SWIM went looking for xylene today at the hardware store and didn't realize it was paint thinner SWIM must not have put much thought into it. Well his question is if xylene and lacquer thinner are any different?

hmmm, yes

ok i guess that wasnt specific enough i ment can lacquer thinner be used in an extraction? i know they are obviously different but are the chemicals in them that react with the MHRB any different?

Check the FAQ, maybe this helps

More specifically, look the exact brand you have, read the label and search if there is MSDS available from it on the internet (and/or look in the link above for the thread which has information on solvents, maybe the brand you can find is there), and see what are the exact ingredients.

Also it is wise to do an evaporation test on the solvent even if the MSDS states thats it 99% pure.

Try evapping something like 50ml on a glass pyrex dish and if theres residue after scraping,find another brand for the solvent your looking for.