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Alex
Tinkerer
Username: Alex
Post Number: 82
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, July 12, 2010 - 03:24 am: | 
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Recently I've found my usual sources of naphtha (tobacconist counters) telling me they no longer have cans of lighter fuel, for 'health and safety' reasons. What substitutes can I look for, for flushing purposes? Would 100% propanol do the trick? |
Gez
Tinkerer
Username: Gez
Post Number: 210
Registered: 09-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, July 12, 2010 - 04:06 am: |
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If the intended use is just for flushing I'd be inclined to use White Spirit. Wicks is the best place for cheap 2 litre bottles. It isn't as refined as lighter fluid so a final rinse with iso-propanol or the pressurized contact cleaner Maplin sells is advisable. |
Paul_c
Tinkerer
Username: Paul_c
Post Number: 19
Registered: 02-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, July 12, 2010 - 05:42 am: |
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You could use Coleman fuel for a campingstove,look for this in a outdoorstore.
regards, |
Alex
Tinkerer
Username: Alex
Post Number: 83
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, July 12, 2010 - 06:19 am: |
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I hadn't thought of either of these, so I'll give them a try. Many thanks. |
Mareklew
Tinkerer
Username: Mareklew
Post Number: 141
Registered: 03-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, July 12, 2010 - 12:51 pm: |
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You should also go to the nearest chemist/drugstore/whatever it's called in your country, shop selling washing stuff, soaps etc. Pure white gas* is used for chemical stain removal. In Germany sold in 0.5L cans under the name "Waschbenzin" (washing gas).
Marek
* white gas = the liquid you are looking for, whatever the name. |
Will_inoue
Tinkerer
Username: Will_inoue
Post Number: 14
Registered: 06-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, July 12, 2010 - 03:21 pm: |
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I purchase mine in a gallon can at my local Lowes home improvement store. (Paint department) Then I transfer it to smaller squeeze bottles. It's much cheaper this way also. |
Glenn
Tinkerer
Username: Glenn
Post Number: 803
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, July 13, 2010 - 02:59 am: |
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Alex has found that here in the UK 'Health and Safety' is a wonderful excuse for 'We cannot be bothered to stock that unpopular/slow selling line' Nowhere in the relevant UK packaging and storage or fire regulations is there anything that prevents a small shop stocking the standard small metal squeeze cans of Ronsanol.
When my local supermarket tried the same on their tobacco kiosk, I sent their head office copies of the relevant regulations, I also pointed out that they were stocking/selling far more hazardous chemicals/solvents on the household shelves. The kiosk now always has a small stock of cans, more than enough to satisfy my needs.
Unfortunately Regulations are increasingly needed in this modern world; however, this does not mean that people can interpret them for their own petty needs. |
Alex
Tinkerer
Username: Alex
Post Number: 84
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, July 15, 2010 - 04:19 pm: |
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What was the name of your supermarket? I used to get my lighter fuel at the tobacco kiosk of a nearby Sainsbury's. I too thought it odd that they wouldn't sell on H&S grounds, given the irony that behind the lass were rows and rows of packets of cigarettes with big death warning stickers on visible from ninety paces.
