# DNA and MM



## Freds (Mar 15, 2006)

I am a new pen turner and have been lurkng here for a couple of weeks.  I see many references to DNA Denatured Alcohol.  What is this and where do I get it?


I also see a lot of references to finishing with MM.  I assume this is Micromesh.  I am confused by the various grits of MM.  Is the mm12000 on the same type of scale as grits as a typical sheet of sandpaper.

Thanks for any input you can give me/

Fred


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## alamocdc (Mar 15, 2006)

Welcome, Fred! You can get DNA by the gallon at Lowe's and it's not too expensive.

Yes, MM is Micromesh. Great stuff, and no it's not rated on the same scale as sandpaper. There is a chart somewhere that compares them, but I can't remember where offhand. Maybe someone will point it out to you. 12000MM is the approximate equivalent to 4000 grit sandpaper if memory serves.


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## leatherjunkie (Mar 15, 2006)

DNA Denatured Alcohol is basicly rubbing alcohol. you can get it at any grocery store.

MM is micromesh sandpaper. the grits start about 1200 grit and finish at 12000 grit.
do a search for this topic to see what the grits will convert over to regular sandpaper.


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## wdcav1952 (Mar 15, 2006)

Here is a small discussion of denatured alcohol and rubbing alcohol.  I prefer not to use a rubbing alcohol compound that has 30% water when cleaning blanks between grits of sandpaper.

"Question -  what is the difference between denatured alcohol and
rubbing alcohol?
------------------------------------------------
Denatured alcohol is ethanol to which poisonous and foul-tasting chamicals
have been added to make it unfit for drinking. There is more than one
recipe for denaturing alcohol; some add methanol or isopropanol, some
gasoline, and so on.

Rubbing alcohol is an alcohol intended to be rubbed on the skin. Frequently
70% iso-propyl alcohol / 30% water is used; sometimes ethanol with added
iso-propyl alcohol is used. You don't want to use denatured alcohol that is
made with anything that shouldn't be placed on the skin, such as gasoline!

So, some, but not all, kinds of denatured alcohol can be used as rubbing
alcohol. Rubbing alcohol may also not contain any ethanol at all, which
would disqualify it from being "denatured". So, some but not all kinds of
rubbing alcohol are denatured alcohol, and some but not all kinds of
denatured alcohol can be rubbing alcohol."

Richard E. Barrans Jr., Ph.D.
Assistant Director
PG Research Foundation, Darien, Illinois


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## chigdon (Mar 15, 2006)

I think MM 12000 is more like 6000 grit sandpaper (I think).  I can't understand why there are so many different 'grits'.


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## Freds (Mar 15, 2006)

Thanks all of you.  Your input helped clear up some items.


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## Johnathan (Mar 16, 2006)

Just thought I'd mention I pick up my DNA at Walmart. It by the paint and sandpaper. You will be able to find it at any home improvement store like Lowe's, Ace, Home Depot, etc.[8D]


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## GBusardo (Mar 16, 2006)

WOW, That little essay about the difference in alcohol really cleared things up!!![?][?][?][?][?][?]
lol


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## vick (Mar 16, 2006)

The for dummies version as far as I know DNA is basically the same kind of alcohol that you drink.  It has been denatured (poisoned) so that they do not have to pay liquor tax on it.  It is available at most home centers next to paint thinner,turpentine and laquer thinners in the paints section.


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## GBusardo (Mar 16, 2006)

Thanks, Whenever you use either of the alcohols, its obvious that DNA is stonger, now I know why. For years though, I have been using rubbing alcohol on a paper towel to use as a tack cloth. Should I not be using it? I can't see raising grain between grits to be a problem. I really try not to use the stronger solvents, if I don't have to.
Gary


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## MDWine (Mar 16, 2006)

someone at the turners meeting indicated that DNA had methanol in it, which is a poison that can penetrate the skin![:0] (I didn't know that!)... Further, they indicated that exposure could be harmful...

something to think about!!


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## vick (Mar 16, 2006)

all right you made me go to the wikipedia
==============================================================================
Denatured alcohol is ethanol with added adulterants that make it useless for consumption as an intoxicating beverage by rendering it toxic or extremely distasteful to drink, but still useful for industrial processes or as a household chemical. This is done in order to make it exempt from taxes that apply to potable alcohol.

There are diverse industrial uses for ethanol, and therefore literally hundreds of recipes for denaturing ethanol. Typical additives are methanol, isopropanol, methyl ethyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone, denatonium, and even aviation gasoline.

In this sense of the word, denatured means "a specific property of ethanol, its usefulness as a beverage, is removed". The ethanol molecule is not denatured in the sense that its chemical structure is altered.
=============================================================
I have never heard of skin contact causing poisoning, but their is alot that I have never heard about.


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## leatherjunkie (Mar 16, 2006)

thanks for correcting me.

i thought that dna alochol was the same as rubbing alochol[][]


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## byounghusband (Mar 17, 2006)

Here is the chart for MM to Sand paper reference






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