What do they use meths for? (I've just found some in the cupboard.)

In article , May wrote:

What do they use meths for? (I've just found some in the cupboard.)

It burns very well....

Eg. http://www.trangia.se/

Gordon

On Sun, 14 Sep 2003 22:30:15 +0100, "May" wrote:


What do they use meths for? (I've just found some in the cupboard.)



It depends who "they" is.

Traditionally it was claimed that tramps drank it, but I've never
believed that.

For household use:

- Cleaner for glass etc.

- Spirit burners in fondue sets

- Burners in model steam engines


..andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

Meths drinking indeed was quite common,amongst alcholics in scotland in the
50,s and 60,s can not vouch for anywhere else

"Andy Hall" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 14 Sep 2003 22:30:15 +0100, "May" wrote:


What do they use meths for? (I've just found some in the cupboard.)



It depends who "they" is.

Traditionally it was claimed that tramps drank it, but I've never
believed that.

T'is true though. In Glasgow, when I lived there, you used to have to sign
the poisons register to buy meths. Another tramp favourite was coal gas
bubbled through stolen milk. You used to look for lead gas pipes that had
been cut, then folded back on themselves, when checking derelict houses to
see whether they were being used by dossers.

Colin Bignell

"nightjar" nightjar@insert my surname here.uk.com wrote in message ...

T'is true though. In Glasgow, when I lived there, you used to have to sign
the poisons register to buy meths. Another tramp favourite was coal gas
bubbled through stolen milk.

What's that all about then?! Do explain - never heard of this one!

David

"David" wrote in message
om...
"nightjar" nightjar@insert my surname here.uk.com wrote in message
...

T'is true though. In Glasgow, when I lived there, you used to have to
sign
the poisons register to buy meths. Another tramp favourite was coal gas
bubbled through stolen milk.

What's that all about then?! Do explain - never heard of this one!

Never tried it myself, but it is supposed to produce an inebriating drink,
possibly one that was more palatable than meths. I came across it when
helping out with a mass survey of the homeless in Glasgow. Hundreds of
people were enrolled to visit derelict buildings across the city and the
damaged gas pipe was one of the signs of habitation that we were told to
look out for and record. Nobody actually expected us to find any homeless
(we didn't) so their numbers had to be extrapolated from signs like that or
the more obvious tatty mattress in an empty house. The Social Worker who
briefed us said they were looking forward to the introduction of natural
gas, which would end the practice, so I assume something in the coal gas was
critical to the process.

Colin Bignell

"nightjar .uk.com" nightjar@insert my surname here wrote in message
. ..

"David" wrote in message
om...
"nightjar" nightjar@insert my surname here.uk.com wrote in message
...

The Social Worker who
briefed us said they were looking forward to the introduction of natural
gas, which would end the practice, so I assume something in the coal gas
was
critical to the process.

Carbon monoxide?

Matt


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"nightjar" nightjar@insert my surname here.uk.com wrote in message ...
"David" wrote in message
om...
"nightjar" nightjar@insert my surname here.uk.com wrote in message
...

T'is true though. In Glasgow, when I lived there, you used to have to
sign
the poisons register to buy meths. Another tramp favourite was coal gas
bubbled through stolen milk.

What's that all about then?! Do explain - never heard of this one!

Never tried it myself, but it is supposed to produce an inebriating drink,
possibly one that was more palatable than meths. I came across it when
helping out with a mass survey of the homeless in Glasgow. Hundreds of
people were enrolled to visit derelict buildings across the city and the
damaged gas pipe was one of the signs of habitation that we were told to
look out for and record. Nobody actually expected us to find any homeless
(we didn't) so their numbers had to be extrapolated from signs like that or
the more obvious tatty mattress in an empty house. The Social Worker who
briefed us said they were looking forward to the introduction of natural
gas, which would end the practice, so I assume something in the coal gas was
critical to the process.

Actually, I was just thinking about this (and recalling my A-level
chemistry N years ago...) wasn't coal gas methane (CH4)? And maybe
methane is partially soluble in water (H20) to produce methanol
(CH5OH), ie meths? Or did coal gas contain methanol vapour which
condensed in the milk?

