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Need Formula for NC Thinner & Auto Thinner




Q. What can be used to thin down Nitro-Cellulose lacquer paint so as not to be as thick for airbrush applications? Thanks for any help.

Don Mendrick
Hobby-Guitar Re-Finishing - Fontana, California, United States
2004


A. Don,
Wouldn't any 'lacquer' solvent work beautifully? Mind you, you could try some aromatic solvents ... and PVC primer (which uses tetrahydrafurane solvent) works quite well on table tennis balls ... which are l00% cellulose nitrate.

freeman newton portrait
Freeman Newton [deceased]
R.I.P. old friend (It is our sad duty to
advise that Freeman passed away 4/21/12)





Q. I would be very much interested in manufacturing and distributing NC Thinner to Sri Lankan market. I have obtained many formulas for preparing of NC thinner but still not found success. Every time I got complaints that my product is not suitable for thinning of Primers, all kinds of coatings, automotive spray paints, etc.

I would be highly appreciated if you could give the best and accurate formula of making NC thinner by using solvents.

Thanking you, Yours truly,

Mohammed A [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]
businessman - Colombo, Western Province, Sri Lanka
2004


A. Hello Mohammed. My experience is that unfortunately you probably won't draw much response to your question the way it stands. Please describe some formulas you tried, and tell us in what ways they weren't yet satisfactory, and I'm quite confident that someone will give you the necessary hints about how to adjust them! Good luck!

Ted Mooney, finishing.com
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey


"Formulation of Organic Coatings" (1967)
by Norman I. Gaynes
from Abe Books
or Amazon
[affil links]

"Technology of Paints & Varnishes" (1974)
by Charles R. Martens
from Abe Books
or Amazon
[affil links]

Q. Hello Sir,

It is so regrettable to state that this is my second letter to you of knowing a very important matter which effects my personal life. I want to know the best formula of manufacturing of NC Thinner. Kindly give me the best formulation in preparing of quality thinners, both NC thinner (for wood items) and Auto super thinner (for auto vehicles).

Also I am expecting your company collaboration to proceed with these products and any available other manufacturers such as Sealers, Varnishers, Lacquers, etc.

Awaiting your response with many hopes.

Best regards, Yours truly,

Mohammed A [returning]
businessman - Colombo, Western Province, Sri Lanka


A. Dear Cousin Mohammed,
Sorry, I'm just the curator of this site which covers the broad field of finishing; I know nothing about NC thinner formulation.
But with the experience of posting & maintaining over 25,000 threads, I suggested that you add detail to draw interest from our thousands of daily readers ... instead you scold me and the world :-)

First, there is no such thing as 'best' -- it's always cost vs. ease of application vs. durability pitted vs. yellowing; UV resistance vs. scuff resistance, etc., etc. Secondly, no one develops a product, then posts full info so everyone can take their business, and their own children go starving. There are great books with lots of formulas: "Formulation of Organic Coatings", available as of this writing for $15, has a 35-page subchapter just on nitrocellulose lacquers -- much of it about thinning & viscosity control. "Technology of Paints, Varnishes, and Lacquers" has a 4-page subchapter on formulation of solvent systems for nitrocellulose and explains active solvents vs. latent solvents vs. diluents; and it offers troubleshooting tips for moisture blush, cotton blush, gum blush, and improper leveling. If you can't afford a used book and can't find any in your library, can also search books.google.com for old free e-books on the subject.
There are countless expired patents, easy to search for free with today's technology.

Readers are welcome to help you, but are probably afraid that if they give you a formula you'll scold them again with "we tried that, it didn't work, I want a better one". So please, tell us what you tried and what problems it presented you with ... and people will almost always be generous enough to suggest improvements.

Best of luck.

Ted Mooney, finishing.com
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey


A. You will find that there are a great number of paint formulations, each will have a thinner that is appropriate for that specific paint. Read the can for the recommended thinner. If they only recommend a thinner by product name, they want to sell their material and not have people use generic mixtures that they cannot control.

James Watts
- Navarre, Florida




Q. I would be very much interested in studying of NC Lacquer. I have obtained many formulas for preparing of NC lacquer but still not found success. Every time I got complaints that my product is not suitable for all kinds of coatings I would be highly appreciated if you could give the best and accurate formula of making NC lacquer.

