Milling Lumber & antifreeze?

[Scott Driemel]

Hello to everyone! I bought a 8" Lucas Mill (swing-blade style sawmill) earlier this spring. Been cutting Maple & Alder Birch and Hemlock like there's no tomorrow but the mill utilizes a big attached water jug which trickles water onto the large circular saw style blade for lubrication and to help keep the sap off. I suppose it even cools the blade a bit as well.
Winter is around the corner and they are calling for -7 C or 25F this next weekend.
Question is, what to do with the water in the tank. I hate to just dump it everyday as the mill is set up a good distance away from any water source so I have to carry it to the mill. I was wondering if I put RV plumbing antifreeze in the water if it would be a problem? My concern is would it stain the wood? It uses very little water, but I'd hate to stain all my wood. Before I set stuff up in the yard and start testing pieces I thought perhaps one of you might have already tried this? The plumbing antifreeze is non toxic, but has a wee bit of color to it.
Any thoughts? Thx as always. Scott

[Brian Vaughn]

Why use commercial antifreeze? The active ingredient is typically methanol...wood alcohol. Just get some of that and put it into your water, it's typically sold clear. That or even some rubbing alcohol. Either one should serve the same purpose as antifreeze and not have coloring added...

[Jerome Hanby]

Same thought here. No way you would have concentrations high enough for it to be flammable.

[Scott Driemel]

hmm, wood alcohol? Gotta' say I've never heard of it but the thought of it being clear would sure do the trick. Is this a product that I could by at HD? or is it something I need a special chemical place or the like to buy it from. Frankly I've never seen the product.

[Marty Paulus]

Actually the anti freeze uses proplyene glycol. While it is an alcohol it is not a simple alcohol. However it should still work. Of course you could always just get some cheap vodka and use that. Same concept and vodka is freeze proof to well below zero....of course some of us would consider that alcohol abuse :o

[Mark Bolton]

Most commonly around here we use windshield washer fluid. Depending on sources for methanol it is often the most cost effective solution to keep your coolant from freezing and you can dump some in your truck if you need it on the way home... yuk yuk.

Mark

[Scott Driemel]

Where I am the windshield antifreeze runs about $3 /gallon and the rv antifreeze about $3.50 so the cost isn't a killer. They are both slightly colored. It's more about the possibility of staining from the dye, but as I say, it hardly trickles out. I never thought about the washer antifreeze!

[Scott Driemel]

Like your idea Marty about the vodka. But I have a feeling the mill might sit inactive but the vodka might be used up quickly. Lets see, ice cold vodka sitting out by the mill ....

[Mark Bolton]

We have used it for years in our mill. Just like in your car, you dont need a lot in the mix and the dye would never stain the wood. I would imagine there would be endless complaints of auto finish damage, stained clothing, stained upholstry, skin, and so on if it were like indigo ink. Too often in this trade/hobby we overthink.

Its not very expensive and saves hauling yet another jug to the mill. Milling lumber sucks anyway (labor intensive) the simpler the better.

Mark

[Marty Paulus]

Like your idea Marty about the vodka. But I have a feeling the mill might sit inactive but the vodka might be used up quickly. Lets see, ice cold vodka sitting out by the mill ....

Anti freeze for the operator.

FWIW the RV anti freeze in these parts runs about $2.99 for the pink. Oh and by the way it will freeze at about 0F despite the label saying it is good to -50F. That is the burst point of the antifreeze. The trick with this stuff is that it does not expand right away when it freezes like water does. The vodka in my freezer just gets thick and better tasting at the 0f temp. :D

[Joe Scarfo]

the anti freeze makes sense to me.. I would call the mill mfgr and ask them for an opinion... What does the mfgr recommend for those working conditions.

Good Luck
Joe