Alcohol/water

[Sulfurb]

Im confused about what type of alcohol is to be use to dampen compounds.It seems that the alcohol is to be mixed with some precentage of water but most of the alcohol for sale is not pure to begin with, How would this change the ratio of water added?Any help would be appreciated!

 

[nater]

Most use denatured alcohol from the hardware store. It isn't pure, but since the ratio to alcohol / water for dampening comp is not critical, I have not worried about it. IF I use alcohol / water, I use about 5% added to water. Although I generally dampen comps with a dextrin / water solution rather or plain water if the binder is already mixed in.

 

If I am using red gum as the binder, I use alcohol right out of the can.

[Carbon796]

Denatured alcohol ( from a hardware store ) you can bind most water bound ( dextrin ) comps without it. A small percentage of alcohol helps to lower the surface tension, and speed the drying process somewhat. Do not use any alcohol when using SGRS as a binder. It reduces the binding properties of SGRS. If your binding with red gum, phenolic resin, shellac, rosin ect. Just use the alcohol straight from the can.

[Sulfurb]

What are SGRS....Sugars? Thanks for the help guys!!

[ddewees]

Soluble glutinous rice starch

[marks265]

A note for starches is that they work well with water and poorly with alcohol.

[psyco_1322]

You can also use some isopropyl. Walmart usually sells the good 91% stuff.

[Arthur]

For starchy binders the alcohol acts as a surfactant to promote wetting evenly and it also promotes easy evaporation of the surplus water.

 

With Red Gum the alcohol activates the binder water hinders binding

 

Using Parlon as the binder only Acetone works.

[nater]

Other binders work well with parlon besides acetone. In fact some work even better and give truly waterproof stars. See Troy Fish's article in Pyrotechnica about red and green parlon stars. He discusses different solvents and their benefits in depth.