Thank you very much , Yours truly,

Hoang Quoc Uy
student - Ho Chi Minh, VietNam


"Formulary of Paints and other Coatings" (1978)
by Michael Ash from Abe Books
or Amazon
[affil links]

A. Dear Hoang,

Unfortunately, you copied & pasted a question which we predicted wouldn't be answered and hasn't been :-)

You've tried many formulas without success, but you didn't describe even one of them and tell us in what way it is deficient. Besides the issue of trade secrets, people may feel that if they offer a formula your reply will be that it's "one of the many formulas I already tried without success". So, as we advised the previous poster, please tell us your best formula and what weaknesses it presents, and someone will probably help with a proposed adjustment (in many cases it's technique rather than formula). Best of luck!

Ted Mooney, finishing.com
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey




similarly







similarly

Q. DEAR Sir/Madam,

I am looking for the complete chemical composition in % wise fashion for making NC THINNER, PTRS THINNER, PRINTING INK etc. Can anyone help me please. I am a beginner in this field.

Thanks a lot to you,

AMIT B [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]
- Udaipur, Rajasthan, INDIA



Q. Please give me the formula of NC THINNER For Using In Wood Work.

Pankaj A [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]
- Faridabad, Haryana



Q. Despite of having so many formula for NC thinner, I would like to have the best one. I strongly believe you will be supporting me to have the best one.

PONNUSAMY G [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]
mfrs. of chemicals - COIMBATORE, TAMILNADU, INDIA



thumbs up signHi Ponnusamy. There is no such thing as "best" except in response to your list of desired qualities. For example, is a thinner "best" if it costs 20% less but takes a week to dry? How about if it costs 10% less and takes 3 days to dry?

You say you have many formulations, but haven't offered even one of them to the people standing in line ahead of you asking for your help :-(

Please try the well-proven technique of learning by attempting to teach. Tell us what you tried and what was good about it and bad. You and we can learn from your efforts and we'll all be the better for it  :-)

Regards,

Ted Mooney, finishing.com
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey




"Complete Handbook on Paints Varnish Resins Copolymers and Coatings with Manufacturing Process Formulations and Technology" (2017)
by EIRI
from Abe Books
or Amazon
[affil links]

"Modern Technology of Paints, Varnishes & Lacquers" (2005)
by NIIR
from Abe Books
or


(Affil. Link - as an Amazon Associate, finishing.com earns from qualifying purchases)

Q. Hi, I'm totally new here. I wanted to start this business in my hometown but I need people who has got more experience to guide me. As I heard from my friend:

Thinner came in barrel and they mix it before they fill it in small cans and distribute. That's what I wanted to do.

Where should I start? Thank you

Hitler Bong
- Sarawak, Malaysia
2007


Q. I would be very much interested in manufacturing and distributing NC Thinner to Sonipat market. I have obtained many formulas for preparing of NC thinner but still not found success. Every time I got complaints that my product is not suitable for thinning of Primers, all kinds of coatings, automotive spray paints, etc. I would be highly appreciative if you could give the best and accurate formula of making NC thinner by using solvents.

Thanking you, Yours truly,

prashant tyagi
- sonipat, haryana, India
February 24, 2009


Q. I would like to start a NC thinner manufacturing company in India. So please advise me from where I will get the technical support or license for manufacturing NC Thinner. Otherwise give me the details of some reference book on this.

Richard Mathew
- India
November 6, 2009


A. Thinner formulation
25% butyl acetate
5-10% acetone [affil link]
1-10 ethyl acetate
1-10% n- Butanol
1-10% anhydrous isopropanol
1-10% Xylol/Xylene [affil link]
1-10% propylene glycol
10-20% aliphatic petroleum distillate such as Stoddard solvent or other high purity mineral spirits.

Unfortunately we don't have specific formula for auto /NC thinner too. What you have to do is use the above guide formula change the proportion as per your demand.

Slow evaporating, medium evaporating, high evaporating.
Add more xylene if you need a strong one and aliphatic one for less strong thinner.

Enjoy it.

K.Berhanu
manufacturing - Dubai, UAE
March 13, 2011


Q. You didn't state the type of this is.

Lucky Igbinedion
- Lagos, Nigeria
August 31, 2023

Ed. note: Huh?

A. To make thinner is very easy

1- Ethyl Acetate 10 Lts
2- Butyl Acetate 10 lts
3- Alcohol 96° 90 Lts
4-Toluene 90 lts

total 200 Lts of good Thinner

If you want a Thinner only to degrease, don't use Acetate.

Mansur

Alex Mansur
- Sao Paulo, Brazil South America
August 10, 2011


1. You didn't state the time of thinner.
2. You said if it's for degreasing they shouldn't add Acetate.

Well you didn't state which of the Acetate.

