Naptha

[Pusser]

Does anyone know what naptha is sold as in Aus. It is a petrochemical one down from Benzine but without the carcinagenic properties. The US magazines talk about it all the time as a solvent. All the references I get in Google are US origin and generally assume you know what they are talking about.

Pusser

[Pusser]

Sorry, I found an answer in a 2000 thread http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/showthread.php?t=460&highlight=Naptha - it is shellite. An interesting though confusing thread.
Pusser

[Neil]

Closest you'll get here, in readily available form is mineral turpentine or white spirits. Think you'll find it varies quite considerably depending on manufacturer and what it' being used for you will also find that much of it actually is carcinogenic, you're better off with mineral turpentine.

Why do you want naptha? Is it for your Zippo lighter?

Cheers - Neil :)

[Pusser]

I was reading a US book which said using Naptha to thin varnish instead of mineral spirit will ake it tack up quicker. As I work in my garage I was interested but finally resolved to find out what Naptha was.

Pusser

[dayvo]

Sorry, I found an answer in a 2000 thread http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/showthread.php?t=460&highlight=Naptha - it is shellite. An interesting though confusing thread.
Pusser

I read the above thread myself a few days ago and went and bought some Diggers Shellite
I wanted it to cleanup sanded timber and it works a treat and leaves the timber its natural colour, unlike the Metho I have been using which leaves the timber darkened considerably after drying
I hope this info is useful to you
dayvo

[MacS]

I am a US finisher, Naptha is listed as Neil stated as a carcinegen as is no longer used or sold to walk in customers. it was replaced with Mineral Spirits over here, and White Spirits over there.

Naptha, is consided a fast evaporating solvent (4 - minutes) Whereas, the Mineral Spirits is much slower it takes 50 minutes to evaporate.

Over here, not every state has the same exact laws, some are very strick, while others are laxed, and are slow to comply with the goverment regulations.

Mineral Spirits, over here it is used in both Varnish and Polyurethane as the reducer.

MacS

[peg]

^ That's strange, I just bought about a gallon of Naptha a few weeks ago... should last me a long time. =)

[MacS]

Hi Peg,

I don't doubt that you bought the gallon of Naptha, most paint stores, or home improvement centers can still get to sell off their inventory, it is not being distilled any more except to business' that cannot find a sustitute, at one time Naptha was the main solvent that was used for dry cleaning,

I am adding a link to the Parks Solvent Cp. a division of the Zinnzer Company. Which is a large distributor of solvents that are sold in small and large retailers. If you look at their listings of solvents on this updated thread you will notice that there is no Naptha that is listed.
http://www.newparks.com/solvents-pg.html

Peg, its a banned solvent, if you feel that you really need it, buy it while you can, evenually you will be using Mineral Spirits.

[kiwigeo]

Nearest readily available equivalent of naptha in Australia is "Shellite". Available at Mitre 10 or Shell shop.

Cheers Martin

[MacS]

Hi Martin,

I posted to your answer, but it was lost?

If "Shellite" is the same as the MSDS was in 2003 then it would be Naptha, but things have changed since then, as it also listed Benzine as an ingredient which is a banned chemical here. So it may have been reformulated

I checked the White Spirits MSDS, it is the same as Mineral Spirits which is sold here.

[Ian Wells]

Hi Martin,

I posted to your answer, but it was lost?

If "Shellite" is the same as the MSDS was in 2003 then it would be Naptha, but things have changed since then, as it also listed Benzine as an ingredient which is a banned chemical here. So it may have been reformulated

I checked the White Spirits MSDS, it is the same as Mineral Spirits which is sold here.

try Artists white spirit which is very pure and closer to v&p Naptha and does not leave an non drying oily residue like mineral spirits to make the finish tacky.

[MacS]

Artist white spirits, is "odorless" mineral or white spirits ( the same solvent with different names) True name is white mineral spirits.

It is double distilles to take out the oily smell. It's fraction is too close to change the evaporation rate.

[ZigZip]

Why do you want naptha? Is it for your Zippo lighter?



I was browsing Google for alternative Zippo lighter fuel and found a website that said Naptha. After finding this out I searched Goolge again but this time searched naptha, which lead me to these forums. After browsing the site I read this old article and you made a comment about Zippos so I decided to make a post and say: Yes it is for my Zippo.

Any help you can give will be appreciated.

Cheers.

[Christos]

Welcome to the forum ZigZip. Interesting way to come across this forum.

From a lighter. :)

Sorry I am not able to help in this reguards.