They took away my mineral spirits!

[Thomas Colson]

For the last billion years (at the rate at which I complete projects, it takes me 100 million years, on average, to finish one) I've been using Jasco Mineral Spirits, the kind that come in 1 gal metal cans. I use it for everything: thinning, cleaning out spray guns, cleaning, lighting the BBQ, killing fire ant mounds. The stuff has a million uses. Latest project, I'm going through the stuff like it grows on trees, so I head to the BLUE place, and they have no metal cans. But they do have plastic jugs. All I see are the words "Mineral Spirits" so home I go with 2 gallons (Which seemed like more than I paid for my gallon cans last month?). Turns out it's not just "Mineral Spirits", it's Jasco "Green" mineral spirits. I hate the stuff. It clogs up my spray gun. It leaves clumps when I thin with it. It's impossible to clean brushes with it. It evaporates too slow. Yes I mixed it thoroughly. The viscosity is quite different than what comes in the metal can, and I'm set in my finishing ways. So today I head across the street to the ORANGE place, same story. All they carry is this new green garbage in the plastic jug. I managed to get a can at a local hardware store, and they told me that's the last of it: all they're getting in now is this new green stuff. Anybody got a lead on where I can get mineral spirits shipped?

[Stephen Rosenthal]

You must live in California. The geniuses at California Air Resources Board (CARB) decided mineral spirits contributed to the depletion of the ozone layer, or some such poppycock, and banned it a few years ago. Same with denatured alcohol, but that can be found at a few “authorized” places at a significant markup. But yeah, the green mineral spirits is useless.

[Bill Dufour]

Coleman fuel or the walmart vesion is about $8.00 a gallon last time I bought some. It is basically naptha. Works fine to thin and cleanup Tractor Supply oil base paint.
Used to use kerosene for a camping lantern and to start the barbecue. Bought jet fuel at the airport. Bring you own funnel.
Bill D

[Jim Becker]

Use naptha. Less "oily" than mineral spirits so even better for the cleaning uses, but great for thinning, etc.

[Richard Coers]

It takes you 100 million years to use one gallon, and you bought 2 cans? Curious decision! What will your 10th great grandkids do with 1 1/2 gallons?

[Jamie Buxton]

Naphtha is evaporates faster than the old mineral spirits. Depending on what you’re doing, that might or might get not be a good thing. For instance, if you’re making your own wipe-on varnish, you’re more likely to have streaks because you can’t maintain a wet edge.

I actually smuggle the old good mineral spirits into California. The old stuff is still sold in Oregon and Nevada.

[Stephen Rosenthal]

I actually smuggle the old good mineral spirits into California. The old stuff is still sold in Oregon and Nevada.

In the unlikely event you got inspected at an Ag station, I wonder what would happen?

[Thomas Colson]

In the unlikely event you got inspected at an Ag station, I wonder what would happen?
Nothing. They only banned the sale, not the possession. Not in cali though, I'm in an area of the country that has such disregard for air quality, we don't even have a vehicle inspection and being on the EPA non-attainment list is a point of pride for the county gov't, so I'm wondering where this green push came from. I'm sorta green my self, energy efficient and all that, installing an EV charger soon, but mineral spirits is the hill I'll die on. Just got back from another BLUE store, bought their last 5 cans, they have no clue why, but no more cans are coming in, just the green stuff. Must be a "Corporate Responsibility" thing. I do make my own wipe on, and I'm not a fan of change. Mineral spirits in a can is what works for me, and what I'll keep using as long as I can find a source within a 2 hour drive.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

You must live in California. The geniuses at California Air Resources Board (CARB) decided mineral spirits contributed to the depletion of the ozone layer, or some such poppycock, and banned it a few years ago. Same with denatured alcohol, but that can be found at a few “authorized” places at a significant markup. But yeah, the green mineral spirits is useless.

It's shocking to me to see the constant stream of uhauls coming to our area from california because people are fed up with this. I actually heard a very similar story from a new home customer just last week. Here most thing's called paint thinner are 100% mineral spirits, if you can still by paint thinner there.