I'm sure someone will have the definitive answer!

David wrote:

"nightjar" nightjar@insert my surname here.uk.com wrote in message ...

T'is true though. In Glasgow, when I lived there, you used to have to sign
the poisons register to buy meths. Another tramp favourite was coal gas
bubbled through stolen milk.

What's that all about then?! Do explain - never heard of this one!

My Glaswegian labourer is keen to extol its benefits. I'm unsure what
reaction takes place but the milk allegedly becomes intoxicating.

--
Ed Sirett - Property maintainer and registered gas fitter.
The FAQ for uk.diy is at www.diyfaq.org.uk
Gas fitting FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/GasFitting.html
Sealed CH FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/SealedCH.html

"Ed Sirett" wrote in message
...
David wrote:

"nightjar" nightjar@insert my surname here.uk.com wrote in message
...

T'is true though. In Glasgow, when I lived there, you used to have to
sign
the poisons register to buy meths. Another tramp favourite was coal
gas
bubbled through stolen milk.

What's that all about then?! Do explain - never heard of this one!

My Glaswegian labourer is keen to extol its benefits. I'm unsure what
reaction takes place but the milk allegedly becomes intoxicating.

I'm glad someone else had heard of it. I was beginning to wonder if the old
memory was failing.

Colin Bignell

On Mon, 15 Sep 2003 00:29:11 GMT, "nightjar" nightjar@ wrote
"Andy Hall" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 14 Sep 2003 22:30:15 +0100, "May"
wrote:

What do they use meths for? (I've just found some in the
cupboard.)

It depends who "they" is.

Traditionally it was claimed that tramps drank it, but I've never
believed that.

T'is true though. In Glasgow, when I lived there, you used to have
to sign the poisons register to buy meths.

(Another known favourite was aftershave -- we used to see empty bottles
of Aqua Velva in the park next to where I took my grad degree in
Toronto. Is that ethanol-based as well, or something else entirely?)

The only time I've specifically needed meths for a diy project was for
melting down old 78 records in it to produce black shellac for
restoring some ebonised furniture.

--
Cheers, Harvey

In message , May
wrote

What do they use meths for? (I've just found some in the cupboard.)


An additive in wine?
--
Alan

"Alan" wrote in message
...
An additive in wine?
Nawwwww, that's antifreeze

In message , Fred
writes

"Alan" wrote in message
...
An additive in wine?
Nawwwww, that's antifreeze

You mean ethylene glycol?

Gives it body

--
geoff

Removing some types of self-adhesive label glue remnants. White spirit is also
useful.
Removing biro ink.
Degreasing microscope slides.

--
M Stewart
Milton Keynes, UK
www.megalith.freeserve.co.uk/oddimage.htm


"May" wrote in message
...

What do they use meths for? (I've just found some in the cupboard.)

On Sun, 14 Sep 2003 22:30:15 +0100, "May" made
me spill my meths by writing:


What do they use meths for? (I've just found some in the cupboard.)

Some info he
http://www.birdbrand.co.uk/meths.htm

I used to use it in the burners of small steam engines but mainly now
only for a Trangier Stove. Adds a certain piquance when the meths
bottle has been stored in the cook set for a while

I suppose it had many more domestic uses back in the days when
dustbins used to contain mostly ash and we stood up for the National
Anthem at the cinema.

All the best
--
Wayne Davies - Mobile 07989 556213 - Harrogate, N.Yorks, UK

Wayne Davies wrote in message . ..
On Sun, 14 Sep 2003 22:30:15 +0100, "May" made
me spill my meths by writing:


What do they use meths for? (I've just found some in the cupboard.)

Some info he
http://www.birdbrand.co.uk/meths.htm

I used to use it in the burners of small steam engines but mainly now
only for a Trangier Stove. Adds a certain piquance when the meths
bottle has been stored in the cook set for a while

I suppose it had many more domestic uses back in the days when
dustbins used to contain mostly ash and we stood up for the National
Anthem at the cinema.

What on earth were you doing to those dustbins -whilst everyone else
was stood standing still at the cinema, that required meths?

May wrote:
What do they use meths for? (I've just found some in the cupboard.)

