"Green" paint thinner

[ohsoloco]

I went to the box store a few weeks ago with a gift card to pick up some poly and a gallon of mineral spirits.  On my way down the aisle I saw a display of some new "green" solvent that's supposed to be less harmful than mineral spirits.  The label went on to say it is milky white, but will thin paint, varnish, and poly.  I left with a gallon of mineral spirits, just couldn't bring myself to try it.  Anyone experimented with it yet  ???

[getoverit]

I worked in a chemical plant where we made synthetic flavorings and perfume bases out of pine sap. To be more specific, the crude sulphate turpentine that was cooked out of pine trees during the paper making process.

Those are mostly organic hydrocarbon oils and alcohols and during the processing of these oils and alcohols we would make about 25% unwanted hydrocarbons which were similar to gasoline and lighter fluid. They make excellent paint thinners and solvents and were completely organic in nature. I see no reason that these couldnt be substituted for petrolium based solvents.

I have no idea of the "green" solvents you found were made this way, but you never know until you try them...The only hting I can say about them negatively is that it took a heck of a lot of petrolium fuel to produce the "green" solvent.

[ohsoloco]

Just a little google on the subject, and this is the best I came up with. 

Green paint thinner

Definitely sounds different than the chemicals you described, getoverit. 

[TexasTimbers]

ohsoloco,

I tried the milky white stuff last year and still use it. I haven't noticed it any less effective in cleaning oil-based paints and finishes from brushes, which is the primary use for mineral spirits in my shop. I haven't tried it as a thinner yet so I cannot answer that, but in my experience thus far it cleans brushes just as good.

[DanG]

At six bucks a quart, wouldn't it be cheaper to just throw the brushes away?  Well, probably not but that's still mighty pricey!  I noticed that it is made of 65% renewables, which means to me that it is still 35% petroleum.  Turpentine is 100% renewable, but probably even more expensive.

[ohsoloco]

TT, that's good to know, but I usually just use those foam brushes that I can just throw away.  I stick 'em in a ziplock bag in between coats to get a couple uses out of them.  Most of the mineral spirits I use are for tacking before my poly, and thinning the poly.

DanG, I didn't pay much attention to the price on that page, I just brought it up for the description.  At Lowes a gallon of odorless mineral spirits is just over $10 (not too long ago I remember paying $2.50 at walmart  :-\ ), and the "green" stuff is $7 and change...about the same price as odiferous mineral spirits  ;D  I almost bought the odiferous stuff to save a few bucks, the odorless stuff still reeks  :(   Haven't priced turpentine for a few years, but it was a lot more that the MS.

[TexasTimbers]

I use the throw-aways too when it isn't a serious undertaking.

[tyb525]

I worked on a paint crew at the local university last summer, and we used mineral spirits to clean up after oil-based paint. At home, I used mineral spirits to clean brushes after varnishing, etc. I ran out of mineral spirits, so I got what sounds like the same stuff. IMO, its hardley better than soap and water, and to me the smell is worse than mineral spirits.

[ohsoloco]

The next time I run across some in the store I'll have to open one up and take a whiff to see.

[Meadows Miller]

Gday

I just use turps but the main sealer i use on timber is Boiled Linnseed oil with a tropical mould inhibitor after that i use Cabots sealers  ;) ;D ;D 8) 8) 8) The only thing i use paint on is Trucs ,tractors and of corse  Sawmills   ;) ;D ;D ;D ;D  8) 8) 8) 8)

Im not too worry'd about the green factor if your trying to protect somthing you might aswell use the tryed and true methods that you know will last  ;) ;D ;D 8) 8)

Reguards Chris