Turpenoid, Gamsol, Thinners

[learning to paint]

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.

[turlogh]

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

Clean with mineral spirits.

[lotusguy]

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

TTFN,
Dennis

[learning to paint]

I love it when the answer is simple. Thanks!

[Brian Firth]

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.

[Brian Firth]

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.

[franz]

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.

[artbabe21]

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

[franz]

Originally Posted by artbabe21

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

[lotusguy]

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

[WFMartin]

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

[ckdexterhaven]

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.

[nearboston]

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?

[Teknon]

Originally Posted by nearboston

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?

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.

[WFMartin]

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