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The only thing I couldn't find was the mineral spirits I asked the guy did they have any and he said low-odor Varasol is the same thing...I haven't tried it yet, but will this work? Or do I need actual mineral spirits? Where can I get them?



If you have access to a Canadian Tire... then you probably have access to a Home Depot or RENO Depot or Home Hardware.. or maybe even a Walmart.

There is a difference between pure mineral spirits and other products that contain 'some mineral spirits' plus other liquids.

So I would not go with the Varasol. Most people tend to use it as a 'degreaser' - not as a paint thinner. That might be the first strike against it. Guys use it to wipe down furniture prior to staining ( to remove wax ) or to clean engines and car parts ( to remove grease ).

The name Var-a-sol may be the next clue.. It is either telling us that it is made from 'VARious SOLvents or that it does the job of 'VARious SOLvents'. But I am pretty sure that the product sold under the name Varasol cost more than plain old pure mineral spirits.

I do understand that one thing Varasol and pure mineral spirits have in common is that they evaporate at roughly the same rate AND they both burst into flames at roughly the same temperature. But you never will hear anyone saying to pour mineral spirits on to a hot engine... they always recommend varosol.

The truth is that if we were simply looking for 'a thinner' to remove paint off our paint brushes... then the guy is probably right - Varasol would do the same job as a mineral spirit. And the Varasol might even be suitable for the job of wiping down the body of the car to remove wax and debris prior to painting. BUT since we are using the mineral spirit simply as a thinning and evaporative carrier to lay down the paint, the mineral spirit is the proven carrier to do the job.

Even at Home Depot you will see turpentine, varasol and a number of other 'thinners' together. You just have to look for the one that simply says ' Mineral Spirits '. You don't want the ones that simply contain a percentage of mineral spirits blended with other thinning agents.

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Last edited by Marq; 07/27/07 02:36 PM.