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White Spirit Uses, Substitutes, Ratios: Mineral Spirit, Technical Alcohol, Evaporation & Drying

Doominus 20382 19
Best answers

Can white spirit (mineral spirit) be replaced with technical alcohol in a resin/hardener mixture, and which solvent will evaporate fastest?

No — white spirit is not alcohol; it is a petroleum-based hydrocarbon solvent, often described as mineral spirit / odorless white spirit, and it is closer to purified kerosene or mineral turpentine than to any alcohol [#17113742][#17138459] In this kind of process the solvent is only a filler for evaporation, so in principle different solvents can be tried, but the main difference will be evaporation rate and compatibility with the mixture [#17138254] Alcohols are a poor choice here because they may not mix properly and can participate in reactions, which can change the final properties of the resin [#17138863][#17499561] If you want faster evaporation, lighter hydrocarbons such as hexane or gasoline were suggested, but they will change the pore structure and give larger pores [#17138863] The thread also notes that white spirit spans hydrocarbon fractions roughly from C9-C16, while mineral turpentine is around C7-C12, and extraction gasoline is even lighter at C5-C7 [#17138072]
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  • #1 17111232
    Doominus
    Level 34  
    Hello.

    On the English website I found a description of the process using white spirit.

    This is translated into mineral spirit> can it be replaced with any technical alcohol?

    Is the other name of this product white spirit?

    The technological thing is that we add quite a lot of this solvent to the mixture with the hardener. Practically 1/2 of the solvent and 1/2 of the mixture.
    Sometimes the ratios are higher than 3: 1, 4: 1, and 5: 1

    After 24 hours it cools down to something with the consistency of a thin jelly.
    The next step is to evaporate the solvent so that we have a micro sponge with something like an airgel. With invisible micro solvent bubbles.

    What thinner to use so that it evaporates as quickly as possible.
    Guests also recommend using a mushroom dryer in the process.
    All drying takes from 1-4 weeks. Maybe even longer if the object made is larger and the solvent evaporates longer.
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  • #2 17111880
    Inkwizycja
    Level 30  
    Not mineral, white spirit, in the sense of being pure.
  • #3 17112035
    Doominus
    Level 34  
    It is so and so translated.
    But is it the same as alcohol?
    According to the wiki, it is made of petroleum.

    It is supposed to be cheap, but it is 2 times more expensive than ordinary solvents.

    In total, I do not know 1l of spirit costs PLN 2 in production and this is sold for PLN 10 per liter. Twice as expensive as common solvents.
  • #4 17112049
    Inkwizycja
    Level 30  
    Give a link to what you want to do.
  • #5 17113742
    saskia
    Level 39  
    Doominus wrote:
    It is so and so translated.
    But is it the same as alcohol?
    According to the wiki, it is made of petroleum.

    It is supposed to be cheap, but it is 2 times more expensive than ordinary solvents.

    In total, I do not know 1l of spirit costs PLN 2 in production and this is sold for PLN 10 per liter. Twice as expensive as common solvents.

    White Spirit is the most common solvent for oil paints and has nothing to do with spirit as alcohol. It is a kind of purified and properly prepared kerosene rather than alcohol.
    The word spirit (spirit, soul, vapor) is used here in the sense of volatility and evaporation, and not in the sense of alcohol as a spirit.
    The size of the particles is within the limits of C9-C12
  • #6 17134858
    Doominus
    Level 34  
    White spirit, that is?
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  • #7 17137954
    saskia
    Level 39  
    Doominus wrote:
    White spirit, that is?

    Probably not.
    This is closer to the ordinary solvent of phthalic paints.
    I am always annoyed by the fact that manufacturers do not provide chemical formulas of their products, but invent different names that often do not even have anything to do with the product itself, and besides, despite the health and safety warnings on the labels, this increases the risk of making a mistake in using a given product, which may be unexpected way to cause some dangerous chemical reaction.
  • #8 17138072
    telecaster1951
    VIP Meritorious for electroda.pl  
    Inkwizycja wrote:
    Not mineral, white spirit, in the sense of being pure.
    Nonsense! Don't mislead people!
    Doominus wrote:
    So white spirit?
    This is something between extractive gasoline and white spirit.
    The extraction gasoline consists of C5 - C7 hydrocarbons, white spirit C9 - C16 and mineral turpentine C7 - C12.
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  • #9 17138137
    Doominus
    Level 34  
    What to buy?
  • #10 17138254
    saskia
    Level 39  
    telecaster1951 wrote:
    Inkwizycja wrote:
    Not mineral, white spirit, in the sense of being pure.
    Nonsense! Don't mislead people!
    Doominus wrote:
    White spirit, that is?
    This is something between extractive gasoline and white spirit.
    The extraction gasoline consists of C5 - C7 hydrocarbons, white spirit C9 - C16 and mineral turpentine C7 - C12.


