what exactly is "denatured [sp] alcohol" that is used for cleaning up blanks etc . rubbing alcohol ??? Ken Blevins

Sorry .I guess acetone is "denatured alcohol"
Ken

No, it's not. Denatured alcohol is ethyl alcohol which has had something like methanol added to it to make it posionous. They don't want you drinking the stuff. (Acetone is sometimes the extra ingredient added.)

...........

I'm probably going to start an argument here, but I would personally never use acetone around a fishing rod. Besides the peronal safety issue, it can be damaging to a blank

Mike

DENATURED ALCOHOL = 91% ETHANOL + 5% METHANOL + 4% WATER

ETHANOL = the "ALCOHOL" found in beer, wine & liquor.

METHANOL = the "WOOD" alcohol. Highly toxic when ingested.

ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL = the "rubbing alcohol". Usually 70% or 91%.

ACETONE = the "nail polish remover" ketone. Powerful solvent.

METHYL ETHYL KETONE = the "MEK" ketone found in brush cleaner.

ALCOHOLS and KETONES are different types of organic solvents.
Generally, alcohols are safer than ketones, and sufficently
strong solvents for most clean-up applications in rod building.
All organics solvents should be used with ventilation.
Skin contact should be avoided. All these solvents are flammable.

Please refer to these two related Posts for further general cautions
and excellent contributions from a number of qualified commentators:

"ACETONE" [Mike Schneilein 10-18-04 15:26]
[www.rodbuilding.org]

"ACETONE? NOT on YOUR HANDS !!!" [Cliff Hall 10-19-04 03:01]
[www.rodbuilding.org]

"ROD FINISH" [Jason Bennett 11-22-04 05:31]
Is the rod finish we use every day bad for us?
[www.rodbuilding.org]


Happy Thanksgiving, -Cliff Hall- Gainesville, FL.

P.S. - Ken Blevins: Check your e-mail for info on that FL lake.

You might try 91% isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol.It will clean up most anything involved in rod building and is probably the safest to use.Joel

I second the 91% isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol mentioned above. I also mix it 50-50 with liquid hand soap to wash my hands with before rod work. Once mixed, the alcohol/soap mixture stays mixed and doesn't separate. Ralph

PLEASE DO NOT WASH YOUR HANDS with ANY ALCOHOL, or any other organic solvent for that matter.

A dermatologist once told me that dish detergent is far too harsh on hands, and that any of the alcohols (including rubbing alcohol) will dry out the hands with regular (daily) use. Liquid soaps like SoftSoap are plenty strong enough to clean hands that are already free of grime & grease.

If you know any hospital staff who uses those foaming anti-septics or gel alcohols, they will probably tell you: "I don't use them any more ! They dry out your hands like a fish smoker. I'm going back to plain soap & water, and gloves when I have to."

If you feel your hands get excessively sweaty, or if they are very dirty to begin with, learn instead to work inside disposable gloves while working with thread, butt wraps or handling a blank before coating.

Please read these Threads at your leisure. Others will tell you the same & more. If you ever develop dyshidrotic dermatitis / chiropompholyx (bar-tender's hands), it will not go away anytime soon or quietly. Simple soaps & water are enough !

"ACETONE" [Mike Schneilein 10-18-04 15:26]
[www.rodbuilding.org]

"ACETONE? NOT on YOUR HANDS !!!" [Cliff Hall 10-19-04 03:01]
[www.rodbuilding.org]

Cliff... Well said! I've worked with all of these and many other solvents, alcohols, and ketones in military/industrial applications. "Less is more" when it comes to this stuff. This is in line with the doctrine of functional austerity... don't buy it and don't use it if you don't need it (and you probably don't). 70% ISO alcohol will neatly and efficiently clean up blanks, hardware, brushes, spatulas, etc. before and during application of Flex Coat epoxies, finishes, and acrylic inks. Best, Vance

Use the de-natured alchohol with rubber gloves. It may have all of the ingedients as stated abouve but your daily life is exposed to much , much more.

While 70% alcohol will do nicely for cleanup, it will not perform in an alcohol burner. You need the denatured alcohol for that.

Fran I forgot all bout the burner

I cant even imagine using gloves latex or otherwise whilst doing ANY wrapping, or, or well anything on a rod. Its all slippery and hard and gluey and unfortunately sometimes fuzzy and all sorts of stuff. C'mon. I use regular ol' rubbing alcohol and ive found that if I made that big a mess that im reaching for something stronger, Im already screwed and I might as well grab a razor. Or a chisel. Or a beer. Are you with me?

With all of the allergies that I have (#1 is my own sweat), I don't use gloves unless I absolutely have to (and I do use them when needed).
I do clean my hands several times a day while building rods with rubbing alcohol and have no problems.
It may dry your skin out and cause a dermatitis of sorts, but it's not a permanent problem of any sort. I have dry skin, but have no trouble with the frequent cleaning of my hands.
Using rubber, neoprene, or vinyl gloves kills my hands much more (with other than short use) than the alcohol does, and that's over 20 years worth.
Acetone or laquer thinner is a totally different subject.

Putter

I don't see the problem with denatured alcohol, I see alot of posts against getting it on their hands, but these same posters will also happily have a drink (beer,wine or whatever) or two, or three. Your soft organs are much more at danger than your hands in this case. The methanol is the first thing that will evaporate even before the alcohol and this minor amount even if you drank the stuff wouldn't make you blind.
I would worry more about UV radiation and the damage it does. I have worked in the panel trade, working with all the nasties including
acetone, and had no problems personally but have had skin cancers cut from my arms, neck and back and I have used sunscreen all my life.

Myles
Brisbane, Australia

Speaking of burners,I have a "Bubble Buster" that I got from Angler's Workshop but still haven't used yet(no need up until now as I have been using LS Supreme).I want to try another finish like Glass Coat and was wondering what kind and strength of alcohol I should be looking at getting for this burner?

I looked around town at most of my local drug stores and they didn't have alot to choose from.Several strengths of isopropyl alcohol(up to 99%,which I use for most of my rodbuilding clean up needs and works great),which won't work,and some denatured alcohol that I think was fairly weak(70% or less I think).When I inquired about something stronger to suit my needs no one really had any idea on where to get it.

Could anyone recommend a type and strength of alcohol that would/should be easy to find in a small town?If denatured alcohol will work,what strength should it be?What other alternatives are there if I can't find the correct denatured alcohol and where would I find them?

Thanks all.

Tony,
I have been using one of the bubble busters for years and use denatured alcohol that I buy in the hardware store. I have bought several different brands and frankly have not paid any attention to the strength and have not had any problems. However, I think that they are not intended for use with anything other than denatured alcohol.

Get a box of alcohol swabs at your local drug store. They are individually foil wrapped and come 100/box, 70% isopropyl for less than 2 bucks. All it takes is one to clean all your sticky fingers and one will wipe down a 10 ft rod. Don't have to have a can or bottle sitting around. I love them.

Thanks Emory.

Guy's, I'm not cleaning my hands with acetone! I'm cleaning the oils off my rod blank from my hands. (CLEANING UP THE BLANK) with acetone.....K....