Hi all

I got a question about paint thinner. I've got a rather large { I believe its a 1 qt } container of thinner. I want to break this down into a smaller container for the desk top in order to save space. My question is can I store the thinner in a plastic bottle, or will the thinner do something to the plastic ?

Thanks in advance
Wolfsix

I've just reused the smaller square glass bottles that Testors sells their thinner in. As it gets empty, I refill it with thinner from a quart can. While I do not think that it will effect a plastic container, I just feel safer putting it in a glass bottle. Especially since the bottle is already labeled thinner.

I personally use glass, either an old paint bottle, an old jelly jar or something like that. Like Sabot - I just refill when necessary.

I've had some plastic containers get soft over time so I play it safe.

Here in South Africa mineral turpentine, lacquer thinners etc. comes in plastic bottles. The recycling label on the bottom says they're made from PETE - this is the same stuff they use to make coke, mineral water bottles etc. I've also seen turps in PEHD bottles - pill containers are usually made from this.
You can identify the plastic type by looking at the recycling label (a number surrounded by a triangle of arrows) on the bottom:
1 is PET,
2 is PEHD,
is the most important plastic of all .

Cheers
Ed

Plastic labelling
Coca-Cola Bottle Material

Containers made from polypropylene are impervious to any solvents. I use 4 oz pill bottles. I store mineral spirits. 100 flash naphtha, MEK and acetone without any problems. To test a plastic, see if liquid cement will attack or soften the plastic. Put some on a rag and hold it against the plastic for a minute. If the plastic does not soften, it should be safe. The liquid cement is primarily MEK (Methyl Ethel Ketone) and has the highest solvency of any of the thinners typically used in modeling.