Recurring subject: Goo removal

[Tony Duell]

> > Goo removal: Try with acetone or benzine. (petroleum aether? Don't know
> > the english word.) Be carefull with acetone. It will dissolve many
> > plastics.
> I believe benzene is a known carcinogen.  I used to use something called 

At least in England, Benzene |= Benzine. Benzene is C6H6, the simplest 
aromatic compound. Benzine is a mixture of hyrdrocarbons, I think 
obtained for the distillation of crude oil. 

> "Painter's Friend" to slightly soften the existing oil based enamel 
> before applying a new coat on interior trim.  It contained benzene, and 
> I don't believe it is still available as a result.  I was sorry to see 
> it go in a way as it worked really well.  Of course I'd rather not get 
> cancer either...

I suspect in a lot of cases the carcinogenic risk is massively 
overstated. It's probably a problem if you work with the stuff all day 
every day, in large quantities. It's probably much less of a problem (if 
a problem at all), if you use a little from time to time. 

I've been told by somebody who darn well ought to know, for example, that 
PCBs (polychorinated biphneyls, not circuit boards) probably are harmful 
if you work every day on large power transformers. But the amount 
contained in one high voltage capacitor is not going to kill you unless 
you are really stupid with it. 

Anyway, smoking is almost certainly more harmful than any of these 
substances i nthe quanties they are likely to be used here, and I don't 
smoke so I'll take the risk in other ways...

-tony (it's a well known fact that research causes cancer in rats)