Thinning Deoxit D100

[glebert]

Having gotten frustrated by Deoxit D5 spray cans running out of charge before I have used half the can, I ordered some D100 and it has the brush tip. I would like to be able to thin it a bit, maybe 50/50, and put into a needle dispenser bottle. I'm thinking some kind of alchohol, but have no idea, so I ask here. Thoughts?

Thanks,
Greg

[Leo_Gnardo]

I would like to be able to thin it a bit, maybe 50/50, and put into a needle dispenser bottle. I'm thinking some kind of alchohol, but have no idea, so I ask here. Thoughts?

Back in the days when Cramolin - DeOxit's predecessor - was starting to be the hip thing to use among the audiophile (phool?) crowd one enthusiast suggested adding a bit of Cram Red to a jar of alcohol and soaking switches & pots in it prior to installation in order to ensure long term flawless performance. What kind of alcohol? We had a go-round here a couple weeks ago, denatured vs methyl vs ethyl vs isopropyl etc etc. My choice would be ethyl which can be obtained in many states in 95% concentration, sold under brands Everclear, Devils' Spring, Polmos, Bak's Spirytus, and others I'm sure. The last two hail from Poland. DeOxit as far as I can tell is either identical or near identical to Cramolin Red. You can mix up any concentration you like. I"m sure others will sound off soon.

FWIW the spray can version of 5% red Cramolin was both dissolved in and propelled by Freon. If you still have any of that stuff lurking around, might want to try it.

[glebert]

What kind of alcohol?

I have access to 91% isopropyl, Everclear, or denatured.

FWIW the spray can version of 5% red Cramolin was both dissolved in and propelled by Freon. If you still have any of that stuff lurking around, might want to try it.

No Cramolin here, but I wonder if the freon worked better as a propellant than whatever they have now. Wonder if I got some old stock that had leaked out some of the propellant.

[Helmholtz]

I would use naphta (lighter fluid) or white/mineral spirit, but be aware of high combustibility.

[Enzo]

Why don't you call Caig, and ask them?

[Leo_Gnardo]

No Cramolin here, but I wonder if the freon worked better as a propellant than whatever they have now. Wonder if I got some old stock that had leaked out some of the propellant.

Somewhere around 1990 Caig swapped DeOxit for Cramolin, and simultaneously ditched the freon and subbed naptha solvent and I'm not sure what for propellant. Is DeOxit the same thing as Cramolin? Only Caig knows, and they might tell you. Or they might not. Axe away & please pass along what you learn.

FWIW I gave a spray can of 5% DeOxit to a friend some 25 years ago. He recently complained his ran out of propellant too. I guess you might have to expect that to happen if you keep a can around over 2 decades or so. I dropped off a fresh can for him in return for a terrific second Thanksgiving dinner a couple months ago.

I'd start with a small batch of whichever alcohol you can acquire cheap & see how that works. Worse comes to worst, you can make mixed drinks with Everclear or its competitors. Think of it as dehydrated vodka*. And also remember those concentrated ethanols are highly flammable. They also work fine as general shop solvent, if you have to erase Sharpie marks, some paint sticks, de-gum sticker stickum and like that.

* Of course don't drink denatured or isopropyl. But you knew that, right?

[Enzo]

Caig may not tell you what the actual goo is, but I bet they would tell what will dilute it.

Cramolin ended when the feds outlawed the CFCs. And that also included Freon. They needed a new formulation and a new propellant. We used to use a cleaner called Blue Shower. It was great, it was a contact cleaner and degreaser. We also used pure Freon, also in a spray can. It was less solvent, but still a useful cleaner. Both fill of CFCs. All of those had to cease.

[drewl]

I've gotten real good at lightly pressing the can so the propellent doesn't run out or flood what I'm cleaning.

Also, when the can runs out of propellent, you can still turn it upside down to get the liquid out.

[g1]

Looks to me like they use mineral spirits to dilute the 5% as opposed to the 100%.
(aka naptha as Helmholtz mentioned)

"Formulation: 5% DeoxIT® (active ingredient), 75% odorless mineral spirits (carrier solvent), 20% propellant
Formulation contains petroleum naphtha (odorless mineral spirits) solvent, and is briefly flammable (until solvent evaporates within 2-3 minutes)."

http://store.caig.com/s.nl/it.I/id.66/.f

[Enzo]

Mineral spirits are also useful if you work with rubber. It cleans and rejuvenates rubber. Like pinch rollers. I first used it on the rubber rings in pinball machines. Idler tires in tape/cassette decks or ADATs.

[glebert]

Well, I have all of these, maybe I will do a little experiment. Doh, out of Everclear

[Leo_Gnardo]

Well, I have all of these, maybe I will do a little experiment. Doh, out of Everclear

I can't think of a better excuse to stock up.

[Bloomfield]

Most companies post the material safety data sheets (MSDS) on their websites. They generally have a list of ingredients for the product; certain things may be listed as 'trade secret' but common solvents and propellants etc will be shown. It's a good way to determine compatibility of paints and other products when the description on the cans or on the website is not very informative.

[Helmholtz]

I think Naphta (or mineral spirits) is preferable over any alcohol because it's water repellent, is better at dissolving greasy and waxy deposits and doesn't attack nitro lacquer. (Dan Erlewine uses Naphta on guitars all the time).

But I admit I had read the MSDS in the past.