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Reasonable cost of Mineral Spirits

aerodark

Titanium
Joined
Feb 15, 2008
Location
Eugene OR USA
Yesterday I was hell-bent on finding a five gallon can of mineral spirits for general cleaning and stone bath. I called Sherwin Williams and got a price of 20 bucks. I thought I won the lottery and raced down there just to find that the kid who quoted me the price on the phone "meant to say" 20 bucks PER GALLON! :mad5:

Needless to say, he did not complete the sale!

I find it hard to believe that it costs more for a five gallon jug (per gallon) than it does for individual gallon cans of the stuff. Any ideas on where to get good deals on one or five gallons?
 
Lowes has it, look for a can marked "Paint Thinner" AFIK, it's mineral spirits, sure smells like it and seems to work the same----they sell cans marked "mineral spirits" too, but for a few more dollars per gallon---go figure that,
seems to be the same stuff, the can of paint thinner I bought had the ingredients listed as "mineral spirits.
olcop
 
My local (Longview) petroleum distributer will fill my container for about $5 per gallon (it's been a while for me).
Are you sure your supplier was clear that you wanted your container filled, not minimum delivery order?
I'd try some other distributers (the more rural, the better).
 
Here in Central Calif 5 gals from Chevron Dist. is 40 dollars plus tax----- 55 gals is 6.60 a gallon --------363.00 for a drum ---- I have seen one gallon cans across the country for anywhere from 11 to 14 dollars ---- in parts stores , etc
 
Check with all your paint stores. I bought 5 gallons in 1 gallon containers a few weeks ago in Wichita Falls, Texas and the cost was just under $10.00 per gallon. I bought 5 gallons of kerosene in bulk at the same time and the cost on it was $7 per gallon. The kerosene was bought from a local company that sells it in bulk only. Good Luck.
 
I bought 5 gallons of kerosene in bulk at the same time and the cost on it was $7 per gallon. The kerosene was bought from a local company that sells it in bulk only. Good Luck.

Sounds like the oil companies are robbing the Texas homeboys. Lots of gas stations and convenience stores around here have a pump for K-1 kerosene since a lot is sold for use in kerosene heaters. i noticed the pump price one day this past week when i was getting gas. $4.10/gal for undyed K-1.
 
I see your on the Left Coast but here in the North East a farm supply store called Tractor Supply sells 5 gal pails for $41.99. They call it Parts washing solvent, label says petroleum distallate . I picked up a pail yesterday and it very much appears to be very low odor mineral spirits. Check with farm supply stores in your area. Farmers know how to get the most bang for the buck and their supply stores act accordingly.....Bob
 
You might try shopping for Stoddard Solvent at your local petroleum products distributor, as a couple other folks suggested. Mine has it in bulk, so bring a can. Works great in the parts washer, about $5/gal.

According to Wikipedia: Stoddard Solvent: "(M)ineral spirits, also known as mineral turpentine, turpentine substitute, petroleum spirits, solvent naphtha (petroleum) or Stoddard solvent, is a petroleum-derived clear, transparent liquid which is a common organic solvent used in painting and decorating. In 1924, Atlanta dry cleaner W. J. Stoddard worked with Lloyd E. Jackson of the Mellon Institute of Industrial Research to develop a less volatile dry cleaning solvent as an alternative to the petroleum solvents in use. Dry cleaners began using the result of their work in 1928 and it soon became the predominant dry cleaning solvent in the United States, until the late 1950s.

Fun fact: Mellon Institute of Industrial Research was one ancestor of Carnegie-Mellon University here in Pittsburgh.

Jeff
 
I buy it from Sherwin williams because they're just a few miles away from the shop and it's $9.50 a gallon with account.
 
According to Wikipedia: Stoddard Solvent: "(M)ineral spirits, also known as mineral turpentine, turpentine substitute, petroleum spirits, solvent naphtha (petroleum) or Stoddard solvent, is a petroleum-derived clear, transparent liquid which is a common organic solvent used in painting and decorating. In 1924, Atlanta dry cleaner W. J. Stoddard worked with Lloyd E. Jackson of the Mellon Institute of Industrial Research to develop a less volatile dry cleaning solvent as an alternative to the petroleum solvents in use. Dry cleaners began using the result of their work in 1928 and it soon became the predominant dry cleaning solvent in the United States, until the late 1950s.

Fun fact: Mellon Institute of Industrial Research was one ancestor of Carnegie-Mellon University here in Pittsburgh.

Jeff

Another fun fact: The B-52 bomber can use diesel, kerosene, and yes, even Stoddard solvent in a pinch. Or at least the original engines could. It's sorta hard to imagine taxiing up to the local cleaners and saying "fill er up"!

--Hawk
 
Any paint store will sell you paint thinner (mineral spirits). You don't want paint thinner - you just want mineral spirits. I've bought it from Tractor Supply in 5's, and from Home Depot in 1 gallon cans - the price per gallon is very close. If I'm at either one and realize I'm low on parts washer juice, I buy it in whatever size container they have (as long as it is less than $ 10 per gallon).

It takes time (= money) to chase around, and a buck or two doesn't go far when my gas tank needs a fill.
 
I just bought a 5 galon bucket if Saftey kleans premium solvent recently. Its almost clear and has very little smell. I don't use solvent in my parts wash tank anymore ( I used heated simple green ) But its great to have some around for cleaning stones and other crap you cant get into the wash tank. It cost me $36 delivered to my door and it came in a brand new 5 gallon bucket with nice sealing lid. The bucket has to be worth something as my landlord already has dibs on it when empty! $36 delivered to my door i thought was pretty good and since it was my first order they nailed me sales tax. On delivery I gave the driver my state t ax form and next time it will be about $34 instead.
 
I just bought a 5 galon bucket if Saftey kleans premium solvent recently. Its almost clear and has very little smell. I don't use solvent in my parts wash tank anymore ( I used heated simple green ) But its great to have some around for cleaning stones and other crap you cant get into the wash tank. It cost me $36 delivered to my door and it came in a brand new 5 gallon bucket with nice sealing lid. The bucket has to be worth something as my landlord already has dibs on it when empty! $36 delivered to my door i thought was pretty good.

Good to know!
 
Here is what I do with the Mineral Spirits.
I converted a HF POS into a useable parts washer.
The original design had you washing parts in the fluid with no sump.
Now the dirt can settle out between usings.
I use it with 3 gal of M S and change the fluid about every 2-3 months.
If you do the conversion make sure you use a 5 gal bucket that had oil/grease in it. Some other buckets will deterioate from the M S.
 

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