Thread: Minimax Wipe-on Poly Question

Not sure Wendy but I know it does have a shelf life, maybe yours is past its use by date. Would be interesting to know if it can be revived.

Wendy, It is easy! Build something then use it. I know that you have some redgum stashed up there at your place.

Hi Wendy,
It does indeed have a shelf life and once it becomes sticky it doesn't dry..
I tried using some turps to thin it at one stage and it was an unmittigated disaster. Don't know if anything else will work though.

Regards,

Rob

Originally Posted by RufflyRustic

My Minimax Wipe-on Poly is starting to thicken up. The tin instructions say nothing about thinning it down.

There's a good two inches of poly left and I'd prefer not to waste it, if possible.

1) Does anyone know if Minimax has a website or web presence?
2) If cleanup is with mineral turps, then thinning with the same would be bad?
3) Can Minimax wipe-on poly be thinned or is it now on it's way to being off?

Thanks
Wendy

Hi Ruffly, yes it is a pain in the butt. $30-$40 worth of poly just goes like that. I think the problem is with the air that is left in the tin. once you have used say half of the poly, the remaining product starts the drying process using the air that is left in the tin. If you could store it in a vacuum sealed container, that would probably fix the problem, or keep decanting it into containers with no air space left in them. I think Skew mentioned once that storing it in an old wine cask (silver plastic sack?) meaning that you can expel all of the air after use could be a solution. Don't know if any one has tried it.

There was a discussion once on Mineral spirits once, which it was they recommend to thin it. Cant remember what "Mineral Spirits" was in Aussie terms.

I had a tin of minwax that was going off, so I mixed in some enamel thinners with it and it is still going 8 months later. Looks pretty ordinary and has lost all of the gloss, but it still works as a sealer.

Maybe a wine bottle with one of those vacuum plugs that you can suck the air out with a plunger would work? Any one tried this?

Is this the same thing - googling minimax gets me lots of maths?
http://www.minwax.com/products/ Sorry if wasting your time.

Wendy,

Minwax wipe on poly is a wiping varnish with poly in it. So, it will gel up after it is opened. You have a few choices.

What I do is fill the can with clean, glass marbles (I promise, it's true ) as I pour it out, to bring the level back up the to the lid and take out all the oxy. You can also get a heavy gas aerosol called Bloxygen to spray in there to offset the air. Or, just admit that it has a short shelf life and use it up. Otherwise, plan on buying it often.

BTW, Minwax Wipe on Poly over here is cheap as chips, so no Worries.

Bugger!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'd love to use it on the Redgum, but I need that beltsander HWMNBO has been promising me


Ah well, I shall go and find some marbles or something for the next batch I buy. Or stock up on some more containers ina variety of sizes.


Thanks for the info and especially the link Pusser! Don't know why it was so hard to find now , but it was

Cheers
Wendy

A quick search found this company in WA that has Bloxygen that HB mentioned

Dunno if Rustins DO is the same kind of formulation - I'd guess it may be. If so, strain the lumps through a stocking and thin with white spirits. Will give you a bit more life out of it.

Hi Wendy

This thread gives a bit of an answer to your question. The response to MF3106's query to Minwax outlines what can be done to aged poly. I'm not sure how effective it is though. I trashed my Minwax that went off. I now only pour out what I need into a smaller container, then close the tin straight away. This might extend its open life a little longer - or maybe not. Can only hope.

Great stuff tho. Very easy to apply.

Regards

Des

Hi wendy,
I dont know if it will work the same way, but I mix jelling cabots DO with wax polish (liberon)
this creates a lovely thick paste that can be applyed to raw timber, let dry then buffs up really well( you can colour it with powder coulors too)

use 50/50 mix experiment with about 100ml of each and see if it works the same way that DO does

astrid

Hi Wendy,

Our (USA) Mineral Spiirits is the same exact solvent as your (UK & AUS) White Spirits, or your Spirit Turpentine. Buy the cheapest one sold.

Polyurethane, is basically the same as your natural varnish resins, except Polyurethane is made from man-made synthetic resins. It is consided a "reactive coating" meaning it does not redisolve once cured, where as, the Shellacs and Nitro Lacquers which are "evaporative coatings" will disolve over and over whenever recoated.

Originally Posted by MacS

Hi Wendy,

Our (USA) Mineral Spiirits is the same exact solvent as your (UK & AUS) White Spirits, or your Spirit Turpentine. Buy the cheapest one sold.

Polyurethane, is basically the same as your natural varnish resins, except Polyurethane is made from man-made synthetic resins. It is consided a "reactive coating" meaning it does not redisolve once cured, where as, the Shellacs and Nitro Lacquers which are "evaporative coatings" will disolve over and over whenever recoated.

Mac, there is no such product in Australia as Spirit Turpentine. We have 2 main hydrocarbon solvents, Mineral Turpentine and White Spirit
As well as differences in boiling range, density and vapour density, the biggest difference is in aromatics content. Mineral Turps is much higher in aromatics (46-48%) than White Spirit (16%), hence Mineral Turps has better "cutting" power, ie it thins out an enamel much quicker than White Spirit. Because of the lower aromatics, White Spirits is the solvent of choice for sign writing enamels for use on polycarbonate, if Mineral Turps was used here it would induce stress cracking in the polycarbonate.
It also makes White Spirit the solvent of choice in cheaper enamels, you can bung more in to reach a given viscosity.

There are other differences, but I think the above illustrates that these 2 solvents are not the same.

Wendy, if you want to try and thin the Minwax Poly, use the Mineral Turps rather than the White Spirits. It is at best a temporary solution (excuse the pun) though.

thanks for that Big Shed.

All I need is enough for one last coat on the Lattice box. If I can get that much out of it, then I'll be extremely happy. I'll also be making sure I buy the Plastic cap container, not the metal one.

cheers
Wendy