Does anything dissolve paint thinner
 

Naptha was used by the dry cleaning industry until the '60s, when it was discovered to be carcinogenic. Then perchlorethylene (sp?) or "perc" started to be used. Although perc was also carcinogenic, the theory was that the machines using it were designed to recover 100% of it, so the employees wouldn't be exposed to it. But the machines only did that when they were maintained properly; perc tended to degrade the rubber seals quickly; and the dry cleaning shop owners didn't want to spend the money to maintain their machines that well, and they leaked into the work area. So perc turned out to be carcinogenic "as applied" (you constitutional law guys will know what that means. Reading, Jay?)

Does anything dissolve paint thinner
 

On Wednesday, September 4, 2019 at 6:07:44 AM UTC-7, wrote:
Naptha was used by the dry cleaning industry until the '60s, when it was discovered to be carcinogenic. Then perchlorethylene (sp?) or "perc" started to be used. Although perc was also carcinogenic, the theory was that the machines using it were designed to recover 100% of it, so the employees wouldn't be exposed to it. But the machines only did that when they were maintained properly; perc tended to degrade the rubber seals quickly; and the dry cleaning shop owners didn't want to spend the money to maintain their machines that well, and they leaked into the work area. So perc turned out to be carcinogenic "as applied" (you constitutional law guys will know what that means. Reading, Jay?)

I don't see much in the way of PCE and TCE cancer claims, but I see a lot of pollution claims. PCE and TCE make lovely groundwater and soil plumes. PCE leaked out of dry cleaning machines and was also thrown down drains and sewers and sometimes out the back door. It crept through cement slabs, out of sewer and septic systems. It's persistent and expensive to remediate. Don't buy an old dry cleaner unless you want your own mini-Super Fund site.

-- Jay Beattie.

Does anything dissolve paint thinner
 

Does anything dissolve paint thinner
 

On Monday, September 2, 2019 at 2:51:20 PM UTC-4, AK wrote:
I use paint thinner and an old tooth brush to clean my bike chain.

Is there anything I can spray on the chain to dissolve the thinner or do I have to manually rub it off with a rag?

I am open to recommendations to anyone who actually uses one of those chain cleaners.

Thanks,
Andy

I use brake cleaner for all my degreasing needs. The spray can varieties have a pretty powerful stream which blasts into mechanical interfaces quite well, removing not only grease but also any particulates which are being held there by the sludge. It evaporates right away leaving surface devoid of any oils and water. Use in a well-ventilated area.

Does anything dissolve paint thinner
 

On 9/10/2019 10:40 AM, wrote:
On Monday, September 2, 2019 at 2:51:20 PM UTC-4, AK wrote:
I use paint thinner and an old tooth brush to clean my bike chain.

Is there anything I can spray on the chain to dissolve the thinner or do I have to manually rub it off with a rag?

I am open to recommendations to anyone who actually uses one of those chain cleaners.

Thanks,
Andy

I use brake cleaner for all my degreasing needs. The spray can varieties have a pretty powerful stream which blasts into mechanical interfaces quite well, removing not only grease but also any particulates which are being held there by the sludge. It evaporates right away leaving surface devoid of any oils and water. Use in a well-ventilated area.



And it can be entertaining as well:

http://www.yellowjersey.org/photosfromthepast/fire5.jpg

--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org/
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

Does anything dissolve paint thinner
 

"I use brake cleaner for all my degreasing needs."

I don't wish to be disrespectful, but this makes no sense to me. Brake cleaner lifts bicycle paint, and there is virtually no way to keep it from getting it on your frame if you squirt it on the cranks and chain.

Regular mineral spirits (paint thinner) works just as well as brake cleaner but won't lift the paint. If you really want to spray it, put it in a spray bottle.

Does anything dissolve paint thinner
 

On 9/10/2019 12:00 PM, wrote:
"I use brake cleaner for all my degreasing needs."

I don't wish to be disrespectful, but this makes no sense to me. Brake cleaner lifts bicycle paint, and there is virtually no way to keep it from getting it on your frame if you squirt it on the cranks and chain.

Regular mineral spirits (paint thinner) works just as well as brake cleaner but won't lift the paint. If you really want to spray it, put it in a spray bottle.


As always YMMV but for modern ( mid-1970s and later)
finishes, auto brake cleaner is not a problem.

Oil based finishes and nitrocellulose lacquers are another
thing and, yes as you note, may or may not be stable with
volatile solvents.

--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org/
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

Does anything dissolve paint thinner
 

On Tuesday, September 10, 2019 at 1:00:04 PM UTC-4, wrote:
"I use brake cleaner for all my degreasing needs."

I don't wish to be disrespectful, but this makes no sense to me.
Brake cleaner lifts bicycle paint, and there is virtually no way to
keep it from getting it on your frame if you squirt it on the cranks
and chain.
Regular mineral spirits (paint thinner) works just as well as
brake cleaner but won't lift the paint.
If you really want to
spray it, put it in a spray bottle.

Patient: Doctor, it hurts when I do this
Doctor: then don't do that

I'm not sure why I (or anyone) would spray it on a crank, but I remove the chain for this level of cleaning. The spray never gets on the frame.

Paint thinner actually doesn't work better. Paint thinner leaves a bit of a residue, and doesn't penetrate as well to dry out embedded particles. If you're trying to get crud out of really tight spaces - like the teeth inside a freehub body, for example - it's extremely difficult to get all the crud out of the little corners. The blast from the spray does very well, and evaporates leaving no residue whatsoever.

The concentrated force of the spray from a can is significantly greater than what you can get from a bottle, and can be sustained for tougher jobs.

You should try it sometime.

Does anything dissolve paint thinner
 

On Wednesday, September 4, 2019 at 10:24:01 AM UTC-4, Radey Shouman wrote:
writes:

Naptha was used by the dry cleaning industry until the '60s, when it
was discovered to be carcinogenic. Then perchlorethylene (sp?) or
"perc" started to be used. Although perc was also carcinogenic, the
theory was that the machines using it were designed to recover 100% of
it, so the employees wouldn't be exposed to it. But the machines only
did that when they were maintained properly; perc tended to degrade
the rubber seals quickly; and the dry cleaning shop owners didn't want
to spend the money to maintain their machines that well, and they
leaked into the work area. So perc turned out to be carcinogenic "as
applied" (you constitutional law guys will know what that
means. Reading, Jay?)

Naphtha is a petroleum fraction roughly the weight of gasoline, but too
low octane to be useful as a motor fuel. Its composition is variable,
but it can be expected to contain benzene and other aromatics, which are
carcinogenic. It's also as flammable as gasoline, so take care.

I once heard that pouring mothballs (Napthalene) into your gas tank gives a big horsepower boost until it burns out the exhaust valves, But I have no first-hand experience and could be wrong.

Does anything dissolve paint thinner
 

I recall from this forum 10-15 ago that it wasn’t hard to demonstrate that the important dirt about chains is inside not on the chains; and the bad news is that it was difficult or futile to rinse or flush all the wear-causing abrasive grit from plain-bearing surfaces.

Harry Travis
Portland OREGON USA