Used to use it in the burner that came with my chemistry set when I was
a kid! ;-)



--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

"May" wrote in message
...

What do they use meths for? (I've just found some in the cupboard.)

Usually for burning or as a solvent. It is highly flammable, so a small
amount can be used as a starter for paraffin in primus stoves or the like.
With a dash of washing up liquid, it makes a good additive to a car
windscreen washer bottle.

Colin Bignell

On Sun, 14 Sep 2003 22:30:15 +0100, "May" wrote:

What do they use meths for? (I've just found some in the cupboard.)

Lots of things it's not desperately good for.

Meths is:

- mainly ethanol (drinkable)

- methanol (not drinkable - makes you sick, blind, mad and dead in
about that order)

- pyridine (stinks)

- purple dye (just to annoy french polishers)

It's not hard to get clear meths. It's increasingly hard to get
unstenched meths, but you still can. If you're working with it all day
in this summer's heat, you'll be glad you bothered.


It burns easily and the combination of vapour pressure and flash point
mean that it's very safe to do so. Unlike petrol, it won't produce a
fireball. Unlike paint thinners or paraffin, it won't stink if you use
it to light a barbecue.

It's a fairly poor cleaning solvent, but handy. Acetone or isopropanol
are usually better.

Most of mine gets used as a solvent for shellac in french polishing.

"Andy Dingley" wrote in message
news
On Sun, 14 Sep 2003 22:30:15 +0100, "May" wrote:


It burns easily and the combination of vapour pressure and flash point
mean that it's very safe to do so. Unlike petrol, it won't produce a
fireball.

This thread has led to quite a few memories for me of my school science
lessons.

Our chemistry teacher told us of an incident involving a pupil of his when
he was a young teacher. The lad was lighting a bonfire at home but the
bonfire wouldn't go well. So the kid went and got a can of parrafin, but it
wasn't parrafin it was meths. The flame shot up the jet of meths and ignited
the can in a fireball. He said he went to visit the child in hospital but
there wasn't much point. He was so badly burned he didn't last long. He said
the most striking impression was the bluebottles swarming over the netting
around the bed.

I remember little actual physics or chemistry from those lessons.

Matt




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Matt wrote:

"Andy Dingley" wrote in message
news
On Sun, 14 Sep 2003 22:30:15 +0100, "May" wrote:


It burns easily and the combination of vapour pressure and flash point
mean that it's very safe to do so. Unlike petrol, it won't produce a
fireball.


This thread has led to quite a few memories for me of my school science
lessons.

Our chemistry teacher told us of an incident involving a pupil of his when
he was a young teacher. The lad was lighting a bonfire at home but the
bonfire wouldn't go well. So the kid went and got a can of parrafin, but it
wasn't parrafin it was meths. The flame shot up the jet of meths and ignited
the can in a fireball. He said he went to visit the child in hospital but
there wasn't much point. He was so badly burned he didn't last long. He said
the most striking impression was the bluebottles swarming over the netting
around the bed.

I remember little actual physics or chemistry from those lessons.



As one who has blown themslevs up with petrol, that sounds far more like
it than meths.

Alcohols ARE dangerous, but mainly because the flame lacks soot and is
almost invisible in daylight.

Hot alcohol vapout will ignite - try a goodgle search on teh eath of
John Foulston (Foulsom) who used to own Brands Hatch curcuiot - who was
burnt to death when a methanol fuelled car caught fire. He never noticed
till it was too late.

However petrol is far more dangerous, because it actually detonates.
Well alomost. It flashes over. Methanol and ethanol seem far slower to
propagate flame.


Matt




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May wrote:

What do they use meths for? (I've just found some in the cupboard.)








French polish thinners is one that springs immediately to mind.

Starting old Primus stoves and blowlamps is another.

Also general purpose cleaning, tho isopropyl alcohol is now more common.

The Natural Philosopher wrote in message ...
May wrote:

What do they use meths for? (I've just found some in the cupboard.)



It's also a particularly useless fuel for camp stoves - obviously
designed to make sure you've earned that lukewarm cup of tea after 20
minutes.

On Mon, 15 Sep 2003 11:42:49 UTC, (Rich) wrote:

The Natural Philosopher wrote in message ...
May wrote:

What do they use meths for? (I've just found some in the cupboard.)



