Official Luthiers Forum!

This for the u.k. folks on the forum,

does anyone know where i can get naptha or oder free mineral spirits here in the uk.
i find myself using alot of lighter fluid as i cant get naptha in any other form here.
i have tried behlen and online chemical stores to no avail so i thought i would ask here.
any help would be greatly recived,

Joel.

For all our international members here's a list: http://members.iinet.net.au/~mbuckler/fuel/index.shtml of what Naptha is called in your neck of the woods. Seems every country has it's own name for the same stuff, in some cases more than one.

I had the same problem a few years ago, fortunately the camping fraternity already had it sorted.

Regarding the odor free mineral spirits.... any art supply store should carry it.

_________________
Joe Beaver
Maker of Sawdust

Joel -
I use Behlen a lot. I've just checked their site because I remember seeing naptha on there.

Their site says that they 'definately' do it and that they have 22 in stock!!

Mat

P.S. Have sent you a PM

Also I know the Denatured Alchohol is Methylated Spirits, but over here it contains Methyl Violet, does this affect its uses or stain the wood etc

_________________
Formerly JJH

I learn more from my mistakes than my successes

Go to a decent camping shop and ask for Coleman fuel.



I've found 'Meths' gives a grayish tone with lighter coloured shellacs. The answer is to get IMS (Industrial Methylated Spirits), which is clear, from a professional paint and finish supplier. You'll probably have to buy at least 5L. Also IMS smells much less unpleasant than 'meths'; at least it does by my sensibilities.

Ian

Officially, you need a license to buy industrial methylated sprits in the UK. You might be able to find a supplier that'll sell you it without one, but you'll probably have to shop around to find one. The bonus is it's usually much better quality than general purpose meths.

Cheers,
Bri

Indeed, I discovered this a year or so back - but in prior ignorance of this I'd always just walked up to a trade counter and asked for it, and been given it. However, the license is available free of charge from HMRC (or whatever they're called this week) and the application form is trivial to complete so when my current stock gets low I shall apply for one. You can find the details here: http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsPortalWebApp/channelsPortalWebApp.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=pageExcise_ShowContent&id=HMCE_CL_000263&propertyType=document

You're right about quality. Colour issues aside, I find IMS dries much faster than retail meths and I suspect it's down to a higher water content in the latter.