Methanol Foam Brush Soap

[JMMUSTANG]

Another worry I have with methanol is if it is flammable and something should happen to ignite it would it be covered under insurance?

 

[Mel(NC)]

JMMustang, all I use is the -20 degree windshield washer fluid from wally world. I mix it in a 55 gallon drum using the ratio from the chart on this website http://www.chem-pro.com/freeze.html. We don't get below 10 degrees so this is my target. I have my system set up to switch from methanol to regular soap when the temp gets above freezing. I use about 60 gallons of windshield washer fluid over the winter. I increased the amount of soap by 50% because of one of the posting I read here a couple of years ago that said methanol reduces the effectiveness of the soap. I have been doing this for a couple of years with no problems.

According to the chart, normal windshield washer fluid is 33% methanol. I have not priced it, but I can't imagine pure methanol would be any cheaper. Also, I don't have the potential hazard of storing 100% methanol.

 

[MEP001]

JMMUSTANG, it seems like it should work, but you might want to do some price comparisons. $1.29 per gallon of something that's only 33% methanol vs. $3 per gallon of methanol, and you're already a bit ahead. You could premix a solution in a 55 so you're never storing pure methanol.

 

[Wally]

Sequoia, when you put the gallon of methonal in five gallons of soap which tip do you use?

 

[bneckrock]

I received the following email from someone who's trying to get my winter foaming brush business:

Thanks for taking my call today. As I indicated on the phone, winter foaming brush pricing is continuing to rise. Our current price is $212.80 for 55 gallon drum of 95% methanol. Some of the competitors are only 50% meth. Make sure you know what you are getting.

You can dilute ours around 2 to 1 and it is good to -10?F or better. 8 to 1 dilution gets you to around 20.

Can I get any comments?

 

[soapy]

Here are the figures I was given years ago on dilutions. A 10% final mixture is good to 25, a 20% good to 10, a 30% is good to 0 and a 40% is good to -10. I mix my methenol up by taking 5 to 10 gallons of methenol out of the barrel and adding 5 gallons of foamy brush concentrate. I go through a hydrominder with no tip in the coldest part of the winter and have never had frozen brushes. In early winter and late winter when temps are not as cold I add a tip to cut the mixture to about 10%.

 

[Sequoia]

Depending on temperature, I go up 1 or 2 tip sizes in winter after adding the methanol to the soap. This year, I didn't bother with 1 tip size and just bumped it up 2.

 

[Jim Caudill]

Just picked up 30gal of methanol this afternoon. Pumping it into my own plastic drum, came to $89.46 out the door. With my winter foam brush additive, this means I'm paying about $190 for a 55gal of solution. Note that this means I'm supplying the drum, picking up my additive and methanol, and mixing it myself. If someone offered to do all this for me for an additional $22, I think I'd take them up on it.

 

[JMMUSTANG]

Just added 17 gals. of -25 windshield washer fluid and 2 gals. of b.b. soap to a 20 gal. container.
Using no tip in the hydrominder.
I put in 2 gals. in the main tanks.
Praying it doesn't freeze tonight(low 30's) or tomorrow night (20's).

 

[Waxman]

Soapy

the only place i know of for chemical supply is my cw soap distributor.

where do i start looking?

how much should i pay for methanol?

thanks!

 

[Randy]

Dave,
The first place I?d start looking would be with a local oil supplier like Peterborugh Oil Co., Inc. 665 N Main St Leominster MA 01453 1-800-366-7624.

According to one of my soap suppliers Methanol has taken a big jump in price.

 

[Waxman]

thanks. looking into it.

 

[soapy]

I paid $179 for 55 gallon drums last week. There is a $35 drum deposit also but I get that back at the end of winter when I turn them back in. I get mine from a petroleum distributor. Usually a gas wholesaler has it.

 

[Buzzie8]

I'm assuming 4 gallons of Methanol and one of concentrate would do the same thing if mixing into a 5 gallon bucket. Also, I'm assuming that you still mix this with water in your pump stations with a hydrominder, correct?

 

[dharschman]

location of Methanol

I am north of Dayton Ohio and would like to know where it is you fill your drums with methanol if you would be kind enough to give out that information .


Thanks
Dale

Same here, find out where your local midget racers get their alcohol. My supplier has pumps just like at the gas station; pull up fill up your tanks, go inside and pay. I used to get mine from a chemical supplier in 55 gal metal drums. Too much trouble. I now use 2 of the 15gal plastic drums and fill up myself.

 

[Jim Caudill]

To fill your own containers, you can go to Duncan Oil @ 849 Factory Rd. Beavercreek, OH 45434 (937) 426-5945. They are about 1/4mile North of US 35. They sell a lot of methanol to the racers at Kil-Kare. One of their employees has a car wash, so they are very familiar with what we do.

To get it by the drum, try Gem City Chemicals Inc. @ 1287 Air City Ave Dayton, OH 45404. Very near the Stanley Ave exit off I-75.

I get my foaming brush concentrate from JBS in Lebanon.

 

[washnvac]

What is Metanol going to be this Winter? I think it was $355 per drum from KR last year. Does anyone have an air blow down system? It seems to me you could use the Weepmizer to send air through the lines at 34 F instead of the Methanol purge. Then use another time delay relay to send air every 30 minutes or so to keep any residual moisture from freezing. Then on each bay put a time delay relay on the air manifold so that at the end of foam brush use, the air only runs for 60 seconds or however long is needed to clear the line. I can buy a whole mess of relays for the cost of one drum of Methanol. It will probably be $400 this year. I think I will try my busiest location this year where I use 4-5 drums. Thoughts?

 

[Jim Caudill]

On May 22, 2008 it was $2.67/gallon. Why do you think it will go to $8/gallon? If this were true, we could all make some real money by buying up Methanol now and selling it this winter. Hmmm, sounds like speculation, doesn't it?

 

[Buzzie8]

Here is where you can get it in the Western PA area:

http://www.ppclubricants.com/

 

[washnvac]

I was basing price on the finished product from KR last year at $355 +/-. I do not have a supplier (that I know of) for the Methanol only in my area. I am going to check around at some petro dealers, though as previous posts suggested. If I can get it for about $3 per gallon, that is worth it. I am in lower Delaware, if you know of anyone that supplies in this area. Although, the air blow down seems like a decent idea, too.