Solvents

Solvent choice on a coating job comes down to how fast you want it to leave. That single property decides whether it works as a wipe down, a dye carrier or a thinner.

Acetone flashes off fastest. That makes it the usual choice for wiping a surface right before coating and for cleaning uncured resin off tools, because it does not leave a lingering wet film behind. It is also the standard carrier for acetone-based dyes, where the fast flash is what lets the dye set into the surface quickly.

Xylene is the slow end. A slower evaporation rate is what you want when a coating needs more open time to flow out, or when the surface is warm and everything is flashing too fast to work. Only thin a coating with a solvent the manufacturer approves, and only at the stated amount. Thinning a two-component resin by guess changes the cure, not just the viscosity.

Alcohols sit in between and cover different work. Denatured alcohol and high purity isopropyl are used for cleaning, degreasing surfaces and removing residues where a stronger solvent would attack the substrate.

Handle all of them the same way. Solvent vapors are heavier than air and pool at floor level, which is exactly where this work happens. Ventilate, keep ignition sources away, use chemical resistant gloves, and use a sprayer with solvent rated seals if you are spraying rather than wiping. Store containers closed, since half of what is in an open can is gone by the next morning.