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Thread: Mineral spirits

  1. #1
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    Default Mineral spirits

    Here's a basic question with what I hope will be a simple answer. Many of the US magazines and websites talk about "mineral spirits". What is it? Does it go by a different name in Oz?

    Driver

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  3. #2
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    We call it "turps". Not to be confused with white spirit which is different again.

    Look around these two sites and you'll find chemical compositions, etc.

    www.msdsonline.com
    www.inchem.org

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    q9

    Thanks. "Turps". Does that mean it is the same as or different from mineral turpentine?

    Driver

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    Turps is mineral turpentine and is the yank equiv of mineral spirit.

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    q9

    Thanks for the advice and for your patience!

    Driver

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    Actually,mineral spirits and turpentine are two different critters.
    Turpentine is refined from turpentine oil,
    mineral spirits is refined from petroleum.
    Mineral spirits is in between naptha(lighter fluid) and kerosene.

    Naptha,mineral spirits and turpentine are used as solvents for paint and varnish,naptha being quicker to evaporate than mineral spirits and turpentine being the slowest of the three.

    I believe mineral spirits in the U.S. is akin to your white spirit.

    Phil.
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    Now I'm really confused!

  9. #8
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    Me too...

    trust the yanks to come in at the last minute...

  10. #9
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    I will contact one of my chemist friends and find out for sure.

  11. #10
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    Default

    What is the base of your white spirit?
    Is it petroleum,alcohol or something else?

    At one of the links above,you can type in mineral spirits and white spirit comes up,but turpentine is something different.

    Inquiring minds wanna know.

    Just found these:

    http://physchem.ox.ac.uk/MSDS/WH/white_spirits.html

    http://physchem.ox.ac.uk/MSDS/TU/turpentine.html


    Chiz.
    Last edited by Sir Chiz; 2nd June 2003 at 07:23 PM.
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  12. #11
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    Jusr my 2.2c worth (gst included) what you generally get when you buy turpentine is mineral turpentine which is a synthetic version of the old time gum turpentine which is distilled from tree resin. It is still available in artist's supply stores and smells a lot nicer than mineral turps. Of course this doesn't answer your question, Driver but it does explain why it's called mineral turps.

    Mick

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    Gum turps may smell better than mineral turps, but I believe it's even worse for the brain cells. As my chemist friend says, if you can smell an organic solvent, you're being poisoned. It's just that some are worse than others.

  14. #13
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    Sir Chiz

    Our White spirit is petroleum based
    You use it in the Zippo
    Sold here as Shellite for a good many years
    AKA Lighter Fluid

    Jamie

  15. #14
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    Jamie,sounds like you white spirit is closer to what we get as naptha,the main ingredient in Zippo fuel.It evaporates faster than our Mineral spirit.
    Tastes horrible too!

    I use both naptha and mineral spirits for thinning varnish to make a wipe on varnish.
    Naptha flashes off quicker and is good for a smaller piece but can tack up too quick for a larger piece,so for a larger piece,I'd thin with mineral spirits.

    Chiz.
    I Love The Smell Of Sawdust In The Morning,
    It Smells Like....Victory!

  16. #15
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    Mixed with a little orange juice over ice it doesn't taste that bad ... it depends on how cheap you like your drinks.
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