Can anyone tell me what I can buy that is Xylene type thinner? I don’t see what else it may be called.
Thanks,
Skip
Pretty sure “toluene” will fit the bill. You should be able to find it in any reasonably stocked hardware store along with paint thinner, acetone, etc.
Thanks I was wondering if that is the same thing or not.
I will give it a try.
GooGone…Home Depot…gets crap off of ANYTHING!!! (Including tar off of the sofa!) :lol:
nen-bran
Tar off the sofa??
You mean before mom came home…LOL
Me I use a product that can only be bought at paint stores “MEK” a little expensxive but it do the job. just be very carefull with it if you use it. It will eat up some things like it is not even there.
Thanks for all the great feedback!
Skip,
All of the mentioned solvents are very aggressive to synthetic materials. Xylene is also known as Xylol. Toluene is more flammable and toxic than xylene and is used frequently for drug abuse (paint sniffing). Mek will disolve many synthetic fabrics and all of the above solvents should be used outside and with high quality rubber gloves. Be careful !!!
Tom
Oh Wow, Maybe I should just try to get by without it. So far I have been able to keep my stuff usable and if it gets a little thick I have been adding in some new product to thin it back some and that has worked pretty well.
Sounds like I should just forget about xylene . I for sure don’t need any paint sniffing stuff around and I probably have enough solvent items I use now to not need add any more.
Thanks again,
Skip
Xylene is an organic aromatic ( ring- shaped ) solvent. It is absorbed through the skin and is known to cause leukemia.
If absolutely necessary to use this product it should be used under a exhaust hood or out-of-doors. Heavy rubber ( not plastic or latex ) gloves should be worn.
Hi Skip 48,
From your later posts, I take it you want it to thin head cement or something similar?
Toluene and xylene(s), are in the same chemical family, the aromatics. They are somewhat toxic, and toluene is a suspected carcinogen.
MEK is in a different family. It is a more polar solvent, and thins somewhat differently in it’s solvency properties, it thus works better for some types of materials than does toluene or xylenes.
MEK is superb for thinning traditional head cement. Ordinary head cement is the same lacquer that you buy at the lumber yard. I bought a half pint can of lacquer several years ago, and have been using it ever since. For what it’s worth MEK works much better as a head cement thinner than does lacquer thinner. When my bottle of head cement is empty or gets too much junk in it I pitch the old and refill from the 1/2 pint can. If it is too thick, I thin with MEK.
Toluene or xylenes are good for thinning goop to make the equivalent of Fleximent. Toluene can also thin Fleximent itself.
“Xylol” is a technical grade and mixture of the three types of xylene, and probably also has some ethyl benzene present. Toluene or “Toluol” as you buy it is a technical grade of toluene.
All three can be purchased at the lumber yard.
For what it’s worth I use the Dave’s Fleximent (or if I am using it some home made from Goop and Toluene) in the garage or outside to treat feathers for wingcases, etc. I then stand the feathers up in a block of wood with holes bored in it for the stems of the feathers. I don’t use the toluene based materials in the house where I am tying.
Just thought to add a bit to what Tom has written.
Regards,
Gandolf
Gandolf, tlooze & TomW,
The warnings and handling instructions are very much appreciated. With a little caution, we can protect ourselves. 