Acetone stripper?

[polkat]

Michael Darnton has mentioned using acetone as a varnish stripper for violins. Am I correct in assuming it is poured on a rag and wiped against the body (while wearing rubber gloves)? And what effect will acetone have on glue joints, purfling, etc? Thanks!

[Johnmasters]

Michael Darnton has mentioned using acetone as a varnish stripper for violins. Am I correct in assuming it is poured on a rag and wiped against the body (while wearing rubber gloves)? And what effect will acetone have on glue joints, purfling, etc? Thanks!

It evaporates very quickly. If there is a protein sealer, zip-strip is quicker and less fumes. Acetone is a very slow solvent. Old spirit varnishes are more stubborn and perhaps acetone more appropriate here. Nearly anything will take off gummy and soft oil varnishes such as Fultons.

[jonathan vacanti]

Acetone is extremely toxic. I have used Citris Strip, which is a non toxic stripper that has no fumes and can be used in the workshop. It works very well. I wash the violin after with some alcohol on a rag. I personally don't believe violins should ever be stripped except on rare occasions. I hear a lot about people stripping old violins and I strongly discourage it.

[~ Ben Conover]

I think Strobel recomends using Acetone for cleaning cracks.

I have never needed to use it though, and I try to avoid strong chemicals where I can.

Citrus strip and alcohol sounds good, thanks for the tip.

Hope I won't need to use it, though perhaps it would be useful in small amounts for antiquing.

http://www.google.ie/url?sa=t&ct=clnk&...yEXF5wIgNd_29hw

[fiddlecollector]

Acetone is extremely toxic. I have used Citris Strip, which is a non toxic stripper that has no fumes and can be used in the workshop. It works very well. I wash the violin after with some alcohol on a rag. I personally don't believe violins should ever be stripped except on rare occasions. I hear a lot about people stripping old violins and I strongly discourage it.

Acetone is actually less damaging to health than ethanol,despite its strong smell.

[jonathan vacanti]

Is denatured alcohol the same as ethanol?

[Johnmasters]

Acetone is extremely toxic. I have used Citris Strip, which is a non toxic stripper that has no fumes and can be used in the workshop. It works very well. I wash the violin after with some alcohol on a rag. I personally don't believe violins should ever be stripped except on rare occasions. I hear a lot about people stripping old violins and I strongly discourage it.

It is not good for the kidneys, and methylene cloride is bad for carbon monoxide in the blood. But they are not "extreamly toxic" and neither is Xylene. "Extreamly toxic" means aresenic and the cyanides. With reasonable ventilation I see no problem.

Ethyl alcohol is denatured with various things. Bekol from Behlen is denatured with butyl alcohol and is fine. Many cheaper products have aviation gasoline and sometimes too much. If it has little bubbles of oil floating in it, perhaps you don't want it.

[~ Ben Conover]

Acetone is used in the production of everything from cocaine to nail polish.

By co-incidence I'm having a vodka, and strippers aside, I found this interesting.

http://www.google.ie/url?sa=t&ct=res&a...stxOe2UsvsgCjqw

[jonathan vacanti]

I have always bought hardware store denatured alcohol for retouch. I just read it has methanol in it, which I guess is the toxic stuff. Should I use Behkol because they use Butanol instead of methanol to denature it? I've never worried about alcohol all these years. I only wore my mask with turpentine, acetone and xylene. I hope I didn't do too much damage.

[Johnmasters]

I have always bought hardware store denatured alcohol for retouch. I just read it has methanol in it, which I guess is the toxic stuff. Should I use Behkol because they use Butanol instead of methanol to denature it? I've never worried about alcohol all these years. I only wore my mask with turpentine, acetone and xylene. I hope I didn't do too much damage.

I dislike only so much hyrdrocarbon that it makes oily droplets. This stuff burns yellow in an alcohol lamp and perhaps makes a bit of soot. Try it.. if it works for your purpose, it is OK. Beckol is not that much more expensive if you are worried about making spirit varnishes with an inferior product.

[jonathan vacanti]

I meant that I was worried about the health effects of methanol.