It's also a particularly useless fuel for camp stoves - obviously
designed to make sure you've earned that lukewarm cup of tea after 20
minutes.

I remember finding it indispensable for starting a Primus, though.

--
Bob Eager
rde at tavi.co.uk
PC Server 325*4; PS/2s 9585, 8595, 9595*2, 8580*3,
P70...

In article ,
"Bob Eager" wrote:

On Mon, 15 Sep 2003 11:42:49 UTC, (Rich) wrote:

The Natural Philosopher wrote in message
...
May wrote:

What do they use meths for? (I've just found some in the cupboard.)



It's also a particularly useless fuel for camp stoves - obviously
designed to make sure you've earned that lukewarm cup of tea after 20
minutes.

I remember finding it indispensable for starting a Primus, though.

I always used to use bits of broken up solid firestarter for that job.

Peter

--
Peter Ashby
School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Scotland
To assume that I speak for the University of Dundee is to be deluded.
Reverse the Spam and remove to email me.

On Mon, 15 Sep 2003 15:18:40 UTC, Peter Ashby
wrote:

I remember finding it indispensable for starting a Primus, though.

I always used to use bits of broken up solid firestarter for that job.

I thought that was called 'solid meths' although I have no idea of its
actual composition...

--
Bob Eager
rde at tavi.co.uk
PC Server 325*4; PS/2s 9585, 8595, 9595*2, 8580*3,
P70...

May wrote:
What do they use meths for? (I've just found some in the cupboard.)

I always keep a small bottle for degreasing/cleaning where I'm going to put
sealant around a bath or basin.
Isn't it recommended by the selant makers?
Winos used to drink it along also surgical spirit which is essentially the
same thing.
However, its a killer if consumed and causes blindness.

On Sun, 14 Sep 2003 22:30:15 +0100, "May"
wrote:


What do they use meths for?

Lighting Tilly lamps.

--
Peter Parry.
http://www.wpp.ltd.uk/

In message
"May" wrote:


What do they use meths for? (I've just found some in the cupboard.)


In conjunction with a small wad of cotton wool, Meths is dabbed on the
skin prior to an injection, probably to sterilise the skin.

Methylated spirits is still widely available in the UK.

Steve.



--
Vehicle Painting Pointers: http://www.stephen.hull.btinternet.co.uk
Coach painting tips and techniques + Land Rover colour codes
StrongARM Powered Risc PC 600, 80Mb + 2MbVram, RISC OS 4
Using a British RISC Operating System 100% immune to any Windows virus.

On Mon, 15 Sep 2003 22:56:14 +0000 (UTC), Stephen Hull
wrote:

In conjunction with a small wad of cotton wool, Meths is dabbed on the
skin prior to an injection, probably to sterilise the skin.

Eeek !

OK, so I regularly do this before slicing my flesh open with some
mis-placed wood-slicing implement. But it hurts like a ******* - the
pyridine. If you're planning to sterilise some skin, use surgical
spirit (which doesn't have half the crap in it).

On Tue, 16 Sep 2003 00:43:28 +0100, Andy Dingley
wrote:

OK, so I regularly do this before slicing my flesh open with some
mis-placed wood-slicing implement. But it hurts like a ******* - the
pyridine. If you're planning to sterilise some skin, use surgical
spirit (which doesn't have half the crap in it).

I might be wrong about this, but I understood that in a war situation
urine might be used as a sterilising solution by soldiers in the
field. I can't think of a solution that might have more crap in it!

PoP

In uk.d-i-y, PoP wrote:

I might be wrong about this, but I understood that in a war situation
urine might be used as a sterilising solution by soldiers in the
field. I can't think of a solution that might have more crap in it!

Crock o' sh*t, I'm afraid ;-) One of those myths propagated through the
confusion between the true statement "[healthy] urine is sterile" - i.e.
there's no bacteria or other disease-causing organisms in it, unless you
have an infection of the urinary tract - and the utterly baseless idea
that it has some sterilis*ing* properties, i.e. that it can kill bacteria.
The vague germ of truth (ho ho) is that given the choice between washing
a wound with muddy and maybe bloody puddle water, and washing it with
fresh ****, the latter would be less likely to cause further infection.
But smarter still would be to dress the wound with relatively clean
clothing ("soldier! Hand me your singlet!") and get the medical orderlies
to pick up the injured...

