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As far as the folks at the big orange store up here are concerned, there's no such thing as naptha. Is there a Canadian equivalent?

Thanks in advance

Steve

Isnt naptha camping fuel - go to Cdn tire ???? What do you need it for, wet sanding .. use mineral spirits instead

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Tony Karol
www.karol-guitars.com
"let my passion .. fulfill yours"

Thanks Tony. Mineral spirit-methyl hydrate?

Hi, Coleman stove/lighting fuel is Naptha - if you look carefully you can find the contents listed as Napthalene. Different than methyl hydrate. Or buy Ronsonol Lighter Fuel,if you can find that.

cheers

Gosh, I am probably about to espouse an urban ledgend... but is not Colman fuel highly flammable? More than mineral spirits? And, if your application is wet sanding, mineral spirits is the way to go.

Seems I read somewhere its nothing more than highly refined gasoline... (Coleman fuel)

Mike

Actually, I'm looking to wet my top to look for little dings. you know, the ones you never notice until you've got a layer of finish on

oh .. in that case lacquer thinner works fine, and flashes off faster than mineral spirits ... methyl hydrate is not mineral spirits BTW ... its denatured alcohol .. that will work as well ....

_________________
Tony Karol
www.karol-guitars.com
"let my passion .. fulfill yours"

Thanks Tony, once these two are done, I'd love to have you take a look at them.

Steve

Be careful some things leave a bit of a white haze when they dry after wetting a piece of wood. Naphtha does not seem to do that. I thought Coleman fuel was actually white gas, but I could be wrong about that.

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Waddy

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That's what I thought too.

Unless something has changed in the last 15 years, Coleman fuel is white gas - very flammable!!! Much more explosive than diesel fuel which is as explosive as anything I care to mess with.

Kevin Looker

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I'm not a luthier.
I'm just a guy who builds guitars in his basement.
It's better than playing golf.

Interesting, the fuel which is indeed explosive and poisonous, sold here as Coleman fuel or lighter fluid, is called Naphtha here. Check the title in the link out. A quick wipe removes any waxes but doesn't harm lacquer.

Mineral spirits is different. Methyl hydrate is different, too. But it sounds like you're actually looking for something other than Naphtha to use.



http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/5 ... ?locale=en

cheers

edit : link is down. Try this one.http://reviews.canadiantire.ca/9045/076 ... eviews.htm

Coleman fuel is white gas,
not naptha.
I've got a gallon of the Coleman fuel.
It one of the most highly explosive liquids, IMO.
DAMHIKT!
Okay, I was a young, stupid camper at one time!
Good thing I never started any forest fires..

Coleman fuel is actually a complex mixture of light hydrocarbons that is distilled from petroleum. Here's a little tidbit from the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) right from Coleman:

Solvent naphtha (CAS #64742-89-8) 45-50%
Aliphatic petroleum distillates (CAS #64742-88-7) 45-50%
Xylene (CAS #1330-20-7) 2%
Toluene (CAS #108-88-3) 2%

And some info about naphtha can be found here.

So it looks like Naphtha is used in "White gas", but there's plenty of other stuff in there, that are more volatile than plain Naphtha.

EDIT: I just looked at the data sheet for the brand of Naphtha I use. Here's the ratings:

Health Rating: 1 - Slight
Flammability Rating: 4 - Extreme (Flammable)
Reactivity Rating: 0 - None
Contact Rating: 1 - Slight
Lab Protective Equip: GOGGLES; LAB COAT; VENT HOOD; PROPER GLOVES; CLASS B EXTINGUISHER
Storage Color Code: Red (Flammable)

-Mark

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Pullman, WA

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Steve,

In Canada you can purchase Behlen's naptha from Mohawk. I use it for the same thing as you. I have used white gas in the past. This stuff doesn't evaporate as fast. I personally would chose this over lacquer thinner as the fumes are much easier to take.

Naphtha (CAS No. 8002-05-9), synonyms: Aliphatic petroleum naphtha, Petroleum naphtha, Rubber solvent, VM&P (Varnish makers and Painters) Naphtha is a low-cut petroleum distallate, and in its crude form is a petroleum feedstock for other processes.

Naphtha is not naphthalene, CAS No. 91-20-3, synonyms Naphthalin, Tar camphor, White tar.

Hey Steve

Another source for Naptha in Canada is Goudey Manufacturing http://www.goudeymfg.com/index.php/other-products/solvents.html

Thanks David. I had a look at their site and also noticed that they have different types of denatured alcohol. I've been using methyl hydrate for my shellac/french polishing, but I'm not sure it's a particularly healthy option. What do you use?

Thanks in advance

Steve

BTW, I'm literally around the corner from you, a block south of Gerrard, between Main and Woodbine.

Hey Steve,

I use regular grain alcohol for French Polish, with excellent results. Pricey, but works well.

Used to get the weirdest looks from the guys in the Montana liquor stores, when I'd pop in for a couple of gallons... "Havin' a party? Nope, just for me." I finally had to tell them what I was using it for.

-Mark

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Pullman, WA

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Hi Mark, that's be my choice too, but we can't get it up her in the great white north. Or at least this part of it.

Steve

I can't get it in Washington either, but fortunately I'm still well connected in Montana...

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Pullman, WA

The more I know, the more I know I don't know.

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Hey Steve ... I've used the denatured Ethyl alchohol from Goudey's and it works just fine. Currently I'm using the pure anhydrous 200 proof alcohol from Commercial Alcohols http://comalc.com/uGrades.php

I can't believe you're that close to my shop!?!? You'll have to pop in one day to say hi!

Steve
Try Toluol thats what we have for decent solvent without any residues out West anyhow...
Cheers
Charlie

99.99 isopropyl seems to be working for me to make shellac. I'm not fping though...

Go to your nearest "Home Hardware" store, and get the "odorless paint thinner". It's straight naphtha. No idea why they insist on marketing it that way, but it is what it is. Works fine.

I've been using methyl hydrate(another ingenious re-naming of a simple substance known as methyl alcohol) for nearly 20 years, to wet woods, and for shellac. No health issues I know of... We can't buy grain alcohol at anything better than 40% ABV in Ontario, but if you cross into Quebec, you can get 95%....

Anhydrous alcohol is a waste of money, because as soon as you open it, it will begin taking-in moisture and return to slightly above 95% ABV, anyhow. The driers used to make it anhydrous may have an affect on your finish, too, and it may be different from one batch to the next. Why risk it, and pay more at the same time?