What are "Mineral Spirits"

[Dengue]

I read in Fine Woodworking magazine and some online shows like the Wood Whisperer where they refer to "Mineral Spirits". Does anyone know what that is - mineral turps or methylated spirits?

[ubeaut]

In broad terms it's mineral turpentine. Also known as white spirits in US - Stodards in Europe and UK

[jmk89]

Mineral spirits was originally a dry cleaning fluid called Stoddart solvent and outside USA and Canada is known as white spirits. It is within the same fraction of the petroleum distillation and mineral turpentine but turps has a much wider range within that fraction. So I always distinguish between turps and white spirit -turps will tend to be oilier than white spirits: wikipedia has some good info on white spirits

[KJ401]

White spirits is also a bit more forgiving than mineral turps when used for thinning. If you need to thin a wax, white spirits won't generate a gray-white cast as turps can do. It's also better for cleaning off wax as well.

[Dengue]

Is white spirits readily available in Australia?

[Mr Brush]

Yup - at just about any hardware store.

I have a bottle of the 'Diggers' brand stuff picked up at Mitre10 I think....

[blackhole]

That has been a question on my mind for a while.


How is white spirits different from shellite?

[kiwigeo]

Shellite is more akin to what is called Naptha in the US. I use Shellite for cleaning down wood prior to finishing.

http://www.recochem.com.au/files/downloads/Shellite.pdf

That has been a question on my mind for a while.


How is white spirits different from shellite?

[blackhole]

thanks