What is turpentine used for??!

I bought a large lot at an auction today, and about a dozen cans of turpentine were included. Is there any use for it, other than as oil-paint brush cleaner?

Isn't that enough???

If not, it serves fairly well as a poison when ingested, a super duper eye irritant if applied directly and in sufficient quantities, and is also fairly flamable, if memory serves.

Quite the versatile chemical, eh?!

It's more highly refined than mineral spirits. As a thinner for oil based primers- allows them to penetrate better.

This is Turtle.

Old time uses was to put it on a snake bite after you cut and bleed it and the turpentine will counter act the snake bite poison. You would put the turpentine on it and cover it with a oak leaf to keep the water from washing it off and put you leg or arm in a cool creek water for atleast a hour and this slows the blood down to let the turpentine catch up with the snake poison. Now days they have new fangle shots for this.

Also it make a real good weed and grass killer a long a fence line. It is the sap of a pine tree and sap will kill any grass it comes near. I would say it is the only natural biodegradiable weed killer there is. Just a little bit a long a fence line will kill everything there.

Now you can use it for paint brush cleaner too as you say.

TURTLE

Isn't turpentine made from pine trees where as mineral spirits are petroleum-based?

Turpentine is a superior solvent for paints and varnishes. It has a higher Hildebrand Solubility Parameter than mineral spirits or paint thinner and usually contains terpenes which contribute an "Aromatic" character (i.e. the organic chemistry term "Aromatic" , e.g. Xylene is an aromatic solvent, most paint thinners are aliphatic.) to the solvent.

Thus, it is more worth more than the cheap aliphatic solvents (mineral spirits etc) and it does a better job as a thinner for most paints and varnishes.

Regards Old Al

Mostly turpentine's historical uses have been replaced by other solvents. Chiefly turpentine is used for oil paints and heavy stains, and you can use it as a mild stripper.

But mainly people clean brushes with it, in my experience.

Someone named "Toller" Proclaimed on Sat, 05 Jun

I guess the seller didn't read this:

-Graham

Ummm...where did he say he bought it on E-Bay???

Someone named "Retiredff" Proclaimed on Sun, 06 Jun 2004 00:00:45 GMT,

heh! I've been in front of this computer for toooooo long! :-)

I think it's still the thinner of choice for artists who do their work with oil paints.

Jeff

Lots of replies about pain, but none as a heavy duty furniture cleaner. Mix with 8 oz boiled linseed oil 5 oz. turpentine, 3 oz. vinegar.

Not to mention mixing it with animal fat to make a primitive chest rub. It is an ingredient in Vicks Vapo Rub. Ed snipped-for-privacy@snet.net

I will have to try that. There was a can of boiled linseed oil in the lot also!

I don't think I will be trying that, but thanks for the suggestion.

You mean spirits of turpentine, not turpentine.

Simply another hydrocarbon distillate blend that happened to be available from ancient technology, before the days of petroleum refining.

No, pints, not gallons. I bought 25 pint containers for $15. They were about $3 each retail. Okay, it wasn't the best buy in the world, but nothing to lose sleep over. There was boiled linseed oil, paste paint stripper, and mineral spirits in addition to the turpintine. I have always hated those gallon containers...

-snip-

I never used it with vinegar as a cleaner-- but have used boiled linseed & turps for a nice soft finish.

Rub with a soft cloth and repeat with a coat of equal parts. Next coat is 2 parts BLO to 1 part turps. The following coats will be 3 parts Boiled linseed oil to 1 part turps. It will build up to a rubbed finish like tung oil. [and you'll be hooked on the smell]

Jim

turpentine will counter act the snake bite poison.

from washing it off and put you leg or arm in a

turpentine catch up with the snake poison. Now days

a pine tree and sap will kill any grass it

Just a little bit a long a fence line will kill

This is Turtle.

But he will never run out.

TURTLE