Isopropyl wet water alternative?

[nuno81291]

Hey gang, I am still faced with a shortage of Isopropyl at any stores near me. I am about to order some online but was wondering if anyone has a substitute for applying scenery/groundcover/ballast.

[DKS]

You try Home Despot, or Lowie's?

[davefoxx]

Water with a few drops of dishwashing detergent.  I use this most of the time, because if you have used Dullcote on anything around where you're applying scenery, and you get isopropyl alcohol on the Dullcote, a strange and not-so-wonderful reaction will occur.  Sometimes, you can fix it with another coat of Dullcote, and sometimes not.  I try not to risk it.

Hope this helps,
DFF

[Steveruger45]

I too prefer IPA in the mix with wet water glue.  But I have done it without any IPA and just added a few drops of Dawn dish soap to the mix.  It helps break the surface tension like IPA but not as well and makes bubbles that you have to burst as you go.
If yo want to try it do it on a sample area and see what you think.

Or you could use cheap vodka instead, maybe, I’ve never tried that.

[Steveruger45]

I just see @davefoxx Pipped me at the post (pun intended).  But yes he raises a very good point.  IPA and dullcoat or the Krylon acrylic clears will react badly with any hint of IPA.  Blooming into a horrible white crackle finish.

[MK]

Use Denatured Alcohol readily available at Home Depot or Lowes.  It is 100% so you will have to water it down to match the 70% or 90% you are after.

[Missaberoad]

Methyl hydrate works really good as a "Wetting agent".

[eja]

Use Denatured Alcohol readily available at Home Depot or Lowes.  It is 100% so you will have to water it down to match the 70% or 90% you are after.

Just remember it is flammable  !

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I too prefer IPA in the mix with wet water glue.  But I have done it without any IPA and just added a few drops of Dawn dish soap to the mix.  It helps break the surface tension like IPA but not as well and makes bubbles that you have to burst as you go.
If yo want to try it do it on a sample area and see what you think.

Or you could use cheap vodka instead, maybe, I’ve never tried that.

Important note - IPA is isopropyl alcohol, not India Pale Ale.

You'll have significantly different experience if you try using beer.

lol

[John]

windex

[peteski]

Yes, denatured alcohol will also work as well as IPA.  But 99% IPA should be easily obtainable from any hardware stores like Ace or Aubuchon.  My local Ace hardware (in Billerica, MA area) has usually several 1 gallon cans in stock.  And the price, while appearing high, is for one gallon of 99% IPA, compared to the small bottles of 70% or even 91% is not bad at all.

Look for it in the paint thinners section. It is called IPA99 or sometimes isopropanol 99%. If  they don't have it in stock, they will gladly order it for you.

[davefoxx]

91% IPA? 99% IPA?  Aren't you guys worried about taking the paint off of anything close to the scenery, e.g., painted track, when using that strength of isopropyl alcohol?  Generally, I go with 70% as a wetting agent or even to clean locomotive wheels.  Am I missing something here?

DFF

[MK]

Nope, if I have 100% alcohol, no matter which type, I dilute to 70% with water.  The 70% IPA is incredibly hard to get now and it's probably cheaper to buy 100% and make your own though I never did the calculation.

[Chris333]

If you buy 100% and leave it out it absorbs water from the air till it is 91%.

[peteski]

If you buy 100% and leave it out it absorbs water from the air till it is 91%.

Or just take an empty container and mix 9 parts water to 1 part 99% IPA.  Most people use concentrates in food, so why not in their hobbies?

This thread was about finding some alcohol to mix into water to make it "wetter".  With that in mind, regardless what strength alcohol is added to water, it probably ends up being about 0.2% solution when used as "wet water".