Ethanol suitable as substitute for Isopropyl?

[CostaRicaPrinter]

Hello - Costa Rica has made isopropyl alcohol virtually impossible to purchase - something to do (supposedly) with drug fabrication. I can buy 96% ethanol from sugar cane. Will this work in my old AB Dick superaquamatic system that LOVES isopropyl? I definitely need the viscosity improver of isopropyl for this system.

Any suggestions? Muchas gracias,

BG

 

[David Kunkel]

Hello - Costa Rica has made isopropyl alcohol virtually impossible to purchase - something to do (supposedly) with drug fabrication. I can buy 96% ethanol from sugar cane. Will this work in my old AB Dick superaquamatic system that LOVES isopropyl? I definitely need the viscosity improver of isopropyl for this system.

Any suggestions? Muchas gracias,

BG

Per this site, Ethanol vs. Isopropyl Alcohol to Disinfect | eHow
the structure and function of the two is very similar and for industrial use ethanol should work as well. I'd be concerned about that 4% water causing corrosion or condensing on surfaces. How much water was in the isopropanol?

 

[Dan Roll]

Not only is ethanol fine for use on press, as long as it isn't denatured it makes a nice beverage as well..........

 

[Alois Senefelder]

Tut - tut

Tut - tut

Hello Dan,

You must first start with - Water, Malted Barley, Hops and Yeast - not forgetting, the Reinheitsgebot !!!



Regards, Alois

 

[CostaRicaPrinter]

I just wanted to respond to this thread - ethanol is working great. In fact, it seems to evaporate more slowly, and works good on our Silvermaster plates. We have an AB Dick 385 with alcohol system, and haven't found any alcohol substitute that will work satisfactorily. We aren't drinking the ethanol, but it certainly smells better than the isopropyl! Thanks for the tips!

BG

 

[Dan Roll]

Just curious, what does ethanol sell for in in Costa Rica? In the states, the tax is 13.10 dollars per proof gallon in addition to the cost of the product unless one has an expensive, and difficult to get and maintain, permit.

 

[CostaRicaPrinter]

Dan - We are paying $4 a quart for ethanol, 96 proof.

 

[Dan Roll]

Can you ship me some? A quart of 40% liqueur (80 proof) in the US is well above twenty dollars for the cheap stuff, up to whatever the marker will bear for brand name stuff.

 

[CostaRicaPrinter]

How many cases do you want?