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Denatured alcohol and Isoproply alcohol

Gents, if you really want to know what isopopanol is, look it up on wikipedia.:dunno:

In general, any organic molecule that has the OH radical as part of its construction is call an alcohol. Isopropyl alcohol formula is: (CH3)2-CH-OH. Note the OH (oxygen and hydrogen) radical. It is processed in the liver into acetone -- bad stuff.:eek:

Methanol is a simple alcohol, probably the simplest. Its formula is CH3OH. Note that there is only one carbon atom in the molecule, and the famous OH radical.

Ethanol is the next level of complexity, C2H5OH . Note that there are now 2 carbon atoms, and the famous OH radical.

This is my condensing of several pages of information in Wikipedia, and my vague remembrance of college chemistry.

Chemistry majors are welcome to jump in and correct me.:eek:
 
methanol = methyl alcohol = methyl hydrate = poisonous
ethanol = ethyl alcohol = everclear
isopropanol = isopropyl alcohol = rubbing alcohol when diluted with water

Please do not confuse methyl hydrate with drinkable alcohol. If you drink a little, you can wind up blind. If you drink a bit more, you can wind up dead. It is one of the things that is added to ethanol to denature it.

If you can get isopropanol without any water in it (anhydrous), it will work fine for shellac, and dry a bit slower than ethanol. Anhydrous methanol also works with shellac, and will dry even faster than ethanol.
 
Just a little science lesson here... There are basically three different alcohols we are concerned with in WWing. (Well 4 if you include Denatured) Methanol or Wood alcohol. Ethanol or Grain alcohol (booze). & Isopropynol or Rubbing alcohol. The molecular structure of each is similar but quite different.

1) Methanol has the smallest Molecule and evaporates Fastest. Cost most to produce and is Poison to the body, will dissolve many products especially shellac and is used when you want Shellac to dry faster. Such as cool damp weather.

2) Ethanol has a larger Molecule so the evaporation is slower. Costs less to produce made from fermenting plant sugars and is used in Shellac where a normal drying time is preferred, A little nip after the work day also can be obtained with Ethanol

3) Isopropynol is the larger Molecule, still, so it evaporates slower. As it dries slower, it is most popular for mixing with oil and making a cleansing agent as it can dissolve oil and make it easier to wipe off. It will bond both with oil and water and allow to "Burn" water along with gas and is used as a fuel "Dryer" As it evaporates slower, it is often used with shellac when you need a longer drying time (such as hot dry weather)

4) Denatured Alcohol is basically Ethanol with enough Methanol mixed in to make it poison. During the Prohibition in USA it was illegal to sell Ethanol on the open market so Methanol was added to make it unpalatable. Due to being a mixture of both Methanol & Ethanol it is cheaper to produce and carries the same properties of both, It reaches a happy medium between the drying times for shellac. I readily available in USA (Canada has Methyl-Hydrate in place of Denatured Alcohol if you read the definition of each of the terms you will see that it means Methanol Hydrated or in suspension with another liquid)

Hope this answers you question on Alcohol in the shop.
 
Rod True said:
In Canada, Methyl Hydrate is the same thing as denatured alcohol in the US and is known by many brand names, everclear is one.

Shellac.net
Click to expand...

Careful Rod if you are confusing Everclear as Methyl Hydrate or even Denatured Alcohol. Everclear Warms the body and soul as "Legal" Moonshine Pure Grain Alcohol is what the label says (I peeked at the bottle behind the bar :rolleyes:) should you try to replace Everclear with Mythyl Hydrate your eyes would cease to function and some say important body parts will fail :doh: Same for denatured Alky as it is poison as well.

After reading all these posts, its nice to know some remembers Chemistry classes and you can thank your old teacher for that. And it seems that a few spent more time learning the practicle effects of alcohol than the chemical structures.

Interesting discussion and a need for fellows to bring up from time to time. So often I hear from fellows who have had some Funky results using Alcohol and other solvents, Tis best to know what you are dealing with. HD Orange jackets know it as Shellac Thinner (that is what is on the can) But each has its own properties and a different effect when used.
 
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