RogueRose - 1-10-2015 at 02:04
I need to find or make one of these two formulations as they are 95% ethanol and 5% methanol or IPA. I'm looking for at least 1 gal but preferably 5
gal. It doesn't need to be reagent grade and I can't spend $40-50/gal for this stuff. I've found 55 gal's of ethanol for $455 which seems decent but
is a little more than I need.
I might be able to get 55 gal's even cheaper locally from an E85 producer but I don't know if I need some kind of license to buy it or if they could
sell it to me w/o a license after adding 5% IPA or methanol to it. Does anyone know the ins-N-outs of the denatured alcohol sales laws?
Dr.Bob - 2-10-2015 at 11:39
Few places are going to custom blend a gallon or 5 of any specially denatured alcohol, as the ATF has lots of rules on making and selling them. But
you can often buy ethanol in hardware, paint, or home stores which is denatured that way, or even buy E85 at a gasoline station and try to use or
distill that. Many times it is sold as shellac thinner or under another name. Most special denatured mixes are only sold for specific purposes,
like cosmetics or fragrances, to avoid people trying to reclaim the ethanol for drinking purposes. Frankly, if I just needed one gallon, I would get
everclear or other food grade (for making extracts and tinctures) ethanol and pay the taxes. If I needed 5 gallons, I might set up a still. But
E85 is the cheapest thing you will find, and close to what you want.