The point about other hazardous substances on the shelves is well made. I can go to a supermarket and get a big bucket of sodium hydroxide, or ammonia, that old standby that used to be in the toolkit of every Post Office holdup villain. |
Glenn
Tinkerer
Username: Glenn
Post Number: 807
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, July 17, 2010 - 06:57 pm: |
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Alex,
Morrison's is my usual supplier. Perhaps Sainsbury's should invested in a qualified H&S advisor - instead of that idiotic chef with the ever growing ego who seems to be permanently on my TV these days! |
Greyscale
Tinkerer
Username: Greyscale
Post Number: 1
Registered: 07-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, July 19, 2010 - 07:16 pm: |
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Go to your local print shop and nicely ask for an ounce or two of press wash. Make sure that it is not the water miscible type(detergent or pine oil based). Standard printer's press wash is 100% pure naphtha. While you are there, ask if he has any methanol, 80% methanol/20% distilled water makes a nice lens-cleaning solution. |
Fallisphoto
Tinkerer
Username: Fallisphoto
Post Number: 134
Registered: 09-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, July 20, 2010 - 06:05 pm: |
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Camp stove fuel (white gasoline) and charcoal lighter fluid are naptha, and it is also sold in hardware stores as a paint and grease solvent. If you get the charcoal lighter fluid, check the ingredients and make sure it does not have paraffin dissolved into it. |
Alex
Tinkerer
Username: Alex
Post Number: 85
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, July 22, 2010 - 01:29 am: |
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Glenn, the reason I ran out of naphtha was that my son, who is a smoker (I'm not, spent too many years in cancer research to be that stupid), had been dipping in to my supplies to refill his lighter. After giving him the usual dressing down, I asked him to get me a replacement, and he got it -- from Morrisons. Still good to know about the alternatives and sources. |
Glenn
Tinkerer
Username: Glenn
Post Number: 810
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, July 22, 2010 - 05:27 am: |
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Alex,
Ah! the son and heir culprit - know that one well, with me it's usually tools. Good job the lathe lives in the cellar - getting it down there would make the basis for a good TV documentary - or that would disappear on a 'can I borrow your XXXX for a couple of days?', never knew you could get so much into the boot of a Fiat 500! |
Cooltouch
Tinkerer
Username: Cooltouch
Post Number: 60
Registered: 01-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, July 27, 2010 - 11:32 am: |
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As Will Inoue mentioned, it's available at hardware stores on this side of the Pond. I buy it in 1 qt. cans for about $6. |
Jayd
Tinkerer
Username: Jayd
Post Number: 79
Registered: 06-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, July 30, 2010 - 03:42 pm: |
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Personally I prefer low odor mineral spirits, it's much less volatile smells 100% better and yet cleans grease quite well,and does not damage plastics or cured paint.
If you must have Naphtha go to a hardware or home center and look for VPM Naphtha. |
Edward8
Tinkerer
Username: Edward8
Post Number: 44
Registered: 03-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, July 30, 2010 - 03:58 pm: |
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What's this stuff Naphtha called in Australia? I've tried to get Ronsonal, but no luck. Blank looks. I have a Nikon F2 and a couple of other cameras that require a squirt or two of something, but don't want to do any damage. Zippo lighter fluid is available, but I suspect it contains napalm or something nasty.
I do have access to a tame chemist. |
Gez
Tinkerer
Username: Gez
Post Number: 216
Registered: 09-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, July 30, 2010 - 04:29 pm: |
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I've used Zippo, it's ok and identical to the Shell lighter fluid I generally use. |
Edward8
Tinkerer
Username: Edward8
Post Number: 45
Registered: 03-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, July 30, 2010 - 05:05 pm: |
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OK, thanks Gez. |
Greyscale
Tinkerer
Username: Greyscale
Post Number: 5
Registered: 07-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, July 30, 2010 - 09:21 pm: |
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Edward, napalm is basically naphtha mixed with paraffin, as is Sterno. Paraffin is used to increase the surface tension of the naphtha in order to make it cling to surfaces so they can start on fire more easily. Cigarette lighter fluid doesn't contain paraffin, while most charcoal lighter fluids do. |
Edward8
Tinkerer
Username: Edward8
Post Number: 48
Registered: 03-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, July 30, 2010 - 11:04 pm: |
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Greyscale
My reference to napalm was meant as a joke. I had no idea I was so close to the mark! The word "napalm" is used around here as a generic term to describe something that is particularly nasty. Like the sauce sold by take-away chicken shops.
Cheers. Edward. |
Greyscale
Tinkerer
Username: Greyscale
Post Number: 7
Registered: 07-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, July 31, 2010 - 12:08 am: |
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Edward
Let this be a stern warning to you and all to never clean their cameras using naphtha by the light of a flickering candle. You wouldn't want that nice old F2 to go all Molotov on you, would you? ;-) |
