# Alternative to lacquer thinner



## SprayFinish (Aug 16, 2015)

So I have been using lacquer thinner to clean my gun for years now. The coating I use is a high solids acrylic urethane. For a while I was able to get lacquer thinner for around $8.00/gallon now I am paying $17.00/gallon, which is why I am interested in searching for alternatives. I don't want to just go out and buy a bunch of different products if they don't work. So does anyone have any experience with a good cheap product to clean a spray gun with?


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## carzie (May 21, 2013)

Use the base you would use to thin the product....water


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## tjbnwi (Feb 24, 2009)

Water for daily clean up. 

This for a full clean.

https://www.mlcampbell.com/products/categories/miscellaneous/water_borne/clean_up

Tom


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## Railman (Jan 19, 2008)

Been using this gun cleaner for over 20 years. Is also the absolute best for removing construction adhesive off yourself! We buy 5's in concentrate form.
http://aquacoat.com/collections/cleaner-misc


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## SprayFinish (Aug 16, 2015)

carzie said:


> Use the base you would use to thin the product....water


I use M.E.K. to thin and its just as expensive. Water would just make a mess. This is a 3 part coating.


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## Robie (Feb 25, 2005)

If you can find carburetor cleaner on sale, that works great. Plus, with the straw nozzle, it gets pressurized cleaner in all the nooks and crannies.

If you'll shop around at your commercial finishing dealers, you should be able to get a generic lacquer thinner in 5 gallon containers for $50-ish.

A can like this will do 2-3 gun cleanings I've found.
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Gumout-Ca...fault&beacon_version=1.0.1&findingMethod=p13n


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## SprayFinish (Aug 16, 2015)

Robie said:


> If you can find carburetor cleaner on sale, that works great. Plus, with the straw nozzle, it gets pressurized cleaner in all the nooks and crannies.
> 
> If you'll shop around at your commercial finishing dealers, you should be able to get a generic lacquer thinner in 5 gallon containers for $50-ish.
> 
> ...


Hmm, never would of thought to use that. I have thought about getting the 5 gallon of thinner, just didn't want to store such a large amount. I just invested in the 3m pps system and it cut back on material and cleaner. I guess im just trying to be more cautious about product waste as I see I have been using way more product than I needed to which in turn is spending way more money than I need to.


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## avenge (Sep 25, 2008)

SprayFinish said:


> Hmm, never would of thought to use that. I have thought about getting the 5 gallon of thinner, just didn't want to store such a large amount. I just invested in the 3m pps system and it cut back on material and cleaner. I guess im just trying to be more cautious about product waste as I see I have been using way more product than I needed to which in turn is spending way more money than I need to.


That's pretty much the only way to be efficient is to purchase supplies in bulk. You don't have storage space for a 5? When I need thinner I'll be damned if I buy it in gallons. If I need thinner for a job that cost gets added to my estimate. I'll add the cost of a 5 even tough I might only need a gallon.


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## Robie (Feb 25, 2005)

SprayFinish said:


> Hmm, never would of thought to use that. I have thought about getting the 5 gallon of thinner, just didn't want to store such a large amount. I just invested in the 3m pps system and it cut back on material and cleaner. I guess im just trying to be more cautious about product waste as I see I have been using way more product than I needed to which in turn is spending way more money than I need to.


I use these for economic dispensing. I keep 5's of lacquer thinner, alcohol and mineral spirits around all the time. I transfer as needed to these bottles and have one each in the shop, the garage and the truck.

http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?itemid=34118&catid=750


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## SprayFinish (Aug 16, 2015)

Robie said:


> I use these for economic dispensing. I keep 5's of lacquer thinner, alcohol and mineral spirits around all the time. I transfer as needed to these bottles and have one each in the shop, the garage and the truck.
> 
> http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?itemid=34118&catid=750


Which cap do you use on the bottle? I had something similar with the first cap which has the red tip/cover and I had a problem with the thinner evaporating and it filled the area with the smell of thinner. I have just a small shop where I keep all the chemicals and I try not to get high off fumes when I enter the room.


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## Robie (Feb 25, 2005)

SprayFinish said:


> Which cap do you use on the bottle? I had something similar with the first cap which has the red tip/cover and I had a problem with the thinner evaporating and it filled the area with the smell of thinner. I have just a small shop where I keep all the chemicals and I try not to get high off fumes when I enter the room.


They changed the cap. The older ones were larger but I still don't have any problem with the smaller ones. They "click" tight and the liquid stays put even if they turn over.


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## Nabinko (Nov 7, 2015)

SprayFinish said:


> So I have been using lacquer thinner to clean my gun for years now. The coating I use is a high solids acrylic urethane. For a while I was able to get lacquer thinner for around $8.00/gallon now I am paying $17.00/gallon, which is why I am interested in searching for alternatives. I don't want to just go out and buy a bunch of different products if they don't work. So does anyone have any experience with a good cheap product to clean a spray gun with?


I've been using acetone or lacquer thinner for the first flush/rinse, then I use a Liquid Paint Stripper (w/Methylene Chloride), followed by an aerosol Carb Cleaner (whichever I can fine the cheapest).

It sounds like a lot but I don't have to use as much product as if I were just using a single hot solvent.


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## tjbnwi (Feb 24, 2009)

Make a flushing bottle for your PPS system.






If you don't want to make the bottle use a turkey baster. 

I use a soup ladle to fill the larger cups and the turkey baster to fill the 3 and 8 ounce cups.

I store the guns with solvent in them, the caps for the PPS liners seal the PPS adapter.

Tom


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## greg24k (May 19, 2007)

I been using Hoppe's 9 Elite gun cleaner or CLP...


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## Xtrememtnbiker (Jun 9, 2013)

tjbnwi said:


> Make a flushing bottle for your PPS system.
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJ6E4_ZYcNg
> 
> ...



When using water borne, you leave the solvent you linked to a few posts back in the gun?


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## SprayFinish (Aug 16, 2015)

This is what I use to clean my gun and it works great.

I didn't think about the pps caps sealing the gun adapter, that might be something I try next time.


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## Metro M & L (Jun 3, 2009)

You used to buy it for 10, now its secenteen? Prices basically double every ten years. Sounds like your pricing has not kept up with inflation


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## SprayFinish (Aug 16, 2015)

Metro M & L said:


> You used to buy it for 10, now its secenteen? Prices basically double every ten years. Sounds like your pricing has not kept up with inflation


I bought it for $8/gallon just last month, now its $17/gallon...same stores...My prices have gone up accordingly, but my point is, that if there is something cheaper that will do the same thing as lacquer thinner then I can save myself money on product. It's not like I'm going in the hole on jobs because I charge materials from 10 year old prices, just looking at my numbers and trying to find areas I can save and increase profits.


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