Lucky Igbinedion
- Lagos
August 31, 2023


A. NC Lacquer is very simple to make.
Obtain Toluene (Toluol) and Xylol/Xylene [affil link] from any major Engen, BP, etc., Depo. Usually they have a ready formulation of something called Lacquer Thinners.

To make 1 Litre: 100g NC Chips
900 ml lacquer thinners or 50/50 toluene and Xylene. Leave the chips overnight.
Following day, stir slowly to produce your NC lacquer.
This NC lacquer is quite fine for most jobs. It is quite hard wearing and will not flake under most conditions. It won't have much shine when dry. You could always add shine ingredients, but I do not see this necessary.
You can add Red oxide, 1 part to three parts of your completed NC lacquer or play around with the proportions to make a good primer for wrought iron. I have tried these formulations and they work very well. This lacquer is also good to make waterproof fireworks fuses. 1 part Saltpeter (Potassium Nitrate) and three parts fine charcoal mixed into one part of your NC Lacquer will make a "fuse paste". Slip a cotton twine through this slurry and let dry. There you are!. To make a quality fuse for resale purposes, use a fuse spinning wheel which will twist four or five strands of cotton twine onto a reel. Regards

Alex Mansur
- Port Elizabeth
October 30, 2011


thumbs up signHi K.Berhanu; hi Alex Mansur; Hi Alex Mansur

Thank you so much for your generosity in sharing!!

Regards,

Ted Mooney, finishing.com
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey




Q. I want to know about methanol [affil link], is it used in making NC thinner? If used, then in what percentage?

Fahad R.
- Lahore, Pakistan
November 22, 2011


A. 50%

Kolitha [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]
- Maharagama, Sri Lanka




wikipedia
Butyl acetate

Q. What is the formulation of Butyl Acetate??

Omer Farooq Janjua
- Sialkot, Punjab, Pakistan
March 10, 2012




Q. White board marker ink formulations needed, but so far I have not been able to find it.
I want this for my student project.
Can you help me?
Thanks

hadiseh ghazvini
- arak, iran
April 20, 2012




Q. How do we reduce water in the thinner ... any Chemical or any formulation steps?

Arif Hassan
- Karachi, Pakistan
May 20, 2012

----
Ed. note: Please write a couple of more sentences, cousin Arif -- sorry, but we don't understand your situation and question yet.



Q. I'm totally new here. I wanted to start this business in my hometown but I need people who have got more experience to guide me. I would be very much interested in manufacturing. I need some formulas for preparing wall putty, water based distemper, solvent based distemper, Primer, Thinner, etc.
I would be highly appreciative if you could give the best and accurate formula of making above products.

Thank you

Arif Azim
paint & chemicals - Sherkot Bijnor UP, India
June 22, 2012


Q. I would be very much interested in manufacturing and distribute of NC Thinner in indian market. I have obtained many formulas for preparing of NC thinner but still not found success. Every time I got complaints that my product is not suitable for thinning of Primers, all kinds of coatings, automotive spray paints, etc.

I would be highly appreciated if you could give the best and accurate formula of making NC thinner by using solvents.

Thanking you, Yours truly,

vijay Rao Khempu
- Hyderabad, India
July 25, 2012


Q. Please send me formulation for NC Lacquer which is sprayed on leather.

Bhavin Patel
Manufacturing - Baroda, Gujarat, India
February 11, 2013


Q. Hi, myself vippin mehandiratta m from rajasthan. I want to try to make thinner in rajasthan in india. Please help me to find the chemical of thinner. I want to start new work.

vippin mehandiratta
- sri ganga nagar rajasthan, India
February 17, 2013


Q. Sir
I want to know how to make NC base thinner and melamine thinner and NC thinner good for skin.
Thank you.

Ravi Kant
- Alwar Rajasthan India
February 28, 2013




Need formulations for paint

Q. Dear Sir,

May I know NC thinner & NC lacquer manufacturing process and required machines. (No need for formulation).

Thanks,

Suna

Sunanda Wickramanayaka
- Colombo, Sri Lanka
July 5, 2013


thumbs up signHi Sunandra. The previously mentioned 35-page chapter in "Formulation of Organic Coatings" describes the machinery and methods. But since you know the formulations already, please share at least one with the many people waiting for help from you. Thanks!

Regards,

Ted Mooney, finishing.com
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey




Q. I want to manufacture low cost NC Thinner. Give me full details. I have many formula which are high costing in indian rupees.
Tell me low cost formulation.

