain. These common solvents are ideal for a large variety of uses. Paint Thinner . Since epoxy is what your applying, I would use the denatured alcohol as a wash given the hypalon. Mineral spirits and lacquer thinners can be used as degreaser as well. Paint thinner vs. lacquer thinner. They include mineral spirits (paint thinner), naphtha, toluene, xylene and some “turpentine substitutes” such as Turpatine and T.R.P.S. Acetone as Paint Thinner . Rustoleum makes their own thinning agent, but if I'm not mistaken, it's just a dolled up can of X-brand thinner (mineral spirits) that costs twice as much. Lacquer thinner is a hot, aggressive thinner that is ideal for cleaning Airbrushes or thinning lacquer paints. Often, the manufacturer has completed extensive testing to determine what works best so you don’t have to. Acetone or Mineral Spirits, what a decision. I use lacquer thinner because, like an earlier poster, I don’t care for the oiliness of the paint thinner. Click here to read about lacquer thinner. Appearance; While acetone is colorless, mineral spirits are transparent. If oil based, then mineral spirits would be used. Quote; Ping G400 LST, 8.5*, Speeder VC 7.2 Tour … If you need to remove tar, grease, or tree sap, then also lacquer thinner is perfect for the job. The basic difference between a thinner and turpentine is that the thinner is a liquid mostly used for thinning the consistency of another liquid while turpentine is a kind of volatile essential oil (extracted from the pine trees wood by steam distillation) used as a solvent and paint thinner. Mineral spirits and paint thinner are pretty much the same thing. But to this question, Nitrate (Sig probably) uses nitrate thinner, butyrate uses butyrate thinner, Aerogloss uses toluol, lacquer uses lacquer thinner and enamel uses turpentine or mineral spirits. Both are slower dying, mild solvents for reducing enamels and varnish. Around here "paint thinner" is generally equated with mineral spirits - real mineral spirits, not the environmental safe crap that isn't much good for anything. Mineral Spirits vs. Some are even water-based, but these work slower and are less effective than solvent-based. Whether you are stocking up your workshop, painting company, or garage, mineral spirits and acetone are both very handy to have around. Uses of acetone vs. mineral spirits; Acetone is mainly used in the beauty industry as a nail polish remover as well as paint thinner. Mineral Spirits vs. The primary use for these solvents in wood finishing is thinning waxes, oils and varnishes, including polyurethane varnish, and cleaning brushes. We explore the difference between mineral spirits vs acetone and which one would be best for your next project. Mineral Spirits is a petroleum distillate. Mineral Spirits vs. Acetone. Paint Thinner vs Mineral Spirits . Difference & Similarities Between Paint Thinner And Mineral Spirits:-Mineral spirits are a sort of dissolvable regularly utilized for cleaning devices and apparatus that will, in general, develop oil and grime. You can use as much acetone as you want, everywhere. When it comes to cost, paint thinner is usually cheaper. Whether you are stocking up your workshop, painting company, or garage, mineral spirits and acetone are both very handy to have around. Use paint thinner to thin and clean up oil-based paints. Brands of brush cleaner and deglosser (liquid sandpaper) vary greatly in their composition. From surface preparation to thinning to cleanup, they play important roles in the process of painting. From surface preparation to thinning to cleanup, they play important roles in the process of painting. Your choice should depend on how you want to use it. For example, when painting with lacquer, the wash of choice would be lacquer thinner. Painting industry has long been dependent upon specially created solvents for not only thinning of paints but also for cleaning brushes and other surfaces. Acetone, MEK (Methyl Ethyl Ketone), Lacquer Thinner (Blend of Ketones and alcohols with a bit of Aliphatic), are all ketones or blends with Ketones. As with the walls vs. trim question, I am just curious. Mineral spirits and paint thinner are the same thing.Solvent for varnish and oil-based paints. At the end of this article, you will have a clear understanding of mineral spirits vs paint thinner. A gallon of mineral spirits goes for $10 on average, and odor-free mineral spirits costs on the order of $15 per gallon—nearly double the cost of paint thinner at a mere $8 per gallon. - Lacquer thinner (which contains acetone and xylene) - Distilled alchohol - Mineral spirits - Paint thinner (often labeled as "Pure Mineral Spirits" and placed on the shelf right next to the mineral spirits) So what are the differences in all these? Flammable What Are Mineral Spirits? If acetone is a gentle solvent and a good thinner of tough coats and accretions, why shouldn’t paint thinning be added to its long list of frequently employed capabilities? Brush Cleaners and Deglossers. The solvents are also used to clean oil, grease and wax. ($7.54 vrs $5.54) Acetone will soften or lift many types of paint. It thins oil-based paint. Lacquer Thinner. Lacquer thinner and paint thinner are both derived from petroleum. Mineral spirits is a term that specifies the product's composition, while paint thinner is a generalized term that describes the product's function, not its composition. Of course, it's a compatibility issue. Ultimately, the answer lies in what kind of paint one is trying to thin. B. bigken462 Member. Two of these solvents are known as paint thinners and mineral spirits. On the other hand, mineral spirits are basically used for thinning varnishes and paints and as a solvent as well as cleaning. Absolute isopropyl alcohol may only be available with a permit. This distinguishes them from products such as turpentine that are derived from living pine trees. 99% isopropyl alcohol is a good substitute but its drying time is longer than denatured alcohol. THe makeup of the thinner depends on the manufacturer - Nitrate thinner contains acetone and something to slow its drying time (M.E.K. Use lacquer thinner to thin lacquer … Compared to products labelled “Paint Thinner”, it's less flammable and much less smelly. U.S. Art Supply Odorless Mineral Spirits Thinner, 125ml / 4.2 Fluid Ounce Container . Paint thinner should work fine for installing grips (as long as it says something on the can about containing mineral spirits), but you may need to use a bit more of it. Paint Thinner Odorless Mineral Spirits Turpentine VM & P Naphtha Lacquer Thinner Denatured Alcohol Acetone MEK Xylene Japan Drier Classic wood finish General Purpose Blend Extra refined to remove odor, residue Pure gum artist grade thinner Excellent for spraying oil paint Architectural coatings blend Extremely pure Extremely pure Slower dry time than acetone Toluene substitute Speeds dry … Acetone, amyl or ethyl acetate, keotone and toluene are common ingredients in lacquer thinners. I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post. If you decide to go with Mineral Spirit for your projects then U.S. Art Supply Odorless Mineral Spirits Thinner is the best one to go with. 378 Posts . Lacquer thinner is composed of lighter molecules than paint thinner, which makes it more flammable and odorous. Mineral Spirits. I've even seen acetone labeled as paint thinner (which is can be - a very fast drying thinner) and its about as explosive as gasoline! 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