My wife has just commented on a stong smell of thinners in my workshop. 
When I investigated I found that my 5litre can of cellulose thinners has 
developed a pin hole leak in the side of the can.  On further examination 
there are several pock marks that look like they could be developing into 
holes. How could this be ?, do thinners contain some residual water ?  Any 
ideas how to repair it as I've no other suitable container ?

Chris

"Chris & Patsy"  wrote in message
news:43272cb9$0$17483$ed2e19e4@ptn-nntp-reader04.plus.net...

> My wife has just commented on a stong smell of thinners in my
workshop.
> When I investigated I found that my 5litre can of cellulose
thinners has
> developed a pin hole leak in the side of the can.  On further
examination
> there are several pock marks that look like they could be

developing into

> holes. How could this be ?, do thinners contain some residual water
?  Any
> ideas how to repair it as I've no other suitable container ?
>


Low quality thinners does contain water, sometimes more than one
would think, this is why you shouldn't use 'Gun Wash thinners' as
paint thinners when spraying.

As for a replacement container, many trade paint factors can supply
empty 5 or 25 litre metal drums.

> Any ideas how to repair it as I've no other suitable container ?


You're not going to be able to repair the container. Buy a new one.

Christian.

Chris & Patsy wrote:

> my 5litre can of cellulose thinners has 
> developed a pin hole leak in the side of the can. [ ... ] Any 
> ideas how to repair it as I've no other suitable container ?


If it's a metal tin, it should be possible to put a dob of
solder on the hole with a nice big soldering iron. However....

On Tue, 13 Sep 2005 20:47:04 +0100, Chris & Patsy  
 wrote:


> My wife has just commented on a stong smell of thinners in my workshop.
> When I investigated I found that my 5litre can of cellulose thinners has
> developed a pin hole leak in the side of the can.  On further examination
> there are several pock marks that look like they could be developing into
> holes. How could this be ?, do thinners contain some residual water ?   
> Any
> ideas how to repair it as I've no other suitable container ?


MEK, the normal thinners is hygroscopic (takes in atmospheric moisture)  
and this is probably why the can has rusted. Only in a very full and well  
sealed can will corrosion not eventually occur. Repair is not an option,  
you will almost certainly find thatthe area around the pinhole is also  
corroded.

John Schmitt

-- 
Using Opera's revolutionary e-mail client: http://www.opera.com/mail/

Chris & Patsy wrote:

> My wife has just commented on a stong smell of thinners in my workshop.
> When I investigated I found that my 5litre can of cellulose thinners has
> developed a pin hole leak in the side of the can.  On further examination
> there are several pock marks that look like they could be developing into
> holes. How could this be ?, do thinners contain some residual water ?  Any
> ideas how to repair it as I've no other suitable container ?
>
> Chris


Send her out shopping for large glass bottles with consumable contents
and sealable lids :-) Or you _may_ find that it won't dissolve the
polythene(?) used for milk "bottles", but test it first!

Chris

On Wed, 14 Sep 2005 13:16:32 +0100,  wrote:


> Send her out shopping for large glass bottles with consumable contents
> and sealable lids :-) Or you _may_ find that it won't dissolve the
> polythene(?) used for milk "bottles", but test it first!


If it is MEK, it will migrate through polythene and to a lesser extent  
polypropylene PVC is out. It would appear that there is a good reason MEK  
is not packaged in plastic.

John Schmitt

-- 
Using Opera's revolutionary e-mail client: http://www.opera.com/mail/

John Schmitt wrote:


> MEK, the normal thinners is hygroscopic (takes in atmospheric moisture)  
> and this is probably why the can has rusted.


I have used and smelled MEK, but I have never seen/smelled it used for 
cellulose paints (ex B.A.e. Systems, Warton, Lancs.)
I know they are both ketones, but when was MEK used with the paint?

Dave

thanks all for replys, Patsy likes the idea of emptying some wine bottles 
but I think I'll go and buy a new tin !

Chris

"John Schmitt"  wrote in message 
news:op.sw3f29bu5ogug8@ps-00045861.uni.mdx.ac.uk...

> On Wed, 14 Sep 2005 13:16:32 +0100,  wrote:
>
>> Send her out shopping for large glass bottles with consumable contents
>> and sealable lids :-) Or you _may_ find that it won't dissolve the
>> polythene(?) used for milk "bottles", but test it first!
>
> If it is MEK, it will migrate through polythene and to a lesser extent 
> polypropylene PVC is out. It would appear that there is a good reason MEK 
> is not packaged in plastic.
>
> John Schmitt
>
> -- 
> Using Opera's revolutionary e-mail client: http://www.opera.com/mail/ 

On Wed, 14 Sep 2005 18:57:02 +0100, Dave  wrote:


>> MEK, the normal thinners is hygroscopic (takes in atmospheric  
>> moisture)  and this is probably why the can has rusted.

> I have used and smelled MEK, but I have never seen/smelled it used for  
> cellulose paints (ex B.A.e. Systems, Warton, Lancs.)
> I know they are both ketones, but when was MEK used with the paint?


Maybe my sense of smell let me down, but every time I pass our local spray  
shop, it is definitely not toluene nor acetone that is the odour. Perhaps  
MIBK.

John Schmitt

-- 
Using Opera's revolutionary e-mail client: http://www.opera.com/mail/

John Schmitt wrote:

> On Wed, 14 Sep 2005 18:57:02 +0100, Dave  wrote:
> 
>>> MEK, the normal thinners is hygroscopic (takes in atmospheric  
>>> moisture)  and this is probably why the can has rusted.
> 
> 
>> I have used and smelled MEK, but I have never seen/smelled it used 
>> for  cellulose paints (ex B.A.e. Systems, Warton, Lancs.)
>> I know they are both ketones, but when was MEK used with the paint?
> 
> 
> Maybe my sense of smell let me down, but every time I pass our local 
> spray  shop, it is definitely not toluene nor acetone that is the odour. 
> Perhaps  MIBK.


Ah, yes! I forgot about them  :-)

Dave

Chris & Patsy wrote:

> thanks all for replys, Patsy likes the idea of emptying some wine bottles
> but I think I'll go and buy a new tin !
>
> Chris


Aw, spoilsport. It's _so_ much fun explaining when arrested for
behaving suspiciously in the supermarket why you were searching the
shelves for a bottle of a specific volume and don't care what's in it.
Especially after you've let slip that it's to contain an inflammable
liquid. ISTR our school lab assistant being sent out for a perfectly
cylindrical jamjar for an experiment where it had to roll straight...

Chris


> "John Schmitt"  wrote in message
> news:op.sw3f29bu5ogug8@ps-00045861.uni.mdx.ac.uk...
> > On Wed, 14 Sep 2005 13:16:32 +0100,  wrote:
> >
> >> Send her out shopping for large glass bottles with consumable contents
> >> and sealable lids :-) Or you _may_ find that it won't dissolve the
> >> polythene(?) used for milk "bottles", but test it first!
> >
> > If it is MEK, it will migrate through polythene and to a lesser extent
> > polypropylene PVC is out. It would appear that there is a good reason MEK
> > is not packaged in plastic.
> >
> > John Schmitt
> >
> > --
> > Using Opera's revolutionary e-mail client: http://www.opera.com/mail/