Don't know for sure but could be related to drying time or volatility.
"Bay Area Dave" wrote in message
y.com...
Why doesn't Zinnser recommend alcohol instead of ammonia?

dave

Although I can't imagine Zinnser caring, it is also less expensive. I use
regular household ammonia to clean up most of the parts of my spray gear
after using shellac, but on the aluminum can alcohol is less likely to cause
the shellac residue to gum up.

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"CW" wrote in message
Don't know for sure but could be related to drying time or volatility.
"Bay Area Dave" wrote in message

Why doesn't Zinnser recommend alcohol instead of ammonia?

dave

I'm not sure you'd want to run ammonia through an aluminum sprayer
anyway. I would think the ammonia would blacken the ammonia
(oxidized?) since it's got a high pH. Alcohol wouldn't react with
aluminum because it's acidic.

I don't know that the black color would affect performance though.

IME, it's not so much what ammonia does to the aluminum, as what it does to
the shellac and aluminum combination. ... an immediate gum formation in the
can if I start cleaning up with ammonia after spraying with shellac. That's
why I use alcohol on the can.

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Last update: 8/24/03


"Tom Bergman" wrote in message
I'm not sure you'd want to run ammonia through an aluminum sprayer
anyway. I would think the ammonia would blacken the ammonia
(oxidized?) since it's got a high pH. Alcohol wouldn't react with
aluminum because it's acidic.

I don't know that the black color would affect performance though.