DIY Oil Absorbent Pads ?

[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?

Can I make my own by buying larger amounts of these pads from somewhere industrial that does not have "marine" over their shop door.

[S/V Illusion]

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.

[nigel1]

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.

[stevensc]

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

[MarkJ]

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?

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

[sabray]

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

[feelsgood]

i always use PAMPERS the kids disposable dypers they are made of the same thing as the expensive marine pads

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by feelsgood

i always use PAMPERS the kids disposable dypers they are made of the same thing as the expensive marine pads

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

[S/V Illusion]

Originally Posted by feelsgood

i always use PAMPERS the kids disposable dypers they are made of the same thing as the expensive marine pads

Oil absorbent pads are hydrophylic - that is they repel water. Do you have children?

[Kordie]

Maybe you can import them yourself?

check out www.alibaba.com

Cheers,

S

[Zednotzee]

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

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).

[Chief Engineer]

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

[svstrider]

Originally Posted by Chief Engineer

FWIW if a dollar a pad is too expensive for you....well......I don't know

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?

[svstrider]

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).

[Curmudgeon]

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.