Cellosolve Butyl

[Robert D. Benson]

Does anyone know where I could purchase a small quantity of Cellosolve Butyl?  The smallest quantity I have located online is by the quart.  Frank Ford mentioned it as something he used in the process of repairing a crack in a guitars Nitrocellulose finish.  Thanks.

[William F.Eden]

Well like Paul has said it is not very niece stuff  that is why I don't use it any more.I still say that the Asatone will do the same thing. Just mix some nitro & Asatone together real thin and apply like I said all you are trying to do is melt the nitro back together.P.S if this is just a fine crack in the finish I would not worry about it as you will no dout see more of them in the future.Bill...........

[Kerry Krishna]

I have wondered about this myself a few times. I am glad this thread is popping up. New solutions to anold problem for me.  Thanks all... 

[Robert D. Benson]

Yes the "melting" is what I am trying to achieve so if Acetone will do the same then I will probably try it as I already have some.  These types of finish cracks is a first for me and important I get it correct on this guitar as I plan on selling it.  So utilizin the Acetone as the "melter" so to speak, then nitrocellulose or lacquer, slow build up, sanding and polish with proper drying time in between, are you able to achieve good results?  Like very hard to see there was a repair?

[Robert D. Benson]

Hi Chris,

Yes that is where I found it as well.  If I get any I will use it with extreme caution and follow your advice.  I am sure it would last many, many years.

[tadej bratkovic]

Butyl cellosolve actually isn't a flash thinner but rather a retarding thinner added to lacquer for which you want to prolong the flash time (humidity, lower temps etc). My vote goes to toluene as it is purer than ketones (alcohol, acetone, isopropyl alcohol), meaning it has less oils and sugars present. If you dab some acetone on a metal surface and leave to evaporate on itself you'll notice it leaves a slightly tacky surface. Toluene doesn't because it is a benzene derivate. Toluene makes much better and controlled slurry than acetone does and since it evaporates slower, it helps to bite new lacquer into existing much better.

Butly cellosolve has a 0.8 evaporation rate and acetone has over 5.7. You actually don't need a slow setting solvent, because toluene is in the category of flash solvents just like acetone, but is much easier to work with. If you wanna prolong the flash time of toluene just buy some automotive retarder that can be mixed with toluene or mix 10 parts of toluene with one or two parts of white spirit.

[Carl Mesrobian]

Have you tried butyl acetate? It's a lot easier to use than cellosolve - I have pretty much abandoned cellosolve except in small amounts in a mix, not usually straight onto the work.

Try a very small area with butyl acetate first, or better yet, use a test piece.

[Robert D. Benson]

Carl:  Anywhere locally I might find butyl acetate?  Home Depot or Sherwin Williams maybe? Sounds like worth a try.

[Carl Mesrobian]

Sherwin Williams. Maybe the big box stores - call. Mohawk makes a aerosol no blush retarder that's about 50% butyl acetate with other stuff in there.Super Blush is cellosolve, not butyl acetate. Best to ask them. Sold direct from Mohawk or from Luthier Mercantile. Mohawk has a minimum, but if you're getting colors and clearcoats it's easy to hit the minimum. You might try Rockler, Woodcraft, or local paint stores. READ THE MSDS  to figure out what's in it :). If they don't have it find the MSDS somewhere before you buy it!  See link below:

http://www.mohawk-finishing.com/catalog_browse.asp?ictNbr=38

[Robert D. Benson]

Ok thanks.  Yeah I figured there are products out there that have it as an ingredient but I don't know which ones.  Sounds like it may be a bit more common than the Cellosolve so I shouldn't have much problem finding it. 

[Carl Mesrobian]

Don't know if this will bump the post -- hope so! 

I just found a video on Stew Mac where Dan Erlewine uses a mix of 4 parts thinner, 1 part lacquer, and a touch of retarder as a flash coat. You spray flash, then immediately a lac, then another flash. 2 separately loaded jamb guns.

The retarder I bought from Luthier's Mercantile has a definite butyl cellosolve odor to it, actually the same smell in my Micro Sol decal setting solution (red bottle) for model railroad, etc. decals! The devil's in the packaging - $6 for one ounce of decal solution..

Here's a great source on thinners, etc, that shows relative evaporation time, etc.

http://news.thefinishingstore.com/index.php/understanding-solvents-...

I like the comment about cellosolve just before the table. sort of like "it's ok to buy liquor, but don't drive drunk"

[Mark Fogleman]

Thanks for reviving this thread Carl! Like the OP, I was hopeful I could find a smaller amount of cellosolve. I called the tech line at RPM Finishes (maker of Mohawk and Behlen) and asked for advice. They suggested their "No Blush Plus" retarder aerosol had enough fast (butyl acetate, ethyl acetate and mik) and slow solvents (mak and eep) in it to do the job, I bought a can to try, but my current trainwreck rehab project has more pressing issues to fix first before dealing with its nitro cracks.

BTW...the Mohawk Super Blush Retarder aerosol can is mostly butyl acetate while the product in the gallon is cellosolve. hmmm?

That comment about cellosolve in your link is exactly what Deft did a while back to meet VOC limits with their lacquer. They changed their labeling to say "Brush On" and included no spraying instructions on the label.  Same product, but don't spray it....yeah...that's the ticket.