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Ask HN: What kind of whiteboard does not use dry erase markers?

32 points dandrew5 | 2 comments | 15 Mar 25 18:46 UTC | HN request time: 0s | source

I've been using a dry erase whiteboard for decades and am in the market for something different. Someone mentioned in another thread they were using some kind of magnetic board (maybe it wasn't magnets, I can't remember 100%) but I can't find anything like this online.

Anybody have any recommendations?

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firefax ◴[17 Mar 25 17:40 UTC] No.43390886[source]▶
Slightly off topic, but if you ever write on a whiteboard with a sharpie, you can write over the text with an erasable marker and then wipe it away.
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brudgers ◴[17 Mar 25 19:07 UTC] No.43391764[source]▶
If you want to remove Sharpie, use IPA...isopropyl alcohol...India pale ale remains useless.
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echelon ◴[18 Mar 25 04:36 UTC] No.43395798[source]▶
Isopropyl removes all inks and glues. It's incredible.

It's also fantastic to wash your hands with when doing cell and tissue cultures and trying to avoid contamination.

replies(2): >>43395829 #>>43395833 #
Two4 ◴[18 Mar 25 04:41 UTC] No.43395833[source]▶
It's also similarly great for killing braincells when auto-applied orally
replies(1): >>43395944 #
dreamcompiler ◴[18 Mar 25 05:01 UTC] No.43395944[source]▶
No. You're thinking of ethyl alcohol. If you ingest isopropyl alcohol you're gonna have a bad day.

Oh and make sure the label on the ethyl alcohol does not contain the word "DENATURED." That's code for "tastes like shit and makes you sick."

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1. swe02 ◴[18 Mar 25 18:04 UTC] No.43402631[source]▶
Isopropanol is relatively safe to drink in small amounts (single digit mL). It's only about 2x stronger than ethanol, and your liver metabolizes it to acetone, which is safe.

Denatured alcohol contains methanol, which is way more dangerous since you metabolise it to formaldehyde.

Source: I unknowingly got drunk on IPA fumes before work one time and wrote some really bad code

replies(1): >>43403766 #
2. dreamcompiler ◴[18 Mar 25 19:21 UTC] No.43403766[source]▶
Methanol is indeed quite toxic but it is not the only denaturant. There are many others [0]. When methanol is used as a denaturant, special labeling is required [1]. Most of the denatured ethyl alcohol I've seen in pharmacies in recent years has not contained methanol but merely bittering agents, because methanol is so dangerous.

[0] https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CFR-2003-title27-vol1/xm...

[1] https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2016-20712/p-284