I P A

[NinOz]

Thanks! Had a feeling I was mixing up my carbon compounds.

But I do hope that carbon is not present in too many ionic compounds, eg CuSO4, otherwise we may have to rewrite a few Chem books! 

Carbonates (CO3), Bicarbonates (HCO3), carbonyls (CO), carbides, organic acids and their salts (eg acetates, COO ), etc : all ionic with carbon atoms, a mix of inorganic and organic compounds. 
IPA is really great for making wet water, also a good solvent for white glue (PVA).
CFJ

[Brooksy]

Yeah, chemistry is strange , h2o , drink 4 liters a day for health, h2o2 blow your head off !

Two scientists walk into a bar...The first one says "I'll have some H2O." The second says "I'll have some H2O too." Then he dies.

[Agrippa]

 

[steve836]

Thanks! Had a feeling I was mixing up my carbon compounds.

But I do hope that carbon is not present in too many ionic compounds, eg CuSO4, otherwise we may have to rewrite a few Chem books! 

When I was at school (many decades ago) we studied two types of chemistry Organic, which was all the carbon compounds except carbonates, and Inorganic, which was everything else.

We also learned a little verse:-
Little Johny's dead and gone
his face we'll see no more.
What he thought was H2O
was H2SO4

[steve836]

Don't think I'm getting this quote business right---- The quote ends after the smileys

[Newportnobby]

Would love to see a pic of your 'heap of water'

Er, this sort of thing, Mick?

http://crimematters.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/iceberg-tip.jpg?w=300&h=225


Dave G

I know that's water, Dave, but try drinking that before you go to bed
Think I'd need a catheter fitted

[kirky]

Thanks for the replies guys. And we'll done for wandering off to talking about boozing, I'm impressed 

Meanwhile back in on-topic land......
I thought acetone evaporates quite quickly, so if it does do damage to plastic, how long do I need to leave it contact with the sleepers on my track before I just have rail, and no sleepers? Is really that bad for cleaning track?

Cheers
Kirky

[daveg]

I got 2% for my last chem exam (196n) because I remembered my name and the date! Over to those that know better, however:

The IPA I've used in the past hasn't harmed the sleepers. I've read though that rails painted with certain product(s) can get wiped clean.

I keep my IPA well away from all locos and rolling stock. Using it to clean wheels will mean very careful use - a bit scary 

Dave G

[steve836]

If you are using Acetone to clean your track I don't think you need worry too much. As you say Acetone evaporates quickly and you are only using small quantities. Think of the liquid solvent used for sticking plastic kits etc. together. You brush it on and it flows along the join and hey presto its stuck. That solvent is similar to the effect Acetone would have,If you spilled it over the track it would probably shift all your painted weathering and might soften the sleepers for a while, but you would need to soak your track in a bath of Acetone for some time before it would dissolve the sleepers.

[kirky]

Steve386
Thank you so much, I was starting to get worried a little.
For what it's worth, I soak a little white card in acetone and use that only on the top of the rails. So far no ill effects, thank goodness.

Cheers
Kirky

[Railwaygun]

Thanks! Had a feeling I was mixing up my carbon compounds.

But I do hope that carbon is not present in too many ionic compounds, eg CuSO4, otherwise we may have to rewrite a few Chem books! 

The C in CuSO4 is Cu ( Copper ) not Carbon.

[mr magnolia]

I bought my 100ml bottle of IPA from my local pharmacist.
I had to explain what it was for before she would sell it, and then she had to find a small brown glass bottle to decant it into, and make up a price. I think she started at 50p and I managed somehow to push her up to £1. 😳 A little goes a long way - unless perhaps you are a lot cleaner than me...

Donald

[Bealman]

Interesting. Our local electronics chain here (Jaycar) sell huge spray bottles of the stuff.

[DesertHound]

I can get the stuff here in Dubai in pretty much every chemist, and there's chemists here on every corner, just like a newsagent's back home. I'm surprised you have to explain what it's for. That reminds me of when I went to buy my IPA swabs - you know, the ones the nurse wipes your skin with before having an injection. I (voluntarily) tried to explain that they were for model railways - not that anybody knows what model railways are out here - as I thought she might be wondering why I'd want 400 IPA needle swabs!

Dan