Gajendra kumar
chemicals - Bangalore Karnataka India
December 23, 2013


A. Hi Gajendra. From a quick scan of this subject I learned that toluol is very cheap. If you just want more volume of thinner cheaply, that's a direction :-)

What are your comments on the formulas so generously offered by K.B., Alex, and A.A.? Please be as specific as possible. Thanks! And with so many people waiting for formulations standing in line in front of you, please help them by sharing those many formulas you already know :-)

Regards,

Ted Mooney, finishing.com
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey




Q. I want to manufacture low cost NC Thinner. Give me full details. I have many formula which are high costing in indian rupees.
Tell me low cost formulation.

vishwas dhingra
- panipat haryana, India
August 3, 2014


Q. Sir,
I want to make Low Cost PVC Thinner for Screen Printing, i.e., Water White and Odorless and Slow Dry. Can you give me the formulation how to make it?

Kamlesh Gopani
Colour Spring - Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
July 22, 2014


Q. Hi all,

I am trying to make hi-gloss thinner. Can anyone tell me what should I add to my thinner for adding gloss and in what quantity?
My formulation is:

Ethyl Acetate
Butyl Acetate
Xylene
Toluene

Ashish Sood
- Ghaziabad, UP, India
May 7, 2014




! Dear sir, I am a well experienced thinner maker. Worked in National Paints Doha Qatar.
Also retarders, wood preservatives, tile cleaners and bleaching liquids for clothes and toilet detergents, and more. Sir I am hunting a job in india, malaysia or Pakistan. Sir, please kindly help me to find a job. Also can make polyurethane varnishes, anti corrosives, paints.
Please Kindly help me.
Best regards
M.Asmi

mohammad azmy<zarazmy@yahoo.com>
- colombo, sri lanka
May 26, 2014




sidebar

thumbs up signDear Ted Mooney, P.E. RET, I appreciate the effort you putting in enlightening producers of these products and encouraging others to come into the industry and participate.

Hope Eno
- Ejigbo, Lagos, Nigeria




Q. Sir ...
I also want to know how thinner should be made.
Actually I don't know the formulas. I love learning about this. Not only that, but also I hope to start a business where thinner is made and sold.
Thanks,

sudath priyadarshana
- anuradhapura in Sri Lanka


Q. Sir
Please give me formulation for furniture polish n.c thinner, good and best thinner.
Please sir, it's a request

sandeep dubey
bala ji - ghaziyababad u.p India


Q. I am interested in paint manufacture and having some formulations.

mahmoud ahmed
- alexandria, Egypt
April 18, 2015


wikipedia
Library of Alexandria

thumbs up signHi cousin Mahmoud. I'm sure we all agree that a key to success is to fully capitalize on any special blessings we've received. Your city is renowned everywhere for having by far the greatest library in all the world; further, it has been famed throughout history for recognizing the value of books across the millennia like no other city on the planet.

Please try to get to the Bibliotheca Alexandrina and look for one of the books which we've recommended on this page, or any book on paint formulation, from among its 8 million volumes.

Please send us a selfie of you browsing the shelves; the rest of us are envious of you for having this huge leg up on us, having the most amazing library in all the world right at your disposal! You have received a great blessing in living next to such a treasure and having been raised in a culture of honoring the importance of books -- please take full advantage of the blessing you've received :-)
Best of luck.

Regards,

pic of Ted Mooney
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey




Q. Hi all, it's good that I have found many people in this thread asking for thinners. I am Sriram and we are into coal tar products. I'm trying to venture into paint sector and started wondering if thinners could be manufactured with any coal based or coal tar based products.

Please help me in this regard. if so please let me know how to, formulation, and suitable applications.

Thanking you.
Warm regards,
Sriram.

Sriram Varma
- Visakhapatnam, India
January 27, 2016


A. Hi ... To formulate perfect Thinner depends on choice of resins and N/C combinations to choose and to achieve perfect results, formulation of NC Thinner changes according to applied Temperature and Ambient ... either it is humid with low ... medium or high temperature with adjustment of
Xylene
Butyle acetate
N butanol
Tolune
IPA and Solveso 100 or 200 and any better Catalyst with different combinations to test accordingly. Keep in mind the factor of Moisture, Temperature and method of application (i.e., Dipping or spray / airless Spray).

Ahmad Matloob
Paint Manufacturing + R&D - Lahore Pakistan

----
Ed. note: Thanks Ahmad!



