Not sure it comes under fly tying, but more I use it for my jigs I powder paint. The question has come up about alcohol burners for heating the head before painting and I have always been told to use Denatured Alcohol, but someone is using medical 91% alcohol (Rubbing or Isopropyl). SO the question is what difference is there is burning one over the other since the Isopropyl is cheaper? Is there any more danger in using that?
Thanks in advance!
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I just did a Google queery. Some folks replied that Isopropyl alcohol doesn’t burn as hot. Seems that Isopropyl has water in it and the flame loses heat as the water vaporizes.
adios Philip43
Thanks I knew there had to be some reason the denatured was a better fuel for this.
Also did the google thing and found a bit more info which tell what it can do, but were talking about 70% stuff, but maybe over time the same thing will happen.
[b]70% isopropyl alcohol works, nut not as well. The extra water forces the flame to expend energy vaporizing water, which is not compensated by energy liberated in combustion. Often the wick will become enriched in water as the alcohol burns away, leaving excess water behind. He net result is that the burner burns feebly and may give up the ghost entirely after a while. I have learned this by sad firsthand experience.
Richard Barrans, Ph.D., M.Ed.
Department of Physics and Astronomy [/b]