Oil wash - can I use Turpentine?

[Corswain]

Hello Frater!

 

I am taking the plunge on some Necromunda floor tiles and doing my first oil wash. Unfortunately there seems to be a significant shortage of White Spirits in my area with no end in sight so my question is - can I use turpentine instead?

 

I'm concerned because, while white spirits is a turpentine substitute, they have very different chemical bases and I fear melting my treasured (and far too expensive) tiles.

 

If anyone has any experience with this or is able to provide an answer it would be greatly appreciated

[Evil Eye]

Turpentine is probably better than white spirit. However I would recommend odourless thinners for oils. They're less expensive and don't smell anywhere near as bad!

[Arkhanist]

I wouldn't use it. Turpentine can definitely dissolve extruded polystyrene (styrofoam) and GW plastic is a form of styrene, a close cousin. You might be able to get away with it if it's fully varnished, but I personally wouldn't chance it.

 

Low odour artist mineral spirits/thinner, such as Winsor & Newton sansodor or Pebeo Odourless Mineral Spirit is safe and less smelly, though more expensive per ml. Most artist companies have some form of it, and you don't need a vast amount.

Edited November 2, 2022 by Arkhanist

[Oldjedimaster]

11 hours ago, Arkhanist said:

I wouldn't use it. Turpentine can definitely dissolve extruded polystyrene (styrofoam) and GW plastic is a form of styrene, a close cousin. You might be able to get away with it if it's fully varnished, but I personally wouldn't chance it.

 

Low odour artist mineral spirits/thinner, such as Winsor & Newton sansodor or Pebeo Odourless Mineral Spirit is safe and less smelly, though more expensive per ml. Most artist companies have some form of it, and you don't need a vast amount.

 

Agree

[Corswain]

Thanks for the responses.

 

Annoyingly even art suppliers are out of stock locally and I may have to have a little patience and focus on some other projects first.

 

Thanks again.

 

[gideon stargreave]

the cleaning or DIY aisle in your local bazaar / pound shop equivalent should have simluated white spirits, which work just as well

[Corswain]

Sadly not. It would appear anyone who manufactured white spirit or it's nearest counterparts in Australia (not a very long list to begin with) switched their production to hand sanitisers etc. during covid.

We experienced large outages and patchy supplies on things like methelated spirits and paint thinners. I actually sell lots of this stuff at work but had totally missed that white spirit was still out.

 

Anyway, my Dad had an unmarked bottle in the shed that he's "pretty sure" is white spirit* and I managed to order some through a local hardware which should arrive in a few weeks.

 

*fret not. Significant testing will be done to verify the contents before it ever reaches the intended tiles.

 

Appreciate the help and advice all.

[twopounder]

3 hours ago, Corswain said:

Sadly not. It would appear anyone who manufactured white spirit or it's nearest counterparts in Australia (not a very long list to begin with) switched their production to hand sanitisers etc. during covid.

We experienced large outages and patchy supplies on things like methelated spirits and paint thinners. I actually sell lots of this stuff at work but had totally missed that white spirit was still out.

 

Anyway, my Dad had an unmarked bottle in the shed that he's "pretty sure" is white spirit* and I managed to order some through a local hardware which should arrive in a few weeks.

 

*fret not. Significant testing will be done to verify the contents before it ever reaches the intended tiles.

 

Appreciate the help and advice all.

 

I recommend testing any unknown chemicals on sprues, just to be certain. I tried turpentine and it melted my models to a plastic half-sphere. This was many, many years ago. Never made the same mistake again.

[Corswain]

No spure available but I've got some old, unused plastic Rhino parts (from resin deimos kits) that have volunteered for the job. Got a couple of pieces so I can try a few different options like wax and grease remover, acrylic thinners and the Mystery Liquid from The Shed, as it is now called. 

[Corswain]

The Mystery Liquid from The Shed was not white spirit. No idea what it was. It caused the oil paint to seperate so it never even made it to the test pieces.

Wax and grease remover, however, worked an absolute treat:

 

Very pleased with the results and I appreciate all the responses that helped me get here. Could have had a picture of a gooey mess without them.

[jaxom]

I kept forgetting to check what it's called so I could post it here. I use Weber Turpenoid Slow-Dry.