[Rod Sheridan]

Naphtha should not be used as a solvent, the flash point is dangerously low and it can be absorbed via inhalation of vapours or by skin contact.

Regards, Rod

[Mark e Kessler]

I think acetone would be the closest replacement for mineral spirits, won’t leave an oily residue and I think flashes off quicker - is that banned in Cali? Also I think MS has been banned in cali as it adds to the ozone which increases the smog so they say…. Maybe everyone knew this already…don’t shoot the messenger :D

[Rod Sheridan]

I almost exclusively used solvent based finishes and didn’t like the look of water based polyurethane finishes.

Then I found a Minwax oil modified polyurethane and it looks very much like oil based when it’s dry.

3 or 4 coats in a day is very nice as well….Rod.

[Jeff Roltgen]

Sounds like a couple years ago when paint stripper went through similar shift to useless junk. I appreciate the intent, but end result is exponential increase in hours and number of coats = you get priced out of business. Guess it works for marketing their fluids, but absolutely kills the industry.

Everybody wonders why no more refinishers around here, but this is precisely why. Notwithstanding the fact that you get treated like a criminal when callers ask how much for refinishing a piece of furniture. And, most of them now only want you to do the stripping - they're perfectly capable of doing the finishing themselves - that's easy, thank you very much.

Bottom line: The drive to living green is completely blown by this type of unilateral shift, as excessive material is now going to waste and everybody is junking the old stuff and buying more costume furniture, more affectionately known as curb furniture, as that's its ultimate destination. Hard to see any benefit to the planet when we shift all production to countries that are in complete disregard of the environment.

Stepping off soap box now...

[Bruce Wrenn]

Walmart sells it in the Lawn and Garden section. Comes in quart bottles, labeled "Charcoal Lighter." Works out to a little over ten bucks a gallon in our market, which is cheaper than mineral spirits. If you need mineral oil, they also sell it, as a laxative.

[Brian Runau]

My local Lowe's here in Indianapolis has the original in 5 gal cans. They also have the green stuff and something else in a can labeled brush cleaner, but not sure what's in it.

[Scott Clausen]

I like oil based paints. I have a five gallon bucket of used thinner that is probably thirty years old. I use two paint buckets and pour the old into each to clean my brush. First bucket turns the paint color as I work the brush and clean the bucket walls, Shake it out and move to the second bucket. Shake out again and turn to the five gallon bucket for finale rinse and pour some fresh thinner into the brush shake and towel dry. Pour the 1st bucket into the five gallon bucket and use the second bucket to rinse the dirty one gallon bucket. Store paint buckets upside down and put a lid on the five gallon bucket. In one week the paint solids settle and I have two or three gallons of fresh clear thinner. I actually use more thinner to thin paint than I do to clean my brushes. I would hate to contaminate my system with that green garbage. You may want to try a actual paint store that will still sell oil based paint. Borg's have pretty much stopped carrying the stuff.

[Roger Feeley]

I accidentally bought a gallon of the green stuff. +1 on all the negative attributes. I keep forgetting to take it to the local hazardous waste dropoff. My local Sherwin Williams carries the good stuff. I also keep a dirty and a clean bottle. Clean the brush initially in the dirty stuff and empty back into dirty. Final cleaning in clean stuff and empty into dirty.

I really should decant the clear liquid off of the dirty into a new bottle and take the dregs to hazardous waste. Particularly since I accidentally dumped some of the green stuff in there.

[Roger Feeley]

I almost exclusively used solvent based finishes and didn’t like the look of water based polyurethane finishes.

Then I found a Minwax oil modified polyurethane and it looks very much like oil based when it’s dry.

3 or 4 coats in a day is very nice as well….Rod.

Rod,
I’m a huge fan of Vermont Natural Coatings and their Polywhey varnish. FWW did a comparison of brushing varnishes some years ago and VNC rated very high. An extra virtue is that FWW recommended those cheap foam brushes. I put on a coat and then just wash the brush like any sponge. Re-coat in a half hour.

