Re: Ethanol mist for cutting aluminium
If you have to use an alcohol then Isopropanol is cheaper, http://www.newshinyhardware.co.uk/Ch...nol/1000ml.nav and is not loaded with purple dye, bitrex and pyridine like meths. I would avoid a flammable liquid which is dangerous to inhale if possible.
Re: Ethanol mist for cutting aluminium
More to the point, why are we resurrecting a year old thread?
Re: Ethanol mist for cutting aluminium
Quote:
Originally Posted by
m_c
More to the point, why are we resurrecting a year old thread?
Holy Thread Resurrection Batman! :D
It's a fair point but if there is pertinent information to add which may help others searching later I think it's OK, your suggestion of Isopropyl Alcohol is a good one, I use it for many things as it's available at very reasonable cost for 5L
- Nick
Re: Ethanol mist for cutting aluminium
Quote:
Originally Posted by
PaisleyPCdoctor
I don't know why you are trying so hard to find pure ethanol.
Pure ethanol is subject to alcohol tax as it can be used to make alcoholic drinks.
To avoid this tax, the ethanol can be spiked with about 5% Methanol making it UNDRINKABLE. hence the term 'methylated spirit' or 'denatured ethanol'.
Methylated spirit smells almost identical to ethanol. Methylated spirit purchased in pharmacy or supermarket is further spiked with purple dye, bitrex and some horribly smelling crap that I forget the name of. Obviously to stop idiots drinking it.
You can easily buy methylated spirit without the stinky additives etc.
Small quantities vaporised with decent ventilation would be fine (healthwise), If you went crazy with it, you'd get high as a kite and or start a fire. I'd worry about electric motor in fume extraction equipment.
It may be possible to dilute the alcohol with water to decrease risks?
Agreed, Im currently using ethanol used fireplaces. It has minimal smell but of course still very flammable. Mixing it with water might be an idea.
Re: Ethanol mist for cutting aluminium
Quote:
Originally Posted by
m_c
More to the point, why are we resurrecting a year old thread?
It is the spirit of Christmas past :toot:
Re: Ethanol mist for cutting aluminium
I stopped using mine own mixture or soluble oil. Now i use pure kerosene/ or paraffin you call it/, the one for the stoves they sell in 10 and 20l bottles. And right now is the time to buy, as in summer there is nowhere to buy it from. It's perfect for aluminum or whatever. And as my transparent container was a good quality one/ the water filter/ there is no problem with the plastic from the kerosene.
Re: Ethanol mist for cutting aluminium
For those using alcohol for cooling, does it also have any effect on aluminium sticking to cutters or is it purely for cooling?
Re: Ethanol mist for cutting aluminium
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Boyan Silyavski
I stopped using mine own mixture or soluble oil. Now i use pure kerosene/ or paraffin you call it/, the one for the stoves they sell in 10 and 20l bottles. And right now is the time to buy, as in summer there is nowhere to buy it from. It's perfect for aluminum or whatever. And as my transparent container was a good quality one/ the water filter/ there is no problem with the plastic from the kerosene.
kerosene (28 Sec) is readily available all year long if you ring a fuel supplier I used to run my steam cleaning machine on it it's was cheaper than red.
I remember you could buy it in B&Q for £4 for 0.5l at the time or I could buy it from fuel supplier for 58p a litre a mile down the road lol.
was a few years ago now.
Re: Ethanol mist for cutting aluminium
I personally wouldn't use kerosene/heating oil, solely due to the smell, however I suspect what Boyan is suggesting is the paraffin you can get over here for camping stoves, which doesn't have as strong a smell.
Re: Ethanol mist for cutting aluminium
But there is a reason it's called " fogless mist cooler" . If it makes a fog in the workshop and smells, its because the nozzle is not spraying drops and usually is overspraying. i said it many times, 0.6-0.7mm is the ideal nozzle size and can refrigerate a bit up to say 20mm . For 1inch and bigger cutters, 2 nozzles.
Normally i will put a lamp at the back and check if its not making fog before i leave the machine to cut.