Jump to content

Ethylene Glycol


Recommended Posts

Hi folks, anyone know where I can buy pure ethlyene glycol (i.e. not anti-freeze)? I've read it's the business for dry rot in boats - kills the beasties and opens up the wood's 'pores' so to speak, making it more receptive to epoxy. Wouldn't have the first clue where to buy it though.

Link to post
Share on other sites

It is just simple anti-freeze. In fact, the cheapest ones tend to be the more plain basic. The expensive ones are usually called Corrosion inhibitors. But even if it does have a bit of corrosion inhibitor in it it doesn't hurth anything. Now the one thing you do need to check is if it is a pure glycol or a ready to use, which is the glycol diluted with water to be used directly. Not an economical way of buying it diluted.

Ummm, never heard of it "opening up the pores" of timber before. I would be careful of such a claim. But after talking to motorbike yesterday, he also said he had heard that epoxy still adheares OK to timber treated with Glycol. I have never tested the theory, so can't say.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks Wheels, read some interesting things about it over the weekend. Also interesting to read that those expensive 'penetrating' epoxies (Everdure, CPES, etc) actually don't seem to work as well as plain old bog standard epoxy resin.

 

In case you're interested....

 

http://www.boatdesign.net/wiki/MaterialsForBoatbuilding#PRESERVING_WOOD_AGAINST_DETERIORATION

 

http://www.angelfire.com/nc3/davecarnell/rot.html

 

http://www.storerboatplans.com/wp/boat-building/materials/plywood/qa-epoxy-preservatives-that-soak-into-the-wood-cpes-everdure/

Link to post
Share on other sites

Without reading the links first, the big problem with Evadure was descovered about 10yrs (or probably more now) back. That being of it being porous. The Solvent evaporating would leave "holes" in the epoxy and it was found that timber coated in the stuff still took on water. It is also debatable as to whether the biocide in Evadure actualy helps or not. Sure it kills mould, but the epoxy pretty well locks it up anyway.

A coating of a low viscosity solvent free Epoxy will work just as well in many situations. But if you want to penatrate into timber, a bit of solvent in Epoxy, or the premade versions will work OK, as long as you overcoat again later with a pure undiluted coat to water proof the surface.

 

BB, have you got a problem with some rot??? There are also timber preservatives like Metalex. the advantage of Glycol, is that (apparently) it will absorb right through paint.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi Wheels, sadly it looks so. Tried to dry out the keel floor and paint over it a couple of years ago (knowing no better as I did at the time) and of course the paint has cracked and peeled, leaving the wood open to moisture again. So this time I am determined to do it properly. Sadly though ethylene glycol seems to have a hard time penetrating epoxy or urethane paints (which of course I painted my bilge with), so I'm going to have to scrape it all off again I think. Plus the wood under the paint is still wet, while the exposed wood has now dried out after a couple of weeks on the hard with heaters going. I'll get a friendly boatbuilder to look at it tomorrow (I'm in the yard just now anyway, so might as well).

Link to post
Share on other sites

Get the paint cleaned off and allow it to dry and then see what is soft.

As Motorbike found with his, the black stuff was not actually rot, but old sump oil and diesel that had soaked into the timber and softened it up.

Link to post
Share on other sites

scrape the paint use a dehumidifier for a day or 3 to dry out the bilge, then check for rot as Wheels suggests.

Re soaking epoxy into ply or any soft wood for that matter, a local boat builder suggested using epoxy mix diluted at 75% with meths x 2 applications, this allows the epoxy to get good penetration, then 1 coat of normal strength epoxy, sand and paint if so required.

Link to post
Share on other sites
Well al be durned.Put antifreeze on your toenails and toe jam.Learn something everyday

Ummmmm, it gets absorbed through your skin. I wouldn't be putting it on my toes. It might kill more than just toe jam.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I perhaps should add, there are many Glycols. Not all are poisonus. Glycols are and Organic compund from the Alcohol group.

Ethylene Glycol is the Poisonus one.

Diethylene Glycol. There are Tri's and Pents and so on, but Di is used in the making of Polyesters and urathanes and Paints etc.

Polyethylene Glycol is not poisonus and can be found in foods

Propylene Glycol is not poisonus and is often used in medicenes, food aditives and external body products.

Link to post
Share on other sites

All done, boat went back in on Friday. Scraped it back, blasted it with a heat gun (didn't have time for the full dehumidifier treatment - or a dehumidifier for that matter), soacked 4 coats of everdure in followed by 3 coats of resin, then paint. It aint pretty, but by god it's waterproof!

Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi Bimini Babe,

I cant comment on using it for rot as it is not my area of expertise, however Poisoning is.

Ethylene Glycol is poisonous when ingested. It causes a type of coma (hyperosmolar) which requires ventilation and ICU care. It's common in American alcoholics as anti freeze is cheaper than wine....

It can be absorbed through your skin too so wear gloves when you use it

Cheers

Link to post
Share on other sites

Anectdotally I'll add that it is supposed to taste nice and is attractive to pets. So splashes and drips around the boat if its in your backyard or wherever could be terminal for fluffy .

Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi Wheels,

Yes Apparently a reasonable buzz. Where I am it is mixed with Orange Juice because of "the Intervention" ( keeping Alcohol away from the Aboriginal settlements)

Effects are dose dependent - you need a reasonable amount

Cheers

Dave

Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi I've got ROT

 

It goes down a fitting and into a bit of bluk head ...6' inch or so. Into very hard to get at place

 

From what I've read I was hope to take the steps of killing it by Ethylene Glycol....but would like buy pure is that possible? Auckalnd?

 

Also see mentioned products like Bora-Care® and Ship-Bor®  here ....

 

http://www.angelfire.com/nc3/davecarnell/rot.html

 

Question does any one know where I can but some thing like Bora-Care here in NZ?

 

1 I was hoping to kill Rot with this 

 

2 Then do Ethylene Glycol

 

3 Everdure thin down the No7 thinners to 50%

 

4 Everdure thin down 25%

 

5 Everdure pure then Expoxy and filler

 

Any help advice would great ....Im nevrious  really worried lossing sleep 

Link to post
Share on other sites

Evidure already is thinned down. You can thin it another 10%, but that makes it pretty thin. Evidure also has a spore killer in it. So pour it in. Don't worry about the other products. The only issue is that the Evidure will run right through if there is nothing to catch it bellow. Plus it is stupid expensive. But works well. However, if the rot is soggy wet, evidure will not soak in very well. The timber needs to be allowed to dry for it to work properly.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...