What is the differences between Lacquer Thinner and just Thinner?

[cudaken]

Boy I have been out of the body business to long! 

Other day I called my old supplier and asked them how much is 5 gallon of Lacquer thinner was? Was told they cannot sell Lacquer thinner in IL any longer, but they could in MO. (It is only 16 mile drive)

Asked them what was the differences, they had no idea?  Well it does not have Lacquer in the name!

I have used lacquer thinner with epoxy primer and sealers with no problem. Boy I hate to think this state will only let us used water born primer now, but then why would the sale thinner if it was only water?  Hum, because they can? 

  Cuda Ken

 

[68X426]

Paint thinner is a broader category of solvents and may contain mineral spirits, acetone, mineral turpentine (turps), true turpentine, naphtha, methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), dimethylformamide (DMF), 2-Butoxyethanol, or any of the other glycol ethers, and can include other solvents such as [1]ethylbenzene, xylene, n-butyl acetate or butan-1-ol.

Lacquer thinner is a more specific solvent containing alkyl esters like butyl or amyl acetate, ketones like acetone or methyl ethyl ketone, aromatic hydrocarbons like toluene, ethers such as gylcol cellosolves, and/or alcohols.

In other words lacquer thinner is always a paint thinner, but paint thinner can be much more than lacquer thinner.

It is the toluene that most government agencies have focused on as it is easily abused by druggies. Looks like you drive to Missouri.


I'm not a chemist, but I did sleep at a Holiday Inn Express last night.  

[Daytona R/T SE]

Last time I checked you could still buy Lacquer thinner at Ace Hardware and Rural King in Illinois...

This was within the last year, I remember because I said at the time..." Man, this shit is getting expensive."

[Patronus]

Regular 'ol paint thinner? Why drink that??... tastes like bad gin. Now I aint never drank no lacquer thinner I didnt like.

[Silver R/T]

They use it to make meth.

[cudaken]

 Well I just called a second paint supplier I used in MO. I asked Joe what is the differences between Lacquer Thinner and Thinner?  He had no clue!  But it is $6.00 more for 5 gallons than Thinner in IL, must be a Meth Surcharge. 

Want to guess which I am going to buy?

Cuda Ken

[Cooter]

Paint thinner is mineral spirits.

Lacquer thinner is hotter than paint thinner and is used to thin lacquer paint,to clean surfaces prior to painting and to clean up some dried paints.

[cudaken]

 Thanks Cooter

[ACUDANUT]

Google has those answers too.

[Cooter]

Maybe Ken wants to see if anybody here knows how to use Google???

[bill440rt]

Lacquer thinner actually is NOT the best thing to use to clean a surface prior to paint. It WILL leave a film, that could cause fisheye or other adhesion issues with primer or paint. Best thing to use is a paint prep solvent.
Lacquer thinner is an aggressive degreaser, but as you know it has very strong vapors so be sure to wear a respirator!

[ACUDANUT]

IMO older opinion, Lacquer thinner is thee best thinner and cleaner before paint.  I disagree that it leaves a "film". I use the stuff weekly.

[Highbanked Hauler]

 Other than cleaning your guns there isn't much call for lacquer thinner if you are using a urethane system.

[john108]

I have often used Acetone to clean surfaces. 

[ws23rt]

Acetone and lacquer thinner are both very good and fast cleaners. The fact that they are fast has a down side that is they flash off so fast that a follow wipe may miss what they have brought into fluid. (they dry so fast that the residue we need to get rid of is left behind). If they are used wet till the last wipe It is good.
The advantage of prep/solv type of cleaners is they give more time to wipe and remove oils and the like into our final wipe.
The bottom line though is sometimes we can obsess with things we cannot see