Real Frigin' Lacquer thinner!

[Pete J.]

I am not going to go into the details of how I did it, but suffice it to say that I got a gallon of real deal, honest to god, automotive lacquer thinner.  Not the watered down stuff you get at the home improvement store but real "dangerous, professional use only" automotive lacquer thinner. Now in some places that is no big deal, but here in the Peoples Republic of Green California you can't buy the stuff and haven't been able to for years. 

Before any of you go into the lacquer thinner is lacquer thinner.  It isn't!  Here is an article that really explains the difference. http://news.thefinishingstore.com/index.php/understanding-solvents-part-iii-laquer-thinner/ Getting the real stuff in getting harder all the time. 

Why do I want the real stuff.  For about 20 years now, I have been painting my models with automotive lacquers and I love the stuff.  I have it down to a science and I have quarts of the stuff that I use all the time.  I can paint with lacquer in my sleep.  It is also good forever.  Just add a little thinner to the can occasionally and it will last indefinitely.   When I first started using it, I could get a five gallon can of the good stuff(DuPont) for about $50.  I finally used the last of it about a month ago.  I had a reserve gallon of unopened HOK thinner, but it was fast(cold temperature) stuff and was kind of hard to work with.  I wanted some hot temperature(slow) stuff. 

I found it on the internet but couldn't buy it.  The company is located about 10 miles away from me here in SoCal but they can't sell it in state.  So I had to go through a real goat rope to get my hands on a gallon.  Since most of the companies are going to water based paints, I doubt that it will be around for much longer so I am going to use this very carefully.  Just happy I could get some!

[Ace-Garageguy]

You rebellious scofflaw, you.

I hope the EPA or CARB or whoever has jurisdiction over this doesn't come swooping down on you a dawn in their black helicopters (powered by hydrogen, of course).

Remember the famous words: "When lacquer thinner is outlawed, only outlaws will have lacquer thinner!".

Just kidding.  

[JTalmage]

It's always fun until you get it in your eyes. Figured that one out. 

[Ace-Garageguy]

It's always fun until you get it in your eyes. Figured that one out. 

That goes for pointy things too.  

[JTalmage]

That goes for pointy things too.  

Yes indeed. And weld splatter. 

Didn't get that in the eye, but I got it behind the top of the ear lobe once. Wooo!

[signguy2108]

Hum, U can't buy it or use it in Ca, but u can produce it in who knows what kind of quanties and sell it out of state! Go figure..

[Ace-Garageguy]

Yes indeed. And weld splatter. 

Didn't get that in the eye, but I got it behind the top of the ear lobe once. Wooo!

Ooooo...weld splatter. Nice one. And those sharp little things that fly off of a grinder disc. Been there, done that, got the medical bill to prove it.  

[Ace-Garageguy]

Hum, U can't buy it or use it in Ca, but u can produce it in who knows what kind of quanties and sell it out of state! Go figure..

Simple. Just the government embracing the popular "not in MY back yard" attitude, along with "but it's entirely OK to totally screw the other guy". 

See? Completely logical. 

Edited September 1, 2016 by Ace-Garageguy

[mustang1989]

There's Pete! Didn't know you were here too! Great to see you.

[Pete J.]

Hum, U can't buy it or use it in Ca, but u can produce it in who knows what kind of quanties and sell it out of state! Go figure..

Yea, it is a schizophrenic state I live in.  Half the state wants to go outlaw and the other half wants to be the law!  Kind of like a B western from the old days.  Now all we need is a dancehall girl with a heart of gold! 

[Dave Ambrose]

Yes.  I found an old can in the shed. I'm very happy. They still sell the real stuff in Aridzona and Nevada. Maybe a road trip is in order?

[1930fordpickup]

And now the hush money payments will start. You can all pay in plastic as in kits. LOL 

Another reason why Grandpa moved to Idaho. 

