MCJ

The Isoproply Alcohol that you can normally buy has water in it. I read somewhere that to thin epoxy, the pure or almost pure material is better. Can someone tell me where to get it.

JimCasey

My Feedback: (1)

paint stores sell it as thinner. Sometimes it's available at drug stores, you just have to read the label ( and pay a little more).

MCJ

I have tried a drug store and Home Depot with no luck. I have found that the labels are unclear regarding the water content. I will try a paint store. Maybe the paint store will have someone that knows what they are talking about.

vica6m5

My Feedback: (2)

Use denatured alcohol no water in it. You can get it any place that sells paint. That is what Dan Parsons recommended in his instructions before he retired. Vic G.

lownslo

vica6m5 has it right !!! I have purchased denatured alclhol in the paint dept. at Lowes, Home Depot, and Wal Mart. It is relitively inexpensive... about $3.75 to $4 a quart. It evaporates much quicker and like they said... no water as an ingredient. lownslo

JimCasey

My Feedback: (1)

Denatured alcohol is water-free. It is not isopropyl alcohol, but ethyl alcohol. Ethyl alcohol is the kind of alcohol in adult beverages, but adding a small amount of supplement to make it un-drinkable renders it "denatured". Also, ethyl alcohol (ethanol, grain alcohol) smells better than isopropyl alcohol.

TerrellFlyer

I use what ever alcohol is handy to thin epoxy for fuel proofing,after 20 + years I still can't tell any difference

Sky-jacker

I get my isopropol at any drug store. Rubbing alcohol is 70% alcohol and 30 % water. Iso at the department/drug stores is 97%/3% water. either will work.The water will just be squezeed out and bead up on the dry epoxy. If I am thinning to laminate I use the 97/3% stuff.

Walter D

My Feedback: (16)

Will Scotch work??

Steve Guinn

Just the Highland Single Malts.

TerrellFlyer

Johnny Walker Black works even better,has less water.

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

John, we need to get together sometime. It seems like we have a lot in common! LOL

TerrellFlyer

Hi MinnFlyer, thanks, was in your part of the country last year camping,if I get a chanch to go back I'll give a shout.

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

Do that. We'll get a few flights in.

CurtD

My Feedback: (1)

Believe it or not, I get almost pure isopropyl alcohol (99+%) from a large computer store (MicroCenter). It's used for cleaning computer components. Great stuff and it thins epoxy very nicely. I tried the denatured alcohol sold at Home Depot but had problems with it separating when mixed with the particular epoxy I was using. The isopropynol doesn't.

TerrellFlyer

guess I,m lucky that I've never used that brand of epory.

tailskid

My Feedback: (34)

I just blast the mixture with my heat gun....thins out quickly - just don't dilly-dally putting it on!

Jerry

NV Flyer

My Feedback: (1)

I have been using Iso -Heet gas line antifreeze from the autoparts store. Works for me when thining epoxy.
According to MSDS it's 99% Isopropyl.
Not sure how it compares pricewise to the other obtainable ways of getting isopropyl. But it doesn't cost to much and autoparts stores are everywhere.
Can even put it in the car on cold days.

gelcoat-RCU

My Feedback: (206)

I picked up Isopropyl alcohol at a Computer/Electronics store and the label read 99.9%. Was wondering what the percentage applied to. Thanks CurtD, now I know. Paid $9.00 canadian for one liter.

lownslo

WOW !!!! This alcohol thread is about as "active" as discussing "my favorite type of glo fuel...and why MY brand is best". . I was in a thread about glo fuel once, and I was convinced that MY fuel choice was best, and why.... BUT.. everyone else felt the same way about their choices. After wearing ourselves out typing, I am reasonably certain that very few guys changed fuels because of views aired. There is NO SLAM INTENDED here, just tying to see some humor in this. I just kind-of stood back, and really looked at what WE all were saying here about a simple thing like alcohol. OUR favorites, our whys, AND PRICE !!!
WOW .. $9 Canadian for one liter!!!
(I know this bull headed Dutchman is still convinced MY fuel is THE BEST..... same as my choice of denatured alcohol)!!! . .. lownslo

Walter D

My Feedback: (16)

Maybe deep down we're all but a bunch of frustated writers (with a love for airplanes, of course), and now with this internet thing, we can type to our hearts content regardless of topic, interests, etc., I sometimes see my own writings and can't believe I did it, no reason to be shy in this medium, everybody is welcome!

tiggerinmk

In this supposedly enlighted day and age I haven't the foggiest idea why we have to muck around mixing epoxy and alcohol...


Yonks ago when I was knee high to a grasshopper back in England, you used to be able to buy pots of Humbrol Hot Fuel Proofer.

Can't think why stuff like this just ain't available. Now if I could find out what was in that stuff, maybe I could make a fortune...

Hmmmm, Tillman's Hot Fuel Proofer, rolls off the tongue quite nicely, don't you think?

fryfly

My Feedback: (8)

you have to be careful with the pure stuff though as it evaporates a little quicker.I agree with tailskid and terellflyer as either 70% or 90% work just fine as you don't have to stop half way through and start diluting again meanwhile your epoxy is still kicking.I hate it when I lose my epoxy mid way through something because I had to stop and thin it back out,I hate that when that happens.I buy my alcohol at Rite Aid and Walmart/both 70% and 90%.