I noticed that people just can’t stop fondling projects varnished with this stuff. It has this kind of buttery feel that just feels good. The other thing I notice about Polywhey is the sound/feel when I tap it with my fingernails. It’s more like clicking glass or porcelain.

im about to make us a new headboard. The bride wants white so I will be trying C2 paint that uses Polywhey.

[Malcolm McLeod]

I can get MS, so no issues with thinning here. But at $8-$15/gal, I am getting reluctant to use for cleaning brushes. There will come a time when I just toss $3-$4 brushes, rather than use $3-$4 of MS to clean them.

Nice new clean flexible brush very time? Oh, darn! What a sacrifice!

Or, I guess I could run it thru the still. Wonder what that will do to my next bourbon run?:eek:

[Jack Frederick]

When we moved out of CA in late ‘85 there were 24M people and I thought it was overcrowded then. In ‘11 with both of my children living in CA we chased them. I have girls and they can run but they cannot hide. In ‘11 when we returned there were close to 39M people. Why, well on its own it is the 5th largest economy in the world. Yes, people, at last, are leaving, as they should. If my kids would leave, I too would go. Every night before I go to bed I go to Yubanet and check the local and broader fire situation. The entire West does. Climate change has ruined it, or perhaps more correctly, the 39M have. I’m old enough to remember the smog in every major city. I am happy to be able to breathe in those cities and I covered them all in my business. That happened largely by the leadership of CA and that leadership in climate issues continues. I lived in Nebraska in ‘77 and it is wonderful country and fine people. Actually, it’s kinda funny. I was perfectly happy living in sin with this wonderful woman. A year in NE and I left married, now for 43 yrs. All you few out in the Sand Hill Country should be wary. They will keep coming;) Enjoy!

[Rod Sheridan]

Thanks Roger, I found a local dealer and will try the product……Rod

[Derek Arita]

I'm in Sacramento. Couldn't get denatured alcohol any longer, so I took a very nice drive to Reno and got all the DNA I'll ever need. If you really need it, take a drive.

[Randall J Cox]

I'm in Sacramento. Couldn't get denatured alcohol any longer, so I took a very nice drive to Reno and got all the DNA I'll ever need. If you really need it, take a drive.


At about $4-5 per gallon for gas to get to Reno and back. (I grew up in Sacto.)

[Chris Padilla]

I think acetone would be the closest replacement for mineral spirits, won’t leave an oily residue and I think flashes off quicker - is that banned in Cali? Also I think MS has been banned in cali as it adds to the ozone which increases the smog so they say…. Maybe everyone knew this already…don’t shoot the messenger :D


No! I just bought a gallon at the Orange box. I'll have to pay attention to mineral spirits now and see what's up. I still have some but now that it's worth gold prices.... ;)

[Derek Arita]

At about $4-5 per gallon for gas to get to Reno and back. (I grew up in Sacto.)

I looked at it like a mini vaca...lol. Sacto rahhh!

[Alan Lightstone]

The green Kleen Strip DNA is actually the good stuff around here. Much higher ethanol content (85-90%). The regular stuff is 30-50% ethanol, and the rest methanol. Although, at the beginning of the pandemic I got a couple of gallons of lab grade ethanol for making hand sanitizer. Works great for other stuff in the workshop. And, if ever booze becomes scarce...

But, at least so far, no issues getting mineral spirits here.

[Myles Moran]

I think acetone would be the closest replacement for mineral spirits, won’t leave an oily residue and I think flashes off quicker - is that banned in Cali? Also I think MS has been banned in cali as it adds to the ozone which increases the smog so they say…. Maybe everyone knew this already…don’t shoot the messenger :D

Be very careful what you use it on, acetone is a very powerful solvent and will ruin a good number of plastics, finishes and paint. I think HDPE is safe, but don't take my word on that. It also dries very quickly which can be an issue or benefit depending on what you're using it for.

[Robert Hayward]

Be very careful what you use it on, acetone is a very powerful solvent and will ruin a good number of plastics, finishes and paint.

