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Thread: They took away my mineral spirits!

  1. #1

    They took away my mineral spirits!

    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?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2015
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    Northern California
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    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.

  3. #3
    Join Date
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    Modesto, CA, USA
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    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

  4. #4
    Join Date
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    SE PA - Central Bucks County
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    Use naptha. Less "oily" than mineral spirits so even better for the cleaning uses, but great for thinning, etc.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
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    Peoria, IL
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    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?
    Last edited by Richard Coers; 07-24-2021 at 6:16 PM.

  6. #6
    Join Date
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    San Francisco, CA
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    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.
    Last edited by Jamie Buxton; 07-24-2021 at 8:16 PM.

  7. #7
    Join Date
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jamie Buxton View Post

    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?

  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by Stephen Rosenthal View Post
    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.
    Last edited by Keith Outten; 07-28-2021 at 10:57 AM.

  9. #9
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    Western Nebraska
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    Quote Originally Posted by Stephen Rosenthal View Post
    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.

  10. #10
    Join Date
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    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

  11. #11
    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

  12. #12
    Join Date
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    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.

  13. #13
    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...
    Last edited by Keith Outten; 07-28-2021 at 10:59 AM.

  14. #14
    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.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
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    Indianapolis
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    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.
    Last edited by Brian Runau; 07-26-2021 at 8:32 AM.

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