Home Forums Explore Media Oil Painting The Technical Forum Turpenoid, Gamsol, Thinners

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  • #984667

    I’ve been using Turpenoid to thin, but I understand that it’s mainly intended for cleaning, not thinning.

    I think Gamsol does both.

    Guidance here would be welcome.

    #1043853
    turlogh
    Default

        Thin with spirits of turpentine, oil of spike, or (judiciously) a drying oil (walnut, linseed).

        Clean with mineral spirits.

        David Rourke
        #1043851
        lotusguy
        Default

            The manufacturer of Gamsol recommends its use for thinning paint. The manufacturer fo turpenoid recommends not using it for thinning.

            TTFN,
            Dennis

            #1043843

            I love it when the answer is simple. Thanks!

            #1043858
            Brian Firth
            Default

                Turpenoid and Gamsol are pretty much the exact same. They, along with mineral spirits are fine for thinning paint. Nostalgic biases aside, thinner is thinner, the only differences is generally odor and slight variations in evaporation rate. Of the commonly used oil paint thinners, turpentine is the only solvent which can be absorbed through the skin into the bloodstream, which makes it more toxic. Which would you rather accidentaly splash on your hands? Since turpentine is a more powerful organic solvent it is the only solvent that can be used for making damar varnish and mediums, otherwise there is no real advantage worth the extra toxicity. I use Turpenoid/Gamsol which is great stuff. If you haven’t found yourself going “man there’s got to be a better thinner”, which I never have, then don’t bother worrying about anything else and stick with Turpenoid/Gamsol.

                "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence."
                -- Carl Sagan

                Brian Firth

                #1043859
                Brian Firth
                Default

                    The manufacturer of Turpenoid DOES reccomend Turpenoid as a thinner. From their website description:

                    Odorless Turpenoid®
                    1681 – 118ml (4 fl oz)
                    1682 – 236ml (8 fl oz)
                    1683 – 473ml (16 fl oz)
                    1684 – 946ml (32 fl oz)
                    1685 – 3.79 liter (gallon)
                    An odorless, very volatile, thin, colorless, turpentine substitute, Turpenoid® has the same painting properties and drying time as turpentine but is free from the strong characteristic turpentine odor. Compatible with oil colors as a painting vehicle, either alone or in mediums. Turpenoid® is also excellent as a solvent or paint brush cleaner, and for use in removing paint spots from clothing.

                    "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence."
                    -- Carl Sagan

                    Brian Firth

                    #1043860
                    franz
                    Default

                        Brian’s answer is correct and complete. I just wanted to add that Terpenoid and Gamsol are, for all intent and purpose, the same product. Gamsol might be better, but not enough to worry about.

                        #1043844
                        artbabe21
                        Default

                            Sorry to disagree but Gamsol is OMS (odorless mineral spirits) while turpenoid is a substitute for turpentine & does not tell you what it is or how toxic it is. Turpentine is from trees & more toxic than most petroleum distillates. Also Gamsol is not a known sentizer as turpenoid is known to be.

                            Please stay away from Turpenoid natural, nasty stuff…..2 of it’s ingredients are registered pesticides, more toxic than turpentine…d-limonene

                            Cathleen~

                            [FONT=Times New Roman]~Be COURAGEOUS, It's one of the few places left still uncrowded~

                            [FONT=Times New Roman]~Life is not measured by it's length BUT by it's depth~

                            #1043861
                            franz
                            Default

                                Sorry to disagree but Gamsol is OMS (odorless mineral spirits) while turpenoid is a substitute for turpentine & does not tell you what it is or how toxic it is.

                                If you don’t want to drudge through MSDSs (which are available from Gamblin and Weber) you can just go to a chart from Gamblin to compare Terpenoid and Gamsol. I guess it depends on how you define “close”.

                                http://www.gamblincolors.com/materials/solchart.html

                                #1043852
                                lotusguy
                                Default

                                    It has been a few years since I threw the can of Turpenoid away, so I can’t tell you exactly what was on the label, but it was quite clear that Weber did not think using it as a medium or thinner of paints was a good idea. They may have a different product now, but it was awful when I tried it. (I read the can after I used it.) I purchased it from an art supply store, in the oil painting section.

                                    TTFN
                                    Dennis

                                    #1043849
                                    WFMartin
                                    Default

                                        This is strictly personal choice, but I don’t use anything whose name ends in “oid” as an ingredient in a painting medium–only turpentine or oil of spike.

                                        On the other hand, I’ll use just about any hydrocarbon solvent with which to clean my brushes, including the “oids”. Whatever is cheapest.

                                        Bill

                                        wfmartin. My Blog "Creative Realism"...
                                        https://williamfmartin.blogspot.com

                                        #1043862
                                        ckdexterhaven
                                        Default

                                            There is some confusion here. Weber has two very different products, both called Terpenoid:

                                            Terpenoid (blue and white can) is fine for use in mediums that do not contain damar or similar. It is almost the same as Gamsol just slightly less refined. Both are oderless mineral spirit with mild solvent strength.

                                            Terpenoid Natural (green and white can) is unsuitable for use in mediums and Weber says so right on the can. It is really strong nasty stuff and good only for eating dried paint off of brushes and the like. It is made from a cocktail of ingredients that include d-lemonine and it never fully evaporates -just becomes a yellow plasticky goo. It is also not oderless but smells like oranges with other weird chemical undertones.

                                            "Strong is harder than subtle. If you can paint strong, subtle is a breeze" -N.S.

                                            #1043865
                                            nearboston
                                            Default

                                                Terponoid Natural is labeled as non-toxic, yet everyone here seems to say this thing is nothing but carcinogens. I find the labeling a little misleading, anyone else agree? Should we complain to the manufacturer? How many other people are unknowingly using this stuff? :confused:

                                                #1043854
                                                Teknon
                                                Default

                                                    Terponoid Natural is labeled as non-toxic, yet everyone here seems to say this thing is nothing but carcinogens. I find the labeling a little misleading, anyone else agree? Should we complain to the manufacturer? How many other people are unknowingly using this stuff? :confused:

                                                    I actually asked Weber directly, and they insisted that they could not tell me what it had, but that it was tested for non-toxicity and had received ACMI AP (Approved Product) seal. I can send you the e-mail if you want. I’ve also taken a look at its Material Data Safety Sheet, and it says next to nothing. They just don’t want to tell you what it has.

                                                    However, I honestly have a hard time believing that it has D-limonene, when all products that I have seen that contain it are labeled ACMI CL (Caution Level) at least. But, hey, I am not an expert. Some posters here definetely seem to consider it pure poison.

                                                    #1043850
                                                    WFMartin
                                                    Default

                                                        Heck, nothing’s “toxic”, if you don’t drink it, inhale it, or rub it all over your body.

                                                        It’s what it does to the paint when it’s used as an ingredient in an oil painting medium that’s important.

                                                        Bill

                                                        wfmartin. My Blog "Creative Realism"...
                                                        https://williamfmartin.blogspot.com

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