At 06:42 AM 6/5/2003 -0700, Bill Stanke wrote:
James:
Denatured alcohol should be readily available at your local paint store.
You can buy "Everclear" at the liquor store, which is 198 proof grain
alcohol.
Actually, Everclear (at least the stuff made in Chicago, Illinois with a
picture of a corn cob on the label) is 190 proof (950ure ethyl alcohol,
5% water), and most people *can't* find it at their local liquor store,
even in the States, 'cause many states make the stuff difficult or
impossible to obtain (I finally managed to get a bottle during a trip to
New Mexico last November). It's unavailable in Canada, as our local liquor
authorities are terrified that some stupid teenager might overdose on the
stuff. (Can't say I blame 'em.) Nevertheless, Customs let me back in to
Canada with a bottle of it, even though it's probably classified as a
Weapon of Mass Destruction. 8^>
"Denatured alcohol" is ethyl alcohol (the kind normally found in booze)
which has been rendered unfit for human consumption by the addition of
various other alcohols and nasty stuff. Formulas for "denatured alcohol"
vary, even between Canada and the U.S. Sometimes goes by the name
"methylated spirits" (which tells you that methyl alcohol [the kind that
makes you go blind] has been added). Most of the formulations I can find
seem to have ethyl and methyl alcohols as the two principal ingredients,
sometimes along with isopropyl alcohol (isopropanol or 2-propanol), ethyl
acetate, and/or methyl ethyl ketone. The MSDS alone for "denatured
alcohol" reads like a witches' brew.
Pure methyl alcohol is also called "methanol" or "wood alcohol." It's a
harsher solvent than ethyl alcohol, in my opinion. Some people swear by it
for cleaning lenses, LCD screens, etc. Others just swear at it. (It's
particularly "iffy" on LCD screens.)
Isopropyl alcohol is also called "rubbing alcohol" after its use as a
cooling agent on the skin. Typically available in North American
drugstores as 99% and 70olutions. I used to use the 99tuff as a
cleaner for tape deck heads and rubber rollers.
So, to sum up:
"Everclear" = ethyl alcohol (consumable by humans in small quantities
without danger, except perhaps to dignity)
Methyl alcohol = "wood alcohol" = methanol (makes you go blind; poisoning
can be treated with ethyl alcohol)
"Denatured alcohol" = "methylated spirits" = ethyl alcohol + various other
alcohols etc., depending on manufacturer (usually contains some methanol)
Isopropyl alcohol = "rubbing alcohol" (iso + water, basically) =
isopropanol = 2-propanol
This stuff took me forever to get straight. Doesn't help that most of the
people actually selling all of the above have no idea what the differences
are. I still don't have a clear handle on how the above alcohols are as
solvent agents.
Garth
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