Q. Dear friends,
I would like to make synthetic cellulose thinner ... any help or suggestions?
Regards,

Nidal Sawalha
chemicals - Amman, Jordan
March 25, 2017


Q. I just started the production of wood finishing products, but have been having complaints from my customers based on the quality of my product. Please I kindly need your assistance in getting a perfect formula, measurement, and substance that will be economical and give me a good product.
These are my substances:
Thinner: Fuel (Gasoline), Ethyl Acetate, Buthy glycol and Ethanol. My customers complain of its Clarity, and those using it for Automobile paint complain it dries fast. I kindly need your help on modification of this formulas per 4 liters.

adewale_kazeem
Adewale kazeem
Kazhabib - Osun, Nigeria


Q. I would be very much interested in manufacturing and distributing NC Thinner, coatings, automotive spray paints, etc.

It would be highly appreciated if you could give the best and accurate formula of making NC thinner and the materials needs for it. Thanks, jagath.

Jagath pushpakumara
shop owner - sri lanka
May 19, 2017


thumbs up sign Hi, cousin Jagath. That exact question was previously asked & answered 5 times already on this page! And you've cut & pasted it word-for-word a 6th time :-(
I'm not sure whether you are having a language difficulty, or whether you're just trying to make fun of us.
Please try your best, despite any language problems, to describe your own situation in your own words, not someone else's. Thanks. :-)

Regards,

pic of Ted Mooney
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey




Q. Hello,
I'm interested in learning about what went into red oxide, nitrocellulose lacquer and acrylic alkyd formulations that were used to paint cars from manufacturers like GM back in the late 1960's. The pigments are irrelevant, I'm mostly after what solvents, retarders, hardeners etc. would have been used. I've tried getting in touch with Dupli-Color re: old paint formulations, but they aren't very helpful/forthcoming. If you're aware of any literature or "old-timers" from the hay days of GM that might be of use, I'd be much obliged if you could pass that information along to me. Thanks for your time.
Todd

Todd Ugine
- Ithaca, New York USA
June 12, 2017


Q. Can anyone help me how to make distilled thinner.
And from where will I get raw materials in India.

Amar Kumar
- Chattisgarh, India
June 30, 2017


Q. I would be very much interested in manufacturing and distributing Epoxy Thinner and PU Thinner to Indian market. I have obtained many formulas for preparing of Epoxy thinner and PU Thinner but still not found success. Every time I got complaints that my product is not suitable for thinning of Primers,Epoxy paints And PU Paints all kinds of coatings, automotive spray paints, etc.

I would be highly appreciated if you could give the best and accurate formula of making Epoxy Thinner and PU Thinner by using solvents.

Thanking you.Your Faithfully

Regards,

Shaherajkhan Sharifkhan
Royal Paints & Chemical - bharuch, India
March 16, 2018




← Posters: please describe Your actual situation.

Q. Two Thinner formulas
1: low thinner
2: high thinner

Asad yaseen
Student - Lahore Pakistan
September 26, 2021


sidebar

----
Ed. note: Folks, sorry, but we've stopped posting submittals of the form "give me the best formula for ...". They are a waste of the readers' time, the editor's time, and the poster's time :-(
When submitting a question, posters are asked to please describe your own situation & your own progress because it has proven silly & pointless to post the same empty, abstract, repetitive question again & again & again across the years and even the decades. :-)
Apologies!

thumbs up sign Sir please don't fret over idiots. The people of the world these days have lost so much sense and sensibility that they fail to realise that working hard (studying books) and resorting to forums only for asking informed and relevant questions is the way to succeed. But they continue to just keep begging like drones and not even mentioning thanks if they do succeed .

A V Rai
- India
October 13, 2022




Q. Please -- I tried an economical formula with high amount of methanol, but the problem was that after evaporation of thinner started from the substrate a droplet of water condenses with the thinner which makes white spots on the substrate. How can I solve that without increasing low evaporation true solvent due to the cost? What is the best mix of solvent to accept water condensation?

Ahmed Elsherbenye
- Sherbin Egypt
February 2022


Q. Please -- I tried an economical formula with high amount of methanol, but the problem was that after evaporation of thinner started from the substrate a droplet of water condenses with the thinner which makes white spots on the substrate. How can I solve that without increasing low evaporation true solvent due to the cost? What is the best mix of solvent to accept water condensation?

Subair mangapoyil
- Dammam, Saudia Arabia
February 2023

Ed. note: If it's only about minimizing your own effort, "ditto" is even easier than cutting & pasting someone else's posting, and will save readers' time :-)

A. methanol [affil link] 40 Kgs
toluene 30 Kgs
acetone 30 Kgs
DSP 15 Kgs
butyl glycol 5

John Mhagama
- Dar es salaam/Tanzania
July 4, 2023




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