Encyclopedia of solvents

[Davepar]

Anybody have a good guide for what solvent is good for what task? For various tasks I've purchased M.E.K., acetone, lacquer thinner, mineral spirits, Goof Off, Goo Gone, and kerosene. It would be nice to have info on this stuff rounded up somewhere. What's bad for acrylic, what's best for cleaning prior to priming, what can thin epoxy, what's safe to use on powder coating, etc.

[RV7Factory]

On a somewhat related note, I have found the Household Products Database useful in determining what goes into some of the substances we sometimes use. For example, someone told me that product X was good for cleaning widget Z, but when I looked it up on the database, I found it to be made of 25% of a chemical that shouldn't be used on widget Z. Needless to say, I didn't purchase product X.

[sportpilot]

I stay with the MFG recommended solvent for what ever product I might be using. I cant remember all that other stuff. Anyway, no matter what you use the EPA says it will give you cancer.

[Gary Bricker]

Just a note to everyone. MEK is supposed to be a no no for your health but it does pretty good on Pro Seal. By accident I used some Gumout carb. cleaner on some Pro Seal and the results blows MEK out of the water.

[cobra]

Where do you guys get this BS?

No solvents are particularly good for you if mishandled, but as far as toxicity goes, MEK is reletively safe, as is acetone; they just smell strong. Fire danger is another issue, btw. The safe characteristics are why these are readily available commercially. Chlorine and/or benzene rings are generally the bad actors as far as cancer goes, and neither of these solvents has any.

FWIW, the EPA is occasonally wrong about specific solvent dangers- their decisions are often driven more by politics and lawyers than by science. Several historically PROVEN safe solvents (ie, methylene chloride, 1.1.1 TCA) solvents have been blacklisted because they are chemically similiar to other dangerous solvents, like carbon tetrachoride or tce, and/or because they COULD endanger upper ozone layers if released in HUGE quantities.

[ptrotter]

If you look at the chemical contents of Gumout Carb Cleaner, it contains MEK as well as several other solvents and petroleum distilates that are probably as bad, if not worse, than MEK itself.