Old chemicals, things you used to use and such.

[wantedabiggergarage]

I still have some containers that were my grandfathers and such (example a huge filter I have no idea what it went to).  And if I had more of the old oil spouts, I might turn them into a coat rack.

However I saw something the other day that I haven't seen in a long time........
Does anyone still use windshield washer tablets anymore?

[bonneyman]

Nope. Never even heard of them.

I make my own washer fluid. One pint bottle of rubbing alcohol and 1/4 cup of ammonia in a gallon jug topped off with distilled water. A drop or two of blue food coloring and I'm set. Though if I find any of the old stuff with methanol in it I snag it!   

[Crispycritter]

Not exactly old. But i havent been able to find a reliable local source for loc tite sticks in red.

[fatfillup]

Have vague memories of of seeing the windshield tabs but never used them

[nelstomlinson]

It's mineral, not chemical, but grandpa used to keep a bucket of asbestos in the shed, for mixing plaster.

[wantedabiggergarage]

It's mineral, not chemical, but grandpa used to keep a bucket of asbestos in the shed, for mixing plaster.

lol

I was in my 20's when I found out the "treasure map" I used to play with, was a roll of asbestos furnace pipe wrap.

[Der Bugmeister]

Used to be cool watching the mercury from a broken thermometer "evaporate" as it rolled around in the palm of my hand 

I won't mention the small pieces of sheet lead that were so pleasantly pliable.  The hell with silly putty!

[slip knot]

I remember dusting our clothes with DDT before we went out in the pastures to keep the ticks off us. EPA did away with the DDT and the imported fire ants did away with the ticks. Seldom see ticks anymore.

[Crispycritter]

How about that red stuff in the bottle my grandpa used to insist on dabbing on every cut much to my displeasure..

[bonneyman]

Henley's Book of Formulas is an interesting read, with lots of ideas for DIY chemicals. From around 1900, I wouldn't trust the medical advice - some of those "remedies" sound downright scary. But alot of the other advice is noteworthy. Used copies are quite cheap on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/Henleys-Formulas-Workshop-Gardner-Hiscox/dp/0517293072

And just about any edition of "The Chemical Formulary" is chock full of cool chemical concoctions. Though quite expensive in book form, many issues are found free on-line.

https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/000837889

[stokester]

How about that red stuff in the bottle my grandpa used to insist on dabbing on every cut much to my displeasure..

[geneg]

In the Summers, the city trash trucks drove thru the alleys fogging for mosquitoes.  We rode bikes behind them at breakneck speed to stay in the cloud of smoke.

Our high school chemistry teacher gave us mercury to play with on the lab tables. 

[Crispycritter]

How about that red stuff in the bottle my grandpa used to insist on dabbing on every cut much to my displeasure..

i think thats it did it ating ? I remember it stinging

In the Summers, the city trash trucks drove thru the alleys fogging for mosquitoes.  We rode bikes behind them at breakneck speed to stay in the cloud of smoke.

Our high school chemistry teacher gave us mercury to play with on the lab tables. 

[J.A.F.E.]

As a kid I remember mercurochrome and merthiolate both contain mercury. And I remember Iodine as well. Not sure if they're still made haven't seen them in a long time. I suppose it worked but I like the modern Neosporin and it's analogs better although if it's bad I'll still apply a liberal amount of Hydrogen peroxide first.

 I, too, played with mercury blobs in school.

[jabberwoki]

I, too, played with mercury blobs in school.


This explains a lot. 

[john k]

In the 90s Ford offered aerosol carb cleaner, worked great, would melt the hard black gunk off carbs and fuel injectors.   Suddenly the can was changed, new formulae.   Nothing about safer, better,  and worked about 40% as well as the old stuff.  Starting fluid!   Yeah,  high explosive ether, guaranteed to inflate about any stubborn tire.   No more, the new stuff will barely burn, no use at all for tires, will barely help an old diesel start.   Brake clean,  saw guys clean everything including their hands,  wonder how many will have strange cancers when they hit 60.   Wonder  if it has been ruined too?

[bonneyman]

Yeah, I've noticed over the past 6-7 years longstanding chemicals and products have been "reformulated" and the new stuff works like crap. WD40, STP gas treatment, Marvel Mystery Oil seems different,  Preparation H, electronic parts cleaner, Berryman's carb cleaner changed years ago, Hoppes #9 gun solvent to name just a few. Many times they change when the original company gets bought out by a new conglomerate. Nowadays before I buy a new can of stuff I look at the SDS on line to see if it's different. Or try and scarf up partial old cans at estate sales.

[J.A.F.E.]

I, too, played with mercury blobs in school.


This explains a lot. 

Hey, don't forget the lead paint and chlorinated solvents.

[hickory n Steel]

Even recently stuff was better than now.
The can of Jasco paint stripper I bought a couple years ago worked so much better than the can I bought a few months back.

[Crispycritter]

I, too, played with mercury blobs in school.


This explains a lot. 

Hey, don't forget the lead paint and chlorinated solvents.

that lead paint add flavor to your crib bars?

[nelstomlinson]

Can you still get zinc chromate paint?

[J.A.F.E.]

that lead paint add flavor to your crib bars?

It was very sweet.

The Romans used it to sweeten wine. The paint manufacturers were just following suit.

[gtermini]

Cutting fluid has never been the same since they took the 1,1,1-trichloroethane out of it. Nothing works like the old stuff for tough stainless. Rumor has it that luckily it can still be found in old bottles of kodak film cleaner and used to dope the adulterated new stuff.

[bonneyman]

You'll find chlorinated compounds in most products that work good because chlorine is such a versatile element. Marvel Mystery Oil used to contain dichlorobenzene. Old paint thinner used methylene chloride. Freon's with chlorine in them were much more miscible in oil which helped with their functional abilities and providing good system lubrication. Old time carb and brake cleaners worked like the charms they claimed because of the presence of chlorinated compounds.
Tucson has this water contamination ruling in effect since the 1980's because the defense contractors in the area used TCE (a chlorinated solvent) to clean their plane and missile parts. Very good degreaser. But they just dumped it and it leaked into the groundwater and now people are being diagnosed with all sorts of diseases. I don't have a problem with chloro compounds so long as safe handling and disposal are adhered to.

[bonneyman]

that lead paint add flavor to your crib bars?

It was very sweet.

The Romans used it to sweeten wine. The paint manufacturers were just following suit.

I never knew that. So that's why winery's used leaded glass in their bottles?

[J.A.F.E.]

Lead was added to glass to alter the molten temperature for longer working times and it results in a clearer glass by altering the refractive index.

[bonneyman]

I didn't know that. Thanks!