source for polyproplyene glycol

herb · Jun 19, 2008

I would like to get a source of not too pricey glycol to mix my pyrocat A in.

About half a gallon would do for quite a while, mixing the A in glycol and B in water.

Can't seem to find a source other than some silly price for 100cc.

Help would be greatly appreciated

jim appleyard · Jun 19, 2008

Did you try Artcraft?

http://www.artcraftchemicals.com/sc...ID=%cartid%&ACTION=action&FILE=/photochem.htm

jgjbowen · Jun 19, 2008

I've gotten mine from Artcraft

keithwms · Jun 19, 2008

Antifreeze?

Reinhold · Jun 19, 2008

Propylene glycol is pretty common stuff, used in soaps, cosmetics, even to treat cows for ketosis (whatever that is).

Befriend a farmer, he's probably bought some from his local Feed & Farm Supply for about $30 per gallon.
Any local soap making artisans nearby?

Or... get it at a resonable price at:
http://www.chemistrystore.com/product.cgi?group=49939&product=64138

Reinhold

www.classicBWphoto.com

Tom Hoskinson · Jun 19, 2008

Reinhold said:
Propylene glycol is pretty common stuff, used in soaps, cosmetics, even to treat cows for ketosis (whatever that is).

Befriend a farmer, he's probably bought some from his local Feed & Farm Supply for about $30 per gallon.
Any local soap making artisans nearby?

Or... get it at a resonable price at:
http://www.chemistrystore.com/product.cgi?group=49939&product=64138

Reinhold

www.classicBWphoto.com

I buy my propylene glycol from www.chemistrystore.com

Jordan · Jun 19, 2008

The title says "polypropylene glycol" -- just to make sure, that's NOT what you want. There is a substance called polypropylene glycol but it's not of much use for mixing darkroom chemicals.

Kino · Jun 19, 2008

Would this work?

http://www.tractorsupply.com/webapp...10551_10001_43434_-1______?rFlag=true&cFlag=1

Larry Bullis · Jun 19, 2008

Kino said:
Would this work?

"Cattle Medicine; 1 gal Size; Ketosis Treatment Type; Propylene Glycol, Feed Grade for Treatment of Acetonemia (Ketosis); For Treatment of Acetonemia (Ketosisi) in Diary Cattle.; 4 x 1 Pack"

http://www.tractorsupply.com/webapp...10551_10001_43434_-1______?rFlag=true&cFlag=1

What are Diary Cattle. Cows writing in books every day? I found a tree where someone had carved "moo". Guess this explains it.

Larry Bullis · Jun 19, 2008

I recently bought a small amount of propylene glycol (not the same but related) from PF. I needed something that would flatten film (some rare films have no backcoatings and curl like corkscrews). Propylene glycol was the ingredient in Kodak's print flattener.

In the process of looking for this stuff, I called a heating/cooling company and indeed, he could have sold me some if I had wanted enough for him to bother with opening a 55 gallon drum. It was used in a certain kind of cold humidifier to keep the moisture content of the air at a 70% level. I didn't need enough, so I got it from Montana.

Mixing up a batch of the stuff with photo flow added did work. Worked very well. The solution does not keep however. Apparently, it is a sort of urschleim; weird stuff grows in it, and I suspect that after enough time, lizards will be crawling out of it.

I don't know if PPG is sold by heating/cooling contractors, but it might be worth a shot.

Kino · Jun 19, 2008

bowzart said:
What are Diary Cattle. Cows writing in books every day? I found a tree where someone had carved "moo". Guess this explains it.

Hey, it's $19 a gallon; I'll venture that NONE of that goes toward spell checking the website...

Larry Bullis · Jun 19, 2008

Probably right. In fact, my guess is that the cows wrote it.

Reinhold · Jun 19, 2008

In case you're wondering how useful (and safe) PG is:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propylene_glycol

For those near Portland, Oregon, there's also:

www.essentialwholesale.com

They've got ascorbic acid at $10 per lb., TEA, PG, glycerol, and other stuff for the HomeBrew photographer crowd.

Photo Engineer · Jun 19, 2008

There is propylene glycol and polypropylene glycol, which are related but not the same chemical. One is an antifreeze and the other is a surfactant. Make sure you know which you want and which you are using as they have different properties.

PE

john_s · Jun 19, 2008

I get my propylene glycol from a refrigeration equipment company.

Larry Bullis · Jun 19, 2008

I think you are going to want propylene, not polypropylene glycol.

Here's a link to Sandy King's formula and instructions. (there was a url link here which no longer exists)

Take a look. He very specifically specifies "propylene".

herb · Jun 19, 2008

proplyene glycol

Is this a great site, or what!

many thanks to all who replied.

Kino · Jun 19, 2008

You know, Tractor Supply is also a great place to by syringes of all sizes; some quite large, intended for treating livestock.

That is where I buy my mixers for Pyrocat HD...

gainer · Jun 19, 2008

www.chemistrystore.com has it at reasonable price as well as a number of other chemicals of use in the darkroom. As jotdan says, you do not want polypropylene glycol. Propylene glycol is 1,2 propanediol, which is what you want. In emergency, if you don't mind the higher viscosity, you can use glycerol from the drugstore. This is 1,2,3 propanetriol.

srs5694 · Jun 20, 2008

I'm another one who's used The Chemistry Store -- in fact, I just got a 10-pound pail of potassium carbonate from them. There is one caveat about them, though: They don't tell you your shipping costs up front (you've got to give them your credit card number first), and they charge a $3.50 flat handling fee per order. For instance, my aforementioned 10-pound pail of potassium carbonate cost $14.63, but shipping was $12.19 and with the $3.50 handling fee it totalled $30.32. That's still fairly cheap; the chemical alone, without shipping, would have been $33.00 from Art Craft -- but OTOH, if I'd bought from Art Craft, I would only have bought 1 pound or perhaps 5 pounds, so I'd probably have spent less. (TCS only sells potassium carbonate in 10- and 24-pound pails.) As it is, I now have a lifetime supply of potassium carbonate sitting in my darkroom.

Overall, it's a pity that TCS doesn't have a slightly wider selection. I often buy elsewhere just because I need two items, but TCS doesn't have one of them and I can't justify the $3.50 handling fee for just one.

Jim Noel · Jun 21, 2008

I find it dificult to locate pure propylene glycol in feed stores except during very cold weather. Sometimes what is stocked is an uknown dilution.
A more reliable, easily accessed source for most people is an RV supply store. Get drinking water system anti-freeze.. It likely will have something added for color, but I have experienced no problems with it. Cost usually runs about $16 per quart. When I buy a gallon at local chemical supplier it runs about $60.

source for polyproplyene glycol

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