    This is where the problem is that they are usually mixtures with different proportions of individual hydrocarbons and without the manufacturer's chemical markings, you will not get exactly what it is, or how much of which ingredient and in which fractions.

    Added after 9 [minutes]:

    Doominus wrote:
    What to buy?


    As it results from the description in the first post, any of the solvents should pass the test, and the difference will be only in the rate of evaporation, because the solvent itself does not take part in the reactions and is only a filler for evaporation.
  • #11 17138293
    Anonymous
    Anonymous  
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  • #12 17138356
    Doominus
    Level 34  
    I found a video of what I mean




    And it would be best for it to steam as quickly as possible, because waiting a month to see if it works out is a terrible waste of time.
  • #13 17138459
    Anonymous
    Anonymous  
  • #14 17138496
    mychaj
    Level 35  
    And the regular IPA?
    The smell is bearable, evaporates quickly, leaves no traces?
  • #15 17138655
    saskia
    Level 39  
    protasiewicz wrote:
    Here you are. Odorless white (mineral) spirit:
    26.5PLN / liter You will find cheaper in wholesale.

    In Polish, odorless white spirit, odorless mineral spirit, etc.


    In this shop, someone has got something mixed up, because the word alcohol in Polish means alcohol. It can be practically any alcohol from methanol onwards.
    There is also one of the groups of solvents, unfortunately it does not mix with oils used in oil paints.
    The only possibility that what they wrote in the store was correct is that what they offer is undyed denatured alcohol, i.e. methanol, which I often use myself.
    Nevertheless, the name white spirit does not in any way refer to alcohols, and all this mixture of translations in the description comes only from the ignorance of the person describing the product.
  • #16 17138722
    Anonymous
    Anonymous  
  • #17 17138863
    telecaster1951
    VIP Meritorious for electroda.pl  
    saskia wrote:
    is an alcohol.
    Oh mother ...
    saskia wrote:
    , it is an uncolored denatured alcohol, i.e. methanol, which I use myself more than once.
    Oh mother ...
    saskia wrote:
    It can be practically any alcohol from methanol onwards.
    Oh mother ...

    English traces have happened and will happen. We will not avoid it.
    Spirit is ethanol. Wood spirit is methanol. White spirit is the solvent we are talking about.
    Denatured alcohol is ethanol denatured with denatonium benzoate (the most bitter chemical) and butanone. Methanol has been gone for several decades.

    Doominus wrote:
    The next step is to evaporate the solvent so that we have a micro sponge with something like an airgel. With invisible micro solvent bubbles.

    What thinner to use so that it evaporates as quickly as possible.
    The faster the evaporation, the larger the pores.
    In addition, you must have a solvent that will mix with your mixture. I don't think alcohols are suitable because of the electrophilic center in the molecule, so they can react in the environment. Besides, I don't know if they will mix.
    You can try hexane or gasoline, but the bank will get much larger pores than you would with the current solvent.
  • #18 17139315
    Doominus
    Level 34  
    As for me, the smaller the pores, the better for the casting.
  • #19 17499434
    H3nry
    Level 32  
    Here you have cheaper -19 PLN a liter, a top-quality product that has been used for years:
    Fiddes White Spirit .
    I also recommend it for pcb as a cleaner, you can quickly put aside the lower-quality IPA that is available on our market :)
  • #20 17499561
    viayner
    Level 43  
    Hello,
    gentlemen, the discussion looks strange, a few problems to consider:
    - white spirit is a mixture of saturated hydrocarbons, which is closer to gasoline
    - since it is a solvent in the process like soot cross-linking of the resin, the solvent cannot be active, so the alcohols fall off as they can participate in the reaction and thus affect the properties of the final product. This has to be checked on the basis of the reaction in the system.
    - modification of the process itself, I would be careful here, changing the conditions will change the properties of the product.
    greetings
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Topic summary

✨ The discussion centers around the use of white spirit, also known as mineral spirit, in various applications, particularly in mixtures with hardeners. Users clarify that white spirit is a petroleum-derived solvent, distinct from alcohols, and is primarily used for oil paints and cleaning. The conversation highlights the importance of understanding the chemical composition of solvents, as many products are mixtures with varying hydrocarbon ratios. Recommendations include using odorless white spirit for quicker evaporation and avoiding alcohols due to their potential reactivity in mixtures. The drying process can take from 1 to 4 weeks, depending on the size of the object and the solvent used. Participants also mention alternative solvents like hexane or gasoline for faster evaporation rates.
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FAQ

TL;DR: White spirit is a C9–C12 petroleum solvent; "has nothing to do with alcohol." Use it, not alcohol, when thinning and planning evaporation in resin or oil workflows. This FAQ helps makers choose solvents, ratios, and drying plans. [Elektroda, saskia, post #17113742]

Why it matters: Picking the right solvent and evaporation rate controls pore size, finish, safety, and curing reliability.

