Cleaning gun with Mineral Spirits or Lacquer Thinner

[Scott D Johnson]

When I go to the BORG I see Mineral Spirits(which is composed of Lacquer Thinner and is cheaper than the can labeled Lacquer Thinner) and Lacquer Thinner. Which should I use to clean my spray gun?

[tod evans]

scott, it all depends what you`ve been spraying what solvent you should use to clean your gun when you`re done. use the solvent that cuts whatever you sprayed....02 tod

[Todd Burch]

If mineral spirits is composed of lacquer thinner, then I learned something new today.

I clean up lacquer with lacquer thinner.

I clean up oil based mixtures with mineral spirits.

One does not substitute for the other.

Todd

[Scott D Johnson]

Maybe they are both composed of "paint thinner", guess I need to look at the can again. I just know there were 2 cans and 1 was more expensive (lacquer thinner, I think)

[tod evans]

scott, lacquer thinner will cut most oilbased products but mineral spirits won`t touch lacquer....02 tod

[Todd Burch]

Mineral spirits = paint thinner = mineral spirits.

Now, naptha is similar to mineral spirits, but it leaves less residue. In petroleum industry terms, naptha is the next fraction after mineral spirits (or vice versa). I do substitute naptha for mineral spirits, but do not usually go the other way (but you can in a pinch, I guess).

Todd

[Jason Roehl]

Mineral spirits, paint thinner and naptha are all just thin petroleum distillates that can dissolve your typical oil- and alkyd-based paints, stains and varnishes Lacquer thinner is a blend of several volatile solvents. I don't recall all that's in there, but I think acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, and a few others. Like someone else said, lacquer thinner will work in place of mineral spirits in most cases, but not vice versa. If you try to thin lacquer with mineral spirits, you will get a gelatinous mess--DAMHIKT.

[Steve Schoene]

Mineral spirits, along with naptha and turpentine are thinners for varnish, but are is not solvents for varnish--that is once the varnish cures it cannot be redissolved in mineral spirits. While some forms of mineral spirits (like

Alcohol is both a thinner for shellac, and a solvent for shellac. It is sometimes a thinner for lacquer, but not a solvent.

Lacquer thinner is a blend of solvents and thinners for lacquer. It is a solvent for lacquer, shellac and waterborne finishes, but not for oil based varnish., though it may be a thinner for it--(not a recommended one--just a chemical one).

So, to clean your spray gun--probably best to use a solvent for the material being sprayed. Lacquer thinner is what you want. It can be cheaper than the one you use to thin the lacquer which should (generally) be the one recommended by the manufacturer.