Sciencemadness Discussion Board

How much methanol?

Acetic Acid - 7-10-2011 at 07:34

So my parents bought me some everclear from the liquor store to use as ethanol. (95% v/v) However I'm not really supposed to have this, so I was wondering how much methanol would be needed to completely denature it. If it's possible to make it poisonous without horribly messing it up, I'd like to do that and transfer it to a different container. How much methanol contamination would be necessary for it to qualify as denatured?

hissingnoise - 7-10-2011 at 07:55

Why bother with adulteration--- you're unlikely to be arrested for possessing everclear?
If you're worried, just keep it out of sight . . .



Acetic Acid - 7-10-2011 at 08:08

Thanks for your reply. After doing research I found that 10% or more methanol is usually used, which would make it useless :P

mr.crow - 7-10-2011 at 08:28

Or just put it in a sciencey looking bottle and write denatured on it, hehe

Magpie - 7-10-2011 at 08:49

Put in in your parents' liquor cabinet in the bottle in which it came.

ScienceSquirrel - 7-10-2011 at 09:03

I suspect that the exact legal position is a grey area.
Your parents bought it for you and you have no intention of drinking it. I suspect that if your laboratory is in your home and the bottle stays in there and you do not drink it no offence has been commited.

mr.crow - 7-10-2011 at 11:55

I also like the liquor cabinet idea.

It is a pain in the ass for even university labs to get pure ethanol. Need to jump through hoops

The idea is if cops bust into your lab they can make up some crap and get it to stick with some underage drinking laws. But lets not get paranoid here.

barley81 - 7-10-2011 at 15:24

My parents also bought me Everclear for experiments. I removed the label with hot water and a knife (TEDIOUS!) and relabeled it 'ethanol, 95%'. I think this would prevent the cops from making up something. I could argue that it used to be a spirits bottle but now it is used to contain a chemical. (technically true :D) But it's unlikely that the police would actually come to my house and care about my lab.

simba - 7-10-2011 at 16:46

How will they even be able to prove its your's? Assuming you live with your parents, just say its their's and period.

pip - 8-10-2011 at 09:41

I just wanted to say that ethanol is the antidote to methanol poisioning so it makes sence to need so much to denature it. Do you have pyridine? A few drops in the ethanol and no one will ever want to drink it or try to say someone else is drinking it.

SHADYCHASE54 - 8-10-2011 at 10:25

I just don't understand, your parents bought it for you and your worried about what? That swat is going to descend upon your residence and steal your ethanol? So long as your not carrying it to school with you I'm sure your safe. Not to mention so long as you are not drinking it and it remains in your parents home then it could always be stated that it is simply theirs. Jesus whats with the paranoid trip just take a deep breath remember it only lasts 8-12 hours and soon you land back on steady ground.

Acetic Acid - 9-10-2011 at 06:52

Thanks for everyone who shared their experiences. I just don't want my parents to get in trouble for buying me this is all. Also,

"Jesus whats with the paranoid trip just take a deep breath remember it only lasts 8-12 hours and soon you land back on steady ground."

I'm copy/pasting this and will be putting it on many threads I make in the future. People on this forum are so insecure.

hissingnoise - 9-10-2011 at 07:13

Quote:
People on this forum are so insecure.

Go easy on that there everclear, AA . . .



blogfast25 - 9-10-2011 at 09:42

Quote: Originally posted by hissingnoise  
Go easy on that there everclear, AA . . .


And stay away from the glue!

fledarmus - 10-10-2011 at 04:09

Quote: Originally posted by mr.crow  
It is a pain in the ass for even university labs to get pure ethanol. Need to jump through hoops



The major issue with university labs getting pure ethanol is that they are not paying the alcohol taxes. The government doesn't want anybody taking a sip of anything alcoholic that they haven't gotten their tax money for! Consequently, if the labs are buying uncustomed alcohol, they have to prove that nobody could possibly be drinking any of it.

It might actually be cheaper to just go to the liquor store and buy some everclear, but then they are subject to a whole different set of security standards having to do with storing alcoholic beverages rather than the hoops they already jump through to handle chemicals.

ScienceHideout - 10-10-2011 at 13:59

Quote: Originally posted by mr.crow  
Or just put it in a sciencey looking bottle and write denatured on it, hehe


That's exactly what I would do. :D

But... Who would ever see your chems anyways?
If the DEA broke into your basement, the alcohol would be the least of their worries.