denatured alcohol

You appear to be getting 90+% isopropyl alcohol confused with denatured alcohol, which is ethyl alcohol with additives to make it undrinkable (like methyl alcohol and a very bitter chemical). Methyl is the stuff that blinds and kills you.

Isopropyl alcohol can be found in most drug stores. You may have to ask for it in the 90% concentration.

Denatured alcohol can be purchased in most hardware and paint stores.

If you are legal drinking age and the liquor stores are open on Sunday in your location, you can buy ethyl alcohol under the brand name of "Everclear."

As I do not use MM Acryls, I can't tell you what other thinners work well with that brand.

Artist supply stores sell various acrylic retarders. 

wildcard2 wrote:

I just switched to MM acryl line, question....Is denatured alcohol  the same as 91 % stuff, or do I have my numbers all confused.Is this stuff available over the counter,and where do I get it drug store,hardware I've never seen it  I'm gonna try this stuff tonight so  I'd like to have some thinner on hand just in case. Oh also is there an replacement/noname retarder I can get while im out my lhs is closed till mon. and i cant get any of the tamiya stuff. thanks mark

Denatured alcohol is NOT the Isoproply 91% stuff you buy at the drugstore. DA is commonly used as a clean burning fuel, shellac thinner, and general cleaner for some things. It's basically ethanol denatured with methanol, so its a mix of those two and is very poisonous if you drink it, causing blindness in most cases. Buy it at your local hardware store for about $5 for a quart. Model Master actually thins fine with isopropyl acohol or distilled water, but I'm switching to Tamiya and Gunze acrylics because I had such bad thinning and tip dry problems with MM. You can thin with denatured alcohol, but your paint will behave a little differently, it might dry faster because DA evaporates pretty quick.

ooooooooohhhhhhhhhh..........! thanks guys, I tried this stuff last night and I just love it I dont think I'm going to need anything more than 90+ iso alc. whitch I picked up last night. Thanks you so much for your answers....later off to play yeah!..........Mark.