Hello again
Here's the latest in an occasional series of Stoopid Questions:
Are Thinners and White Spirit the same thing? Or at least, are they functionally the same when it comes to cleaning enamel paint out of brushes?
Also, what's the best way to dispose of the stuff once it becomes too grubby to continue using...?
Cheers all
-- JJ (UK)
White spirit is a petroleum derivative used for thinning oil paints and enamels. Cheap and works well, but poisonous and likely to cause dermatitis or rashes if you splash it about too liberally. True turpentine as used by artists is great too, but at that price, has no advantages for our purposes. Both are flammable, I use a home made version of the Testors airbrush cleaning station thingy, which allows you to spray loads and trap the vapour. OK? N
Yes. Cellulose/lacquer thinner works best, though.
Check with your local council. If your local government servants are as helpful as ours, they should have an environmental officer in residence who doesn't have the answer to this question.
Scott G. Welch
White spirit (often called mineral turpentine) is a petroleum distillate, it's ok for cleaning if you use enamels but will probably do nasty things to acrylics, and lacquers. Thinners are usually a cocktail of things like MEK, toluene, acetone, xylene and other fun things. they are much better suited for cleaning but obviously are more hazardous to use. White spirit can also leave a residual film which true "thinners" will not.
:-)
-- JJ (UK)
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