other names...other uses

Discussion in 'Back to Basics' started by monkeyman, Nov 9, 2006.


  1. monkeyman

    monkeyman Monkey+++ Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    I have run into several situations where knowing different names and uses for the same thing have come in very handy and saved a lot of money. It could also be a life saver if availability of supplies was limited. Here are a few examples.

    Desil fuel is the same thing (or at least as close as reagular gasoline is to super) as kerosine, and lamp oil and while it smokes just abit more and smells a bit more works well in oil lamps, kerosine heaters and such, fire starting fluid, solvent to get tree sap and such off and my grandmother used it as an antiseptic keeping a coffee can of it on hand with a corn cob in it to rub on and scrub clean minor cuts and scrapes.

    Naptha from the hardware store is the same thing you get for more than 10 times the price in the bottles of Zippo fluid and also is called white gas and Coleman fuel. It works just fine in the lanterns and such that use coleman fuel, Zippo type lighters, paint thinner, solvent for sap, tar and most anything else, mixed with desil fuel and detergent was also used as 'fue gas' on perimeters in the past.

    Either is also known as starter fluid and in adition to being useful for starting a stuborn motor or combined with a lighter to make a blow tourch lol, it is also useful as a solvent and was used for many many years as an anastesia to sedate patients for surgery and such.

    There are tons of things out there that are packaged in various ways and sold for WIDELY varying prices and uses. What are some of the ones you are familiar with?
     
  2. Tango3

    Tango3 Aimless wanderer

    MEK Methyl ethyl ketone is a common nasty solvent ( known to cause cancer but only in kalfornia)makes an excellant paint stripper( used in the military) HEAVY RUBBER GLOVES/ FACE SHIELD OR GOOGLES.'

    Denatured alcohol( also commonly found in paint sections) burns nicely in a homemade pepsi can alcohol stoves or even just a tuna can under a canteen cup.Its really cheap in hardware store quanties( pint/quart etc).
    CAUTION ALCOHOL FLAMES ARE HARD TO SEE IN DAYLIGHT BUT STILL REALLY HOT.
    THIS IS DANGEROUS. AND HURTS.( NO COMMENT)
    BECAREFUL EXPERIMENTING WITH ANY COMBUSTIBLE FUEL
    Gasoline dryer or antifreeze is also mostly methanol its sold in most gastations and convenience strores (and also works in pepsi stoves or others. A appalachian trail hiker completed the trail using nothing more than alcohol burning on a plate to heat his meals. No stove is lighter inweight or less complicated than No stove! Alcohol doesn't put out as much sheer heart energy( btu's) as gasoline or butane, but i'm in no hurry in the woods anyway.
     
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