Model Railway Forum

I was searching for isopropyl alcohol and reading the web lead me to think surgical spirit could be an alternative andit it is available from Boots. (Uk Chemists)

I smuggled the spirit into the house as First Aid supplies !

The ingredients listed include Ethanol 90%. Methanol 5% w/w. However after an evaporation test on a mirror, there is a fair amount of deposit which I think is oil. Probably the last thing you need on an incline

Anyone used this spirit , or safer to stick with Amazon and isopropyl alcohol? In hope the Amazon product is what says on the bottle, not some diluted version.

Thanks

Thats why we use 99% pure IPA

I've been warning people that there is oil in surgical spirit for a long while. I think it's palm oil, there is also often perfume added too. Methylated spirits is a better substitute for IPA.

99% pure IPA all the way.

bulleidboy wrote: ↑Wed Jun 24, 2020 5:26 pm 99% pure IPA all the way.

If you can get supplies of it. It's in high demand (therefore has increased in price) since I bought mine last year!

Stuff I bought is easily available at the same price now as it was early last year on eBay.


https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/IPA-99-9-Cho ... SwqxZbXMGf

Walkingthedog wrote: ↑Wed Jun 24, 2020 6:43 pm Stuff I bought is easily available at the same price now as it was early last year on eBay.


https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/IPA-99-9-Cho ... SwqxZbXMGf

I paid £5.44. for 1 Litre from the same company late last year, so it's almost twice the price now.

Really, I’m sure I paid a tenner. Still good value though, will last decades.

I just checked my ebay purchase history and it was November when i bought mine.

There have been a few sellers charging much more for it during the crisis.

Just looked at the box and I bought it on the 02 June 2017, 3 years ago. How time flies. So either I paid less than I thought or the price went down. I probably paid less..