Synthetic paint thinners PT8 vs. white spirit

[Mike PooleParticipant @mikepoole82104]

My father always maintained that a brush painted job could be superior to a sprayed finish. Spraying was probably developed to produce an acceptable finish very quickly. The time saved by spraying large areas and the possibility of using quick drying paint was likely irresistible to the car industry and other similar activities. Although spraying can dumb down the skill of finish application it would be a mistake to dismiss it as an unskilled process. Production painting where the materials and process are rigidly defined and the operator becomes part of the process does simplify the human role but a skilled sprayer will understand the available materials and all the variables of the application process. When I was at school a lad refurbished a Norton petrol tank and brush painted it, the finished job was absolutely superb and totally eclipsed any factory finished job.

Mike

[Mick BaileyParticipant @mickbailey28509]

I've been using Lidl (Powerfix) thinner over the past few years. It used to be labelled "Universal Cellulose Thinner" but lately the labelling has changed to "Universal Thinner", though it smells and behaves the same.

It mixes with the synthetics I've used just fine. I've tried white spirit but found the finish takes much longer to cure and doesn't go as hard as with either the manufacturer's recommended thinner or with the Lidl stuff. It's also good for spraying, as it evaporates much quicker and allows a more rapid build up of coats.

[Oven ManParticipant @ovenman]

+1 for the Lidl thinners, it is so relatively cheap that it can be used in quantity to make sure equipment is really clean.

Back in the 1960s I was involved in installing Hi-Fi equipment on a Royal Train being built in Sheffield for the King of Thialand. As you can imagine everything had to be the best. All the carriages were hand painted. They looked nice when they put the first coat of paint on but two days later they were rubbing it all down and putting another coat on. In the end I think it had four coats and the end result was fantastic. Creating a blemish free surface over such a large are says a lot for the abilities of the guys who created it. Some things stick in your mind for ever and the paint finish on those carriages is on of them.

Peter

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