 

[JTalmage]

Ooooo...weld splatter. Nice one. And those sharp little things that fly off of a grinder disc. Been there, done that, got the medical bill to prove it.  

They don't call em death wheels for nothing. 

One thing I always enjoy is the wires from a wire wheel, whether it's the bench grinder or a die grinder.... you don't immediately know you have one stuck somewhere on your person.... right up until you REALLY find it. 

[Pete J.]

That stuff is bad but the worst thing I ever had was a burn from a hot exhaust.  Sounds weird, so here is the story.  My Dad and I were working on our John Deere combine(harvester for those who aren't farm literate) .  We had been climbing all over the machine all day getting it ready to go.  The engine is mounted high up in the back.  On one side is a ladder to get up and on the other side is all the pulleys and belts that make the thing run.  All day I had to get up to the engine platform and it was just easier to climb up the side that didn't have the ladder on it.  The last step to get up was to grab the muffler and pull yourself up.  Well about midway through the afternoon, we did a run of the machine to see if everything was working.  We ran it for a good 10 or 15 minutes.  We shut it down and I had to climb up to check something on the platform and up I went.  As soon as I grabbed the muffler, I knew I was in trouble.  If I let go, I had a 15' fall to the ground through machinery.  I decided to hang on and complete the climb.  When I finally let go, the skin on my palm stuck to the muffler and peeled off.  This was well over 50 years ago.  Last time I saw the combine, it still had my hand print clearly visible on the side of the aluminum muffler.

[forthlin]

Those burns hurt. I bought my first motorcycle back in '91 & the morning after I got it decided to move it under a tree to wax it. I had shorts on & figured to start it & ride it in the yard. About the time I got in the grass it fell, muffler side on my leg. It was an 1100cc & was a near impossible to get it off my leg. I still have a scar where that happened. A friend of mine had a '67 Chevy many moons ago with sidepipes that fried many a leg.

Edited September 2, 2016 by forthlin
Needed to add something

[GT4494]

It must really suxx to live in CA.   everything we do in the south is illegal there I think..

[Ace-Garageguy]

Plenty of ways to get hurt with just about anything you can think of.

A business associate a long time back was painting a car with lacquer, cleaned out the gun with thinner, while smoking. Not real bright so far, but the kicker was when he dropped the gun (and since he was just in cleaning mode, the top wasn't latched down tight). When the gun hit the ground, the top came off and a beautifully atomized spray of lacquer thinner enveloped him...instantly ignited into a fireball.

He survived, but it took a fair of work to put him back to almost original-condition.

[Quick GMC]

CA lacquer thinner at Home Depot is Acetone based. I was able to get some slow cure lacquer thinner off Amazon. It cost me $40 for a gallon, but it's worth every penny

[Ace-Garageguy]

CA lacquer thinner at Home Depot is Acetone based. I was able to get some slow cure lacquer thinner off Amazon. It cost me $40 for a gallon, but it's worth every penny

Yeah, the real stuff is toluene-based, 70-80%, plus MEK, iso alcohol and wood alcohol...which is why real lacquer paints are so hard on styrene.

[jwrass]

 

Speaking of cleaning a gun with Lacquer thinner.... A Binks #7 with the fluid screw in all the way and a flame makes for one hell of a flame thrower...... read that somewhere

[Pete J.]

I know I posted this in the first post, but it looks like it might bare repeating.  Here is an article I found that does a great job of explaining lacquer thinners and why they are different.  http://news.thefinishingstore.com/index.php/understanding-solvents-part-iii-laquer-thinner/ The stuff you buy from home improvement stores is gun cleaner and that is why you don't want to thin your paint with it.  It also talks about why auto lacquer is more expensive. 

As to it sucking to live in SoCal, well not really.  There are inconveniences but it is kind of like living in a big eastern city but with great weather and beaches.  Lots to do, plenty of great people, and a huge diversity of life styles.  If you can't find a place in California that you like then you just aren't looking.