91% Alcohol vs 99% Alcohol

#41

91% is optimal, really, 99% is a waste.

91% is azeotropic, meaning the percentage will remain the same no matter how much evaporates (because water and alcohol will evaporate at the same rate).

In other words, your 99% will become 91% anywas if you leave it open.

#42

Filtering IPA won’t help very much. The resin is dissolved in the IPA so only distilling it will remove the resin.

#43

If you’re from eastern Europe, then wouldn’t it be loza? If I’m spelling it correctly.

I use 99% and find it washes better and with a shorter soak duration. I use the same two bucket method mentioned above. For some parts, I’ll wash in the FormWash as a final process.

I have tried that Australian product, resinaway, but for me, it sucked. I see now Formlabs also recommends/supports the use of TPM but I am unable to find it and searching online only mentions it as an ingredient in cleaners.

#44

Filtering would help with removing bits of resin that are inevitably left behind in the IPA before it reaches saturation.

#45

We’re using TPM now for about half a year with the original Form Wash and it’s the best solution for us.

Yes - it’s more expensive
Yes - you need to wash the TPM away after washing your parts (we use hot water)

BUT:

  • It smells so much “better” than IPA
  • higher boiling point (3times more -> 82°C IPA / 242°C TPM -> this is causing the “better” smell)
  • flashpoint 10x higher (12°C IPA / 127°C TPM)
  • higher resincapability (we can use TPM almost two times longer than IPA)

So for us as a company, the advantages are much higher than the price-disadvantage. We use “Dowanol TPM”, if you are interested in.

Alternate Wash Solution