Source for DNA or Ethanol??

[Hilel Salomon]

After watching any number of "finished" bowls warp and warp, I've tried to use dna. Trouble is that to use it on some of the larger bowls takes 3 or more gallons, and then I lose about half of it with each bowl. It's quite expensive, and I was wondering if anyone out there has used ethanol instead. As I understand it, dna is ethanol plus a sickening agent. I'm guessing that I could find ethanol much cheaper than 14 dollars a gallon.
Thanks, Hilel.

[Jason Christenson]

DNA is about $10 a gallon around here at Menard's but you can get it a little cheaper if you have them order you a five gallon bucket.

I'm really curious though, how do you lose half of it with each bowl?

Jason

[Hilel Salomon]

After soaking it for a day and a half, when I remove the blank, a good deal of the dna has evaporated. Perhaps half of it is an exaggeration, but at least one third of it is gone. Am I doing something wrong??
Hilel

[Jason Christenson]

Even 1/3 seems like a lot to me. Do you have it in a sealed container?

Jason

[Tim A. Mitchell]

Are you covering it while you soak it?

[Hilel Salomon]

Not always. I have a hard time finding a tub for soaking, so if it's a relatively big bowl, I use an old wet vac container. I'll look around for something I can close up. Thanks, Hilel.

[Jim Silva]

I throw a large plastic trash bag over the bowl/bucket/etc. I'm soaking the piece in then secure with either a bungee cord or cheap dollar store masking tape wrapped 'round the underside lip of the container.

I've had very little loss due to evaporation this way. Have you looked into those plastic storage containers they sell at most WalMarts etc?
They don't necessarily seal all that great so the trash bag in between container and lid would still be recommended.

J

[Hilel Salomon]

I'll try sealing it up. Now in reading up about dna, it seems that it is really ethanol with noxious substances added. Have any of you tried ethanol? I think that you can get it for about $3 per gallon. Just an idea.
Regards, Hilel

[Hilel Salomon]

In looking up ethyl alcohol (aka ethanol) I found out that it is highly flammable, and very dangerous to breath or get on your skin. I think that I'll pay the extra bucks and just get dna.
Regards, Hilel.

[David Epperson]

In looking up ethyl alcohol (aka ethanol) I found out that it is highly flammable, and very dangerous to breath or get on your skin. I think that I'll pay the extra bucks and just get dna.
Regards, Hilel.

Which is still highly flammable, and very dangerous to breath or get on your skin, since it's till mostly the same thing. The only difference is that DNA has other noxious additives to prevent it from being drinkable.

[Hilel Salomon]

For a reasonably bright person, I can be inordinately dumb. Of course dna is just as dangerous.... maybe more so, since it is essentially ethanol. What do you recommend David?
Hilel

[David Epperson]

For a reasonably bright person, I can be inordinately dumb. Of course dna is just as dangerous.... maybe more so, since it is essentially ethanol. What do you recommend David?
Hilel
I appologise. My post does read a bit harsh, that was not intended. Just my inability in this typed format. I would recommend whatever was the least expensive to do the job effectively. Pure ethanol (AKA PGA/Everclear) would also provide a mixer for your after work beverage. :D And when you figure that most of the high dollar liquors take some of their taste and color from the process of "drying" the aging casks (which are wood) you might end up with a moneymaking byproduct. :D

But any fluid that attracts the moisture to itself stronger than the wood does will work - which would include almost any of the alcohols (ethanol, Methanol, Isopropanol, etc) I've heard that even dishwashing soap will work. :D

All kidding aside, Just work in a well ventilated area when releasing the fumes and it should all be good.

[Hilel Salomon]

I didn't take your post as harsh. My preference is to finish the bowls and let nature take its course, but I have some very nice wormy maple and some other nice blanks that friends and family (to whom I give the bowls) would like in a non warped finish. The idea of waiting months after the initial work doesn't appeal to me.
As for saving money on pure grain alcohol substituting for single malt scotch, I wouldn't deprive the poor people of Islay their steady income from me.
Stay well, Hilel.

[Dave Smith]

Please look at the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for ethanol and methanol. Ethanol is harmful and methanol is poisonous. Ethanol is the alcohol in beer, wine and the hard stuff. It is made undrinkable by the addition of as little as 4% methanol. Many denatured alcohols, often referred to as DNA, in the hardware stores are 50% or more methanol. I am only aware of 4 brands available in the United States that are mostly ethanol. You can get more information on alcohol drying and the brands with the highest percentage of ethanol at this blog. http://alcoholsoaking.blogspot.com/

Dave Smith

Preaching the MSDS in Longview, WA.

[Joe Melton]

Where's George when we need him?
I buy DNA in 5-gallon cans at a local paint store. It costs $39.95 over the counter. If you have a friend with a contractor's account, he or she could get it for considerably less. I'd certainly not buy it in 1-gallon cans at the borg, as the cost is on the order of $14 a gallon.
It comes in a metal can with a spout, so the use of another container is necessary. I keep mine in an old 5-gallon plastic drywall bucket, tightly closed at all times, and evaporation is minimal.
Joe