A few years back I accidently splashed acetone on a less than one week old $900+ washing machine front. Instantly turned the clear plastic loading door opaque in a random pattern. I still have not heard the end of that. :(

[Charles Coolidge]

Be very careful what you use it on, acetone is a very powerful solvent and will ruin a good number of plastics, finishes and paint. I think HDPE is safe, but don't take my word on that. It also dries very quickly which can be an issue or benefit depending on what you're using it for.

I heard you should not clean metal with acetone then weld it, it creates some kind of deadly fumes. Or maybe that was brake cleaner.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

When we moved out of CA in late ‘85 there were 24M people and I thought it was overcrowded then. In ‘11 with both of my children living in CA we chased them. I have girls and they can run but they cannot hide. In ‘11 when we returned there were close to 39M people. Why, well on its own it is the 5th largest economy in the world. Yes, people, at last, are leaving, as they should. If my kids would leave, I too would go. Every night before I go to bed I go to Yubanet and check the local and broader fire situation. The entire West does. Climate change has ruined it, or perhaps more correctly, the 39M have. I’m old enough to remember the smog in every major city. I am happy to be able to breathe in those cities and I covered them all in my business. That happened largely by the leadership of CA and that leadership in climate issues continues. I lived in Nebraska in ‘77 and it is wonderful country and fine people. Actually, it’s kinda funny. I was perfectly happy living in sin with this wonderful woman. A year in NE and I left married, now for 43 yrs. All you few out in the Sand Hill Country should be wary. They will keep coming;) Enjoy!

It's a little alarming, being one of the few of the Sandhills Country, to see the constant stream of imports. Guess I can't do anything about it, so I might as well enjoy the show. Did you live in the sandhills?

[Chess Baloo]

Rod,
I’m a huge fan of Vermont Natural Coatings and their Polywhey varnish. FWW did a comparison of brushing varnishes some years ago and VNC rated very high. An extra virtue is that FWW recommended those cheap foam brushes. I put on a coat and then just wash the brush like any sponge. Re-coat in a half hour.

I noticed that people just can’t stop fondling projects varnished with this stuff. It has this kind of buttery feel that just feels good. The other thing I notice about Polywhey is the sound/feel when I tap it with my fingernails. It’s more like clicking glass or porcelain.



That sounds like something I'd like - I am just a noob beginner here and only doing some small projects as I get time, but I love the sound of that.
Is this the product that you are referring to?

https://vermontnaturalcoatings.com/product/hydro-lacquer-reactive-sealer-with-polywhey/

[Jackie Szabo]

Me too. Everything you say. I am grateful we don't have smog days here in California like we did when I was a kid in the 1970s. But I believe the ban on sale in the state was largely aimed to curtail industrial use, which is why we have lost most if not all of our furniture manufacturers to other states.

Every few years, I take a day trip through the desert in my EV and pick up a couple of gallons across the border in NV because I have never been able to find a substitute that does the job.

[Rick Potter]

We had visitors coming from Phoenix at Christmas, and six gallons of MS came with them, at our request.

[Scott Clausen]

I have had the same five gallon bucket of paint thinner for decades. I clean my gun, buckets and brushes with about a 1/2 cup of new thinner. Works great. You may want to try an actual paint store like SW.

[Michael Schuch]

A few years back I accidently splashed acetone on a less than one week old $900+ washing machine front. Instantly turned the clear plastic loading door opaque in a random pattern. I still have not heard the end of that. :(

I have polished a few acrylic aquariums from barely translucent to transparent with the Novus polishes made for acrylic. It does an excellent job and should help quiet the peanut gallery. It is also the best polish I have found for the plastic headlights on modern cars. If the etching is REALLY deep on the washing machine you can start with 1500 grit wet dry then go to 2000 grit wet dry before using the heaviest biting Novus polish. I use a spray bottle with soapy water with the wet / dry sandpaper.


https://www.amazon.com/NOVUS-PK1-2-Plastic-Scratch-Remover-Bottles/dp/B0091IPVEW/ref=asc_df_B0091IPVEW/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312169650952&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=18425213304778893965&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9032939&hvtargid=pla-665465221825&psc=1