"RKG" wrote in message
...
Most of the directions I have seen for shellac flakes call to dissolve
them in denatured alcohol. Is there a problem with using methyl
hydrate. It is certainly cheaper and easier to find around here. I've
tried it on some small stuff and don't see any difference immediately.

Rick

Hi Rick - don't know the real answer to your question because being the
chemistry genius that I am, I have no idea what methyl hydrate is.
Though... you really shouldn't have any trouble finding denatured alcohol
just about anywhere. Ace Hardware carries it, as do just about all of the
chain hardware and home centers. It's really not that expensive to buy a
gallon of the stuff and keep it around. You might want to also try
automotive refinishing supply houses. Those guys often sell chemicals like
that a lot cheaper than the home centers.
--

-Mike-

Mike Marlow wrote:

"RKG" wrote in message
.. .


Most of the directions I have seen for shellac flakes call to dissolve
them in denatured alcohol. Is there a problem with using methyl
hydrate. It is certainly cheaper and easier to find around here. I've
tried it on some small stuff and don't see any difference immediately.

Rick



Hi Rick - don't know the real answer to your question because being the
chemistry genius that I am, I have no idea what methyl hydrate is.
Though... you really shouldn't have any trouble finding denatured alcohol
just about anywhere. Ace Hardware carries it, as do just about all of the
chain hardware and home centers. It's really not that expensive to buy a
gallon of the stuff and keep it around. You might want to also try
automotive refinishing supply houses. Those guys often sell chemicals like
that a lot cheaper than the home centers.


Around here (Southern Ontario) all the places I have checked carry
methyl hydrate (basically methyl alcohol) instead of denatured alcohol
(ethyl alcohol with a poison added so you can't drink it). I'ts
labelled as a shellac thinner.

Rick

Mon, Dec 13, 2004, 10:42am (RKG) wants
to know:
Most of the directions I have seen for shellac flakes call to dissolve
them in denatured alcohol. Is there a problem with using methyl hydrate.
It is certainly cheaper and easier to find around here. I've tried it on
some small stuff and don't see any difference immediately.

Comparing, I think I'd prefer to go with denatured alcohol.
http://www.syndel.com/msds/denatured_ethanol_msds.html
http://physchem.ox.ac.uk/MSDS/ME/methyl_hydrate.html

If, and when, I switch to using shellac tho, I'm going to do some
experimenting using ever-clear, instead.



JOAT
We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails.
- unknown

Ammonia can be used to clean after using shellac, not as pricey as
alcohol.

On Mon, 13 Dec 2004 12:40:37 -0600, Robert Galloway
wrote:

Methanol. I used to use Solox brand MetOH to thin and clean shellac
brushes and it worked great. Never started with the flakes so can't say
how that would work but as a thinner, no problem.

I too am in Souther Ontario and don't know what to use. When your
certain either way, please speak up and let us know what you think. I
can't find denatured alcohol anywhere. But I seem to recall that LV
sells something called shellac thinner?

John

RKG wrote:

Most of the directions I have seen for shellac flakes call to dissolve
them in denatured alcohol. Is there a problem with using methyl
hydrate. It is certainly cheaper and easier to find around here. I've
tried it on some small stuff and don't see any difference immediately.

Rick

Methanol. I used to use Solox brand MetOH to thin and clean shellac
brushes and it worked great. Never started with the flakes so can't say
how that would work but as a thinner, no problem.

Mike Marlow wrote:

"RKG" wrote in message
...

Most of the directions I have seen for shellac flakes call to dissolve
them in denatured alcohol. Is there a problem with using methyl
hydrate. It is certainly cheaper and easier to find around here. I've
tried it on some small stuff and don't see any difference immediately.

Rick


Hi Rick - don't know the real answer to your question because being the
chemistry genius that I am, I have no idea what methyl hydrate is.
Though... you really shouldn't have any trouble finding denatured alcohol
just about anywhere. Ace Hardware carries it, as do just about all of the
chain hardware and home centers. It's really not that expensive to buy a
gallon of the stuff and keep it around. You might want to also try
automotive refinishing supply houses. Those guys often sell chemicals like
that a lot cheaper than the home centers.

Eddie Munster wrote:

I too am in Souther Ontario and don't know what to use. When your
certain either way, please speak up and let us know what you think. I
can't find denatured alcohol anywhere. But I seem to recall that LV
sells something called shellac thinner?

John

RKG wrote:

Most of the directions I have seen for shellac flakes call to
dissolve them in denatured alcohol. Is there a problem with using
methyl hydrate. It is certainly cheaper and easier to find around
here. I've tried it on some small stuff and don't see any difference
immediately.

Rick


I'm trying both right now, as far as dissolving the flakes I see no
difference and both dry equally fast. The methyl hydrate appears to be
a little more toxic but compared to some of the other finishes we use
it's not bad. The LV website lists their shellac thinner as a mixture
of ethenol methenol - basically denatured alcohol. A 32 oz can
-slightly less than 1 L is 10.95 a 4 L jug of methyl hydrate at my local
home hardware is 7. less then 1/4 the price.

Rick

Shellac thinner will be some sort of alcohol or mixture of
alcohols. I should think that you can ask LV what's in theirs
and they'd tell you.

Ethanol is the least toxic of the alcohols.

Methylated Spirits, methyl alcohol, methanol, and wood alcohol,
are all the same thing.

They will all disolve shellac, so will propyl and isopropyl alcohol
but that usually has too much water in it to be a good shellac
thinner.

--

FF

In article , Eddie Munster
wrote:

I too am in Souther Ontario and don't know what to use. When your
certain either way, please speak up and let us know what you think. I
can't find denatured alcohol anywhere. But I seem to recall that LV
sells something called shellac thinner?

The LV stuff is denatured ethyl. I buy it when I can combine the
shipping costs with other stuff, but by itself it's too expensive.

As I posted earlier:

Rubbing Alcohol Compound, United Pharmacists brand, packaged by RW
Packaging (in Manitoba... No address but postal code is R2R 1V7). 95%
ethyl.

No problem with using methanol. Depending on your needs you might find it a
better solvent than ethanol due to it's lower boiling point (evaporates
faster). I'm not 100 % sure, but the solubility of the shellac flakes in
methanol might be better than in ethanol.





"RKG" wrote in message
...
Most of the directions I have seen for shellac flakes call to dissolve
them in denatured alcohol. Is there a problem with using methyl hydrate.
It is certainly cheaper and easier to find around here. I've tried it on
some small stuff and don't see any difference immediately.

Rick