Quick Facts

Is white spirit the same as alcohol or "technical alcohol"?

No. White spirit is a petroleum solvent for oil paints, not an alcohol. "Spirit" here means volatility, not ethanol. As one expert notes, it "has nothing to do with spirit as alcohol." Use white spirit when a non-alcoholic solvent is specified. [Elektroda, saskia, post #17113742]

Is "mineral spirit" just another name for white spirit?

Yes, many labels use these names interchangeably, including “odorless white (mineral) spirit.” Always check the product sheet, but in common retail use, mineral spirit and white spirit refer to the same petroleum-based solvent class. [Elektroda, Anonymous, post #17138459]

How does white spirit differ from extraction gasoline and mineral turpentine?

They differ by hydrocarbon ranges. Extraction gasoline is C5–C7, white spirit is C9–C16, and mineral turpentine is C7–C12. These differences affect evaporation rate and solvency. Choose based on compatibility and the pore size you want. [Elektroda, telecaster1951, post #17138072]

Can I use IPA or other alcohol instead of white spirit in resin mixes?

Avoid alcohols. In cross-linking resin systems, the solvent must be inactive. Alcohols can participate in reactions and change final properties. Edge case: even if it seems to mix, cured properties may drift. Verify inertness before any substitution. [Elektroda, viayner, post #17499561]

Which solvent evaporates fastest for this foaming method?

Lighter hydrocarbons like hexane or gasoline evaporate faster than white spirit. However, faster evaporation gives larger pores and coarser structure. Quote: "The faster the evaporation, the larger the pores." Balance speed with the pore size you need. [Elektroda, telecaster1951, post #17138863]

What mix ratio of solvent to resin/hardener creates the "micro-sponge" effect?

The thread describes using a lot of solvent. Examples include roughly 1:1 solvent-to-mixture, and even 3:1, 4:1, or 5:1. Higher solvent content increases porosity but also extends evaporation time. Always test small batches first. [Elektroda, Doominus, post #17111232]

When does the mixture gel, and when should evaporation start?

Expect a thin jelly-like gel after about 24 hours. Begin controlled evaporation after this gel point. Plan for long drying, and monitor temperature to avoid defects or collapse. [Elektroda, Doominus, post #17111232]

How long does drying take, and can I speed it up safely?

Full evaporation typically takes 1–4 weeks. Larger pieces can take longer due to trapped solvent. Users recommend a low-heat mushroom dryer to maintain airflow and temperature without overheating the part. [Elektroda, Doominus, post #17111232]

Does the solvent take part in the reaction, or is it just a filler?

In this method, the solvent does not react; it acts as a removable filler. Differences among suitable solvents are mainly evaporation rate and compatibility. Choose an inert solvent that evaporates cleanly. [Elektroda, saskia, post #17138254]

Will faster evaporation reduce pore size?

No. Faster evaporation increases pore size and coarsens the structure. Slower evaporation yields finer pores and smoother skins. Expert note: "The faster the evaporation, the larger the pores." Use time and temperature to tune results. [Elektroda, telecaster1951, post #17138863]

Is odorless white spirit different in use or value?

Functionally similar, but made for reduced odor. It is often sold as "odorless white (mineral) spirit." Expect higher pricing, for example around 26.5 PLN per liter in Poland. [Elektroda, Anonymous, post #17138459]

Can white spirit clean PCBs, or should I stick with IPA?

Some users report good PCB cleaning using branded white spirit, replacing lower-quality IPA. Evaluate residues and component compatibility on a small section first. Fiddes White Spirit was cited positively. [Elektroda, H3nry, post #17499434]

What is white spirit typically used for outside casting?

Common uses include thinning low-grade oil paints, cleaning brushes and mechanical parts, and removing adhesives. It is described as smelly and slow-evaporating. Some also use it as a barbecue lighter fluid. Ventilation is essential. [Elektroda, Anonymous, post #17138293]

How do I carry out the white-spirit foamed casting process?

  1. Mix resin and hardener, then add solvent at about 1:1 to up to 5:1.
  2. Allow to stand ~24 hours until a thin jelly forms.
  3. Evaporate solvent slowly; use low heat/airflow. Expect 1–4 weeks total drying. [Elektroda, Doominus, post #17111232]

What should I buy first to experiment safely?

Start with standard or odorless white spirit from reputable suppliers. Avoid alcohols, as they can be reactive in cross-linking systems. Validate compatibility and cure before scaling. Record conditions to keep properties consistent. [Elektroda, viayner, post #17499561]
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