08-03-2012, 10:54 PM
I've used the 70% isopropyl for diluting India ink, but haven't found any other use for it. The 99% version is good for stripping some brands of paint and I suppose it would work for thinning India ink, too. I find the odour of both to be very irritating, so don't use it for much else. The only hardware store alcohol of which I'm aware is methyl hydrate, commonly used for thinning shellac. I used it for years for stripping paint from plastic body shells, and it was very effective on Athearn, MDC, Train Miniature, and the like. For Atlas and Rivarossi, results varied from good to almost useless. 
It's main drawback is that it's very volatile and the fumes are not very good for your health. Even worse, the liquid is readily absorbed through the skin (and the vapours through your eyes). Short term effects include nerve damage, and it's harmful, over time, to the liver and kidneys. I no longer use it very often (it's much less effective removing modern paints) but I've had a lot of exposure to it over the years before I was aware of the dangers. If I use it nowadays, it's while wearing nitrile gloves and a two-stage respirator. The horse, however, has probably already left the barn. 
Wayne
It's main drawback is that it's very volatile and the fumes are not very good for your health. Even worse, the liquid is readily absorbed through the skin (and the vapours through your eyes). Short term effects include nerve damage, and it's harmful, over time, to the liver and kidneys. I no longer use it very often (it's much less effective removing modern paints) but I've had a lot of exposure to it over the years before I was aware of the dangers. If I use it nowadays, it's while wearing nitrile gloves and a two-stage respirator. The horse, however, has probably already left the barn. Wayne