- Joined
- Sep 10, 2024
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- 481
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- 268

... a lot of people these days operate on the "if you can smell it, it's dangerous" principle. Alcohol certainly won't hurt you when used responsibly.
I use alcohol for the reasons I stated. You can use either denatured or isopropyl (my choice) of at least 90%+ purity - available at pharmacies (or chemists for you Brits). 70% alcohol has 30% water and may also raise the grain.
Notice that I didn't mention lacquer thinner. While you can use it as an indicator of glue spots, it truly does have some nasties in it - MEK (Methyl Ethyl Ketone) for one. It will also permeate your skin, so it should only be handled with nitrile gloves and eye protection.
Acetone is good, but you have to be quick. Due to it high volatility, it evaporates very quickly. One other not of interest, a good friend of mine who is a retired chemistry professor from Cornell University once told me that the molecules of acetone are very large - too large, in fact, to easily permeate the skin. So while it may dry out your skin and you shouldn't drink it or directly inhale the fumes, it is much safer to handle than lacquer thinner.