Quoting Homer Simpson…
“D’oh!” Followed immediately by a forehead smack.
Last spring while visiting my brother in The Free State of Florida, where liquor stores sell 190 proof grain alcohol (locally even West Virginia[!] has become a nanny state that will not sell 190 at retail stores), we moseyed up to the corner liquor store so I could get a case. I grabbed a 1.75L jug of Everclear 190 and told the clerk I wanted, along with another whole case, which he dutifully loaded up for me.
During the recent Historic Woodfinishing workshop at the barn I opened the case and to my very great distress discovered that the knucklead clerk and the inattentive customer provided me with 7 liters of 151 proof of grain alcohol, useful for nothing much at all. At best it is really expensive brush cleaner, although a recent trip to the hardware store revealed that denatured solvent alcohol is running $25+ per gallon. That stuff really is suitable only for cleaning brushes.
Maybe I can figure out how to use this stuff for some varnish making,
Stay tuned.
I bet you can find a scoundrel who’d do a good bit of yard work for one of those bottles.More than the hooch is worth, most likely.
In college, we had creative uses for 151; it involved a trash can, blocks of ice, frozen grape juice and 151; on some occasions a drop or two of water got into the mix. This concoction, known by several unprintable names, was the “social lubricant” of many parties.
I’m sure you can muster enough neighbors and friends to assist you with making the 151 disappear if you give it a bit of thought.
And when you think about it, a lot of woodworkers are using the “Big Box” denatured alcohol for their varnish, which last time I checked ran just about “120 proof.” 151 is still better than average for shellac use.
Someone commented on one of Megan Fitzpatrick’s social media posts that he used “Type 4 molecular sieve desiccant” to draw the water out of 151 proof grain alcohol. I didn’t ask how much he used, or how long it takes.
Don, two suggestions.
First, you can get 99.% ethanol online that has just a bit of denaturing agent in it–far better than the hardware store stuff.
Second, have you tried IPA? Not the beer–I mean Isopropyl alcohol, or isopropanol. I try to avoid petrochemicals as much as possible, but I have to admit, I love this stuff. The biggest difference between it and ethanol is that it flashes off more slowly, making it easier to use. I heard about it from an online comment by Willard (Bill) Anderson, and have been a fan ever since. Try it!