Tryed to buy some mineral spirits today,but had no luck.tryed a few diy stores but they only sell turps and white spirits.would an art shop be my best place to look.cheers

Karl? Why do you need mineral spirits as opposed to white spirit? If I can ask?

Vinnie

I heard that it mixes better with oil paints for washes?i have tryed white spirits but i carnt seem to get a good wash Cheers,plus its does not give a bad odor like some spirits

what about Turpenoid? Then you are rid of the odor alltogether.

Hey, hadn't heard that Karl, might give it a try 'cos of the smell of white spirit, it does give me a headache after a long session, though that might be 'cos of the cigarette hanging out of my mouth and the scrunched up back for 2 hours?

Vinnie

And i thought i was the only one who smoked when modelling :-) If i do get some mineral spirits ill try a mix and let you know what its like.are you having a nice holiday from the kids cheers karl

Yeah I am! Getting some serious modelling in, apart from tomorrow that is.....Carol has gracefully booked the day off so we can go out somewhere...I wonder if I can persuade her to come to Halifax? It's been ages since I went to that shop, and it's well worth the visit!

Vinnie

I always use white spirits, they work better than other alternatives that I've tried. The mixed fumes from that and my fags aren't as bad as the anguish of dropping ash on fresh paint!

Buy the best quality white spirits the cheaper brands tend to be oily and can ruin a wash.

Good tip John.


Vinnie

I was under the understanding that white spirt and mineral Spirt are one in the same thing????

Scott, no, they are not the same. Unlike White Spirits, Mineral Spirits dissolve solids rather than diluting them.

hmm found this:

Mineral spirits is based on petroleum and has a moderate evaporation rate, releasing harmful vapours. It is not absorbed through healthy skin. Mineral spirits is less expensive than turpentine. Some people react less to mineral spirits than to turpentine. Mineral spirits is a stronger solvent than odourless mineral spirits. Also known as white spirits.

from About.com Oil Painting

Plus a Shell website classfies them as the same also.

Why don't you try turpentine? By the way, turpentine is harmless despite its fumes. They use it in medicine, in cremes for your ladies and so on

Turpentine can eat the paint off the model, more so then Mineral Spirts.

Paint shops/stores should have this and other solvents by the half-pints on up.Same with hardware stores.Also could be labeled as Enamel thinner.Have also read of Ronson lighter fluid being used.Obviously this is an extreme fire hazard for the smokers among us!Naptha is just a short molecule hop away from gasoline.