On Tue, 16 Sep 2003 07:14:38 +0100, PoP
wrote:

I might be wrong about this, but I understood that in a war situation
urine might be used as a sterilising solution by soldiers in the
field.

Urine is sterile (for muddy-field values of sterile). But it has no
sterilising properties.

It's also good for jellyfish stings - but I'll leave that one to the
Courtney Cox fanclub....

PoP wrote:

On Tue, 16 Sep 2003 00:43:28 +0100, Andy Dingley
wrote:


OK, so I regularly do this before slicing my flesh open with some
mis-placed wood-slicing implement. But it hurts like a ******* - the
pyridine. If you're planning to sterilise some skin, use surgical
spirit (which doesn't have half the crap in it).


I might be wrong about this, but I understood that in a war situation
urine might be used as a sterilising solution by soldiers in the
field. I can't think of a solution that might have more crap in it!


It was highly efective against Chlorine gas.

And, actually, its full of nutrient, but relatively sterile when passed
- if that is all teh water you have, its a heap better than nothing.



PoP

In message
Andy Dingley wrote:

In conjunction with a small wad of cotton wool, Meths is dabbed on the
skin prior to an injection, probably to sterilise the skin.

Eeek !

OK, so I regularly do this before slicing my flesh open with some
mis-placed wood-slicing implement. But it hurts like a ******* - the
pyridine. If you're planning to sterilise some skin, use surgical
spirit (which doesn't have half the crap in it).

Could well be that hospitals use surgical spirit instead of meths but I
remember seeing blue in the bottle just before I received the needle,
(It all went dark after that, ;-)

AFAIK surgical spirit was always a clear colour whereas methylated
spirits can be either clear or blue.

Clear meths was always cheaper than the blue meths but you could only
seem to find the blue stuff on the shelves, Clear meths was also
obtainable in huge quantities, The printing trade used gallons of it.

I have another injection due soon, Think I'll ask

Steve.


--
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Coach painting tips and techniques + Land Rover colour codes
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Stephen Hull wrote:

In message
"May" wrote:


What do they use meths for? (I've just found some in the cupboard.)



In conjunction with a small wad of cotton wool, Meths is dabbed on the
skin prior to an injection, probably to sterilise the skin.



Strictly that is surgical spirit, and doesn't have the blue dye in it.
'Methylated' is methanol and ethanol and the dye.

Not sure if surgical has methanol or not. Certainly 'pure' ethanol is
used in hospitals - mainly by interns looking for cheap hooch according
to urban legend.


Methylated spirits is still widely available in the UK.


Yes.



Steve.

In message
The Natural Philosopher wrote:

In conjunction with a small wad of cotton wool, Meths is dabbed on the
skin prior to an injection, probably to sterilise the skin.

Strictly that is surgical spirit, and doesn't have the blue dye in it.
'Methylated' is methanol and ethanol and the dye.

Not sure if surgical has methanol or not. Certainly 'pure' ethanol is
used in hospitals - mainly by interns looking for cheap hooch according
to urban legend.

Methylated spirits is still widely available in the UK.

I knew of one printing company where the apprentices were sometimes
subjected to initiation using methylated spirits. Unbeknown to them
meths was put into a washing up liquid bottle and then squeezed under
the darkroom door at great force and subsequently lit from the outside
while the poor lad was attempting to develop his film.

The result was one briefly scared photo developer as the darkroom
was instantly filled with flame and enough light to fog his film.

Apparently the flames burnt out in seconds and left no trace whatsoever
leaving the apprentice to explain, which of course no one believed him.

Sick or what..

Steve.



--
Vehicle Painting Pointers: http://www.stephen.hull.btinternet.co.uk
Coach painting tips and techniques + Land Rover colour codes
StrongARM Powered Risc PC 600, 80Mb + 2MbVram, RISC OS 4
Using a British RISC Operating System 100% immune to any Windows virus.