what is the difference between the two?
i have read some say use denatured others just say use alcohol.
does it matter which one you use?
the cheapest denatured that i have found in this town is right at 5.00 a bottle
compared to rubbing alcohol 2 for 1.00
does it realy matter which one i use?

I use a Bic instead of an alcohol lamp. I use nothing but rubbing alcohol for clean-ups. Denatured has wood alcohol added to make it poisonous ("de-natured").

Putter
Williston, ND

David- denatured alcohol is ethanol (the drinking variety) to which a substance has been added that would make you regret trying to drink it. It is an outstanding solvent. It is also very flammable. Rubbing alcohol is isopropyl alcohol. In my opinion it is not as good of a solvent as ethanol but is a little less flammable. When you buy ethanol at the harware store, there's a metal seal in the opening of the can because ethanol evaporates so quickly- be sure to replace that seal each time you use it. For my money, I much prefer ethanol over isopropyl alcohol for clean-up chores and in my burner.

Someone (I believe that it was Ralph O'Quinn) once wisely said on this board that solvents such as acetone and ketones have no place in rod building- they have the potential to do much harm to rod blanks and finishes.

Pete Kornegay

I use rubbing alcohol and it works for me. For small cleanup jobs I use alcohol swabs, the kind the nurse rubs on your skin before she sticks you with the needle, a box of 100 is about $2.00 and the will last a long time. No mess, no rags and no bottle to open.

thanks guys for the info

Get both. for major general clean up, like wiping glue off teh blank after installing a foam grip, I start using Iso. I do my final cleaning with De-natured, as it defiantely does a better job removing epoxy from the blank than Iso there are a few types of ISp, 70%, 80, and the one I think most use, 90%). I HATE cleaning my hands with De-natured, it dries them out, so I use Iso for that in the event I make a mess and have 1CC of Rodbond on my palm after installing a grip, lol.