Vic Searle wrote in 07 Sep 2005 MMD Digest:

> I cannot speak for what is sold in the US, but here in Japan we can
> buy pure methanol with no water in it.  It is sold by drugstores, but
> we have to furnish proof of identity and clearly indicate what it
> will be used for.  I have had police come to my shop about a week
> after purchase to check on my use.  Pure methanol is very poisonous!

Methanol enters the body easily by ingestion, inhalation or absorption
through the skin.  I would not use it.

For general purposes denatured alcohol will do the trick with lesser
risks.  As a solvent for shellac chips, pure ethanol is to be preferred,
despite the price, but a non-coloured denatured alcohol is also a
good solution.

Jan Kijlstra