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Santa View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Topic: Everclear
    Posted: 04 February 2006 at 15:39

Last weekend I attended a workshop in "wet plate" and I am now beginning to gather all of the chemicals and labware together.  I am having trouble with locating the 190 proof grain alcohol.  Anyone now where to find this stuff.  Will anything else work in its place?  I live in the Los Angeles area.   Thanks

TR
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zmanphoto View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 February 2006 at 16:08
I would assume you could get Everclear in the liquor store in Los Angeles? I
know in some states it's illegal to sell it, but I wouldn't think California
would be. Heck, we can even get it in the "Bible Belt"(Oklahoma), the only
state where it is illegal to give tatoos.

Edited by zmanphoto
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 February 2006 at 18:34
As I recall, CA is one of the states where high-content alcohol (over 150
proof IIRC) can't be sold. You can make a jaunt to Nevada for Everclear or
Mexico ("Puro de Caña" 196 proof in many supermarkets), or order it from a
chemical Supply house (expensive!).

Alternatively, you can use denatured alcohol diluted with 5% water. It works,
but who knows what affect the denaturing chemicals will have...

Edited by JGMotamedi
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 February 2006 at 20:39
That denatured stuff ain't good fer you to be a swiggin' or huffin'.

The wood alcohol (methanol) used to denature grain alcohol (ethanol) is toxic. I believe injesting it causes blindness and other effects like narcosis and death. Check a MSDS before experimenting with it. Exposure to the fumes is less toxic than drinking the stuff but still gets into your body and causes headaches and other ill effects. Prolnged exposure to the vapors probably gets one close to the toxicity of ingestion.

I've read of some Civil War Reenactor photographers using it when pure grain alcohol was not available, but I would never do so except with a proper respirator and ventilation.

I use denatured alcohol to clean the vessels used in wetplate because it is cheaper than Everclear and readily available. But, I really limit my exposure to the vapors and only use small amounts of it at the end of the day to rinse vessels after I've mechanically cleaned them as best I can.

Joe
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Kerik View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 February 2006 at 12:07
Correct, you can not buy 190 proof here in CA. But, I don't think you can get it in Nevada either. The last time I tried when passing through, they only had the 150 proof version of Everclear. So, last summer I brought home 2 half-gallons from Montana. You can HAVE it here, you just can't buy it here. Mexico is another option. And I understand it's considerably cheaper there. I don't know how much you can bring across the border at once, so find out before you buy.
Kerik Kouklis
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zmanphoto View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 February 2006 at 12:15
Wow, didn't realize it was illegal in these states. I guess I'm lucky since it is
also the main ingredient of "cowboy KoolAide" here

Mark
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 February 2006 at 12:58
Thanks to everyone who responded to my post.  I know a guy in Phoenix.  Anyone know if you can buy Everclear in Arizona?  TR
TR
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 February 2006 at 13:35
The 96 percent 'Alcohol Etilico' I buy from a pharmaceutical supply house in
Guadalajara Mexico, costs 62 Pesos for four litres, approximately US $5.60
for a gallon. "Puro de Caña" in a supermarket runs about 25 Pesos a litre.
The "Puro de Caña" or the 'Alcohol Etilico' is not labeled (or taxed) as a
beverage, so it may well not be a problem driving over the border with a few
gallons of it.

Note that I have had some quality problems with "Puro de Caña", I think one
brand I used was diluted to the point where it would make the salted
collodion dry opaque. An interesting look, but not what I was looking for...
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 February 2006 at 07:43
Can you have it shipped to California? here is Georgia we can't have it shipped, but can buy it locally (go figure).  

Edited by admin
www.sacredbluephoto.blogspot.com
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 February 2006 at 09:53
Santa,
I live in Switzerland and can't get it here. But I have it sent to me 2 bottles at
a time from my sister in NJ (via-mail). Just don't tell anyone....
James Munoz
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 February 2006 at 14:47
Exactly. I mailed some everclear to a guy in Jersey, and as the box "glugged" as I passed it across to the postmaster, I had to avoid eye contact when he asked if there was anything flamable in it. I also watched him look at a blatently false return address ..... We Black Paws have to stick together!
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 February 2006 at 02:50
Hi, here in sunny Wales there is no over the counter alcohol anywhere near pure enough, so I had to go through chemical supplies, even then there's heavy duty on ethanol, so I use it sparingly, and got some much cheaper methanol for cleaning purposes etc - I was interested to hear what smieglitz posted abt it, it confirmed my suspicion that ethanol should be used for the more crucial bits of the process - however I am also wondering whether this might have been partly the problem I had with varnish. Would the methanol be so different??
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 March 2006 at 11:14

We can't get everclear in california. If i was to order something from a chemical supply online shop (im thinking spectrum) so that i can have something on hand, would this be what i am after? -->

Ethanol, 190 Proof, Reagent, ACS


 

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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 March 2006 at 11:42
Andrew,

Yes, that's the stuff. You can also try www.clarksonlab.com to compare prices. They list is under ethyl alcohol (a synonym).
Kerik Kouklis
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 March 2006 at 12:23

Thanks Kerik, yeah these guys look cheaper.

-A

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