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17-04-2010, 09:54
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#1
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Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: back on Gold Coast after swallowing the anchor
Boat: boat less ATM
Posts: 318
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DIY Oil Absorbent Pads ?
Basically being a cheapskate, I was wondering why oil absorbing bilge pads cost so much. Does anyone ine know what they are made of?
Can I make my own by buying larger amounts of these pads from somewhere industrial that does not have "marine" over their shop door.
__________________
Paul & Kaspar de Wonda Dog
S/V "Pelican V"
"Trust not a living soul and step warily around the dead"
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17-04-2010, 09:59
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#2
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Lakewood Ranch, FLORIDA
Boat: Alden 50, Sarasota, Florida
Posts: 3,470
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At that price, the markup on these is so small, the only way to get them cheap is by purchase in bulk. They come is 100 sheet packages which would last the normal user a few lifetimes and you might save 30%.
Try either auto supply distributors or oil spill cleanup contractors.
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17-04-2010, 10:36
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#3
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Manchester, UK
Boat: Beneteau 473
Posts: 5,591
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Get over to Liverpool and you'll get some for free, they seem to keep falling off my tug boat into my rucksack each time I go home.
__________________
Nigel
Beneteau 473
Manchester, UK
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17-04-2010, 11:21
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#4
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Thibodaux, Louisiana
Boat: Monk 36 Trawler
Posts: 679
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I buy mine from a place that caters to shrimpers I don't recall the price but they weren't expensive. Look for a hardware store near commercial fishing docks.
Steve
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17-04-2010, 11:52
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#5
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Long Range Cruiser
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Australian living on "Sea Life" currently in England.
Boat: Beneteau 393 "Sea Life"
Posts: 12,822
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Quote:
Originally Posted by svstrider
Basically being a cheapskate, I was wondering why oil absorbing bilge pads cost so much. Does anyone ine know what they are made of?
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Why don't you use toilet paper?
Is spiled oil a more important comodity?
We use toilet paper for everything. We had a guest for dinner the other night.....
Oh well.
mark
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17-04-2010, 12:51
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#6
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Wash DC
Boat: PETERSON 44
Posts: 3,165
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Try defender industries. Pretty cheap I pack them over the sump pit so they act like a screen catch all the crap in the bilges plus the nuts and bolts I drop
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17-04-2010, 13:25
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#7
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Morlaix Brittany France blog: theguerns.blogspot.com
Boat: Colvic Watson/32ft/Feels Good
Posts: 461
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i always use PAMPERS the kids disposable dypers they are made of the same thing as the expensive marine pads
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17-04-2010, 14:45
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#8
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Moderator
Join Date: May 2008
Location: cruising SW Pacific
Boat: Jon Sayer 1-off 46 ft fract rig sloop strip plank in W Red Cedar
Posts: 21,184
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Quote:
Originally Posted by feelsgood
i always use PAMPERS the kids disposable dypers they are made of the same thing as the expensive marine pads
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Say What?
I thought that the bilge pads absorbed oil but not water, and from memory (been a long time since I had a kid in diapers) Pampers et al are supposed to absorb water, not oil. At least, none of my kids seemed to leak oil!
Anyone understand this?
Cheers,
Jim
__________________
Jim and Ann s/v Insatiable II, lying Port Cygnet Tasmania once again.
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17-04-2010, 17:23
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#9
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Lakewood Ranch, FLORIDA
Boat: Alden 50, Sarasota, Florida
Posts: 3,470
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Quote:
Originally Posted by feelsgood
i always use PAMPERS the kids disposable dypers they are made of the same thing as the expensive marine pads
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Oil absorbent pads are hydrophylic - that is they repel water. Do you have children?
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18-04-2010, 07:39
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#10
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Newcastle, Australia
Boat: Beneteau 393
Posts: 101
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Maybe you can import them yourself?
check out www.alibaba.com
Cheers,
S
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18-04-2010, 08:42
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#11
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Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Oromocto, New Brunswick
Boat: 1976 Alberg 37 Yawl hull 172
Posts: 395
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MarkJ
Why don't you use toilet paper?
Is spiled oil a more important comodity?
We use toilet paper for everything. We had a guest for dinner the other night.....
Oh well.
mark
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That'll work, but the oil absorbent pads are hydrophobic. They're usually used for spill response to prevent environmental contamination- since they don't absorb water, you can skim the oil off the top. They do the same thing in the bilge, then you pump the clean water overboard. They can be used multiple times too (depending on how much oil you're soaking up).
__________________
Facts are for people who can't create their own truth. Fact.- Bucky Katt
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18-04-2010, 08:48
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#12
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Eternal Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: North of Baltimore
Boat: Ericson 27 & 18' Herrmann Catboat
Posts: 3,798
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Do not use disposable diapers.....unless you want to replace bilge pumps...they don't work and degrade to a gooey glop if left in bilges.
FWIW if a dollar a pad is too expensive for you....well......I don't know
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18-04-2010, 09:40
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#13
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Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: back on Gold Coast after swallowing the anchor
Boat: boat less ATM
Posts: 318
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chief Engineer
FWIW if a dollar a pad is too expensive for you....well......I don't know
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Yes, Chief, a dollar a pad would be good but try about $US13.50 for these two products which are all that Whitworths, one of the cheapest chandleries in OZ, sell.
Whitworths Marine: Paint & Maintenance > Oil & Fuel Absorbent > >
THAT IS WHY i am looking for a cheaper alternative. I guess the 3M product absorbs a lot more oil / diesel but is it 13 times better?
__________________
Paul & Kaspar de Wonda Dog
S/V "Pelican V"
"Trust not a living soul and step warily around the dead"
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18-04-2010, 10:07
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#14
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Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: back on Gold Coast after swallowing the anchor
Boat: boat less ATM
Posts: 318
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In doing my research re cheaper oil absorbers I found 3M literature that says that 90% of the absorbed distillate can be rung out and pillow can be reused. Now why doesn't that info appear on the product literature included with the product when you buy it at the chandlery??? I always just throw them away the first time. OOPS
see http://multimedia.3m.com/mws/mediawe...vTSevTSeSSSSSS--
I also see that the pads (HP256) absorb 2.5 litres while the large pillows (63 x 36 cm T240) absorb 13L. The Whitworth 3M Bilge Pillow is only 40 x 18 cm s would probably absorb proportionately less (?6L).
__________________
Paul & Kaspar de Wonda Dog
S/V "Pelican V"
"Trust not a living soul and step warily around the dead"
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18-04-2010, 12:09
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#15
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Boston, MA
Boat: Bristol 38.8
Posts: 1,625
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Do you have auto parts stores in OZ, like Napa? That's where I buy them. I think they're $4-5 apiece. I also get my oil filters at Napa.
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