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Methanol For Home Brew - 10/21/2006 9:32:36 AM   
efish


 

Posts: 459
Joined: 8/12/2005
From: Singapore, SINGAPORE
Status: offline 		Hi everyone, I moved into the larger glow engines recently (.40 and up) and my fuel cost is burning a hole in my wallet! I can burn what used to be a week's supply for my 1/2A planes in a couple of flights!

Anyhow, I've been reading through the "Home-brew fuel" thread with much interest. Just one question:

About the only source of methanol I can find locally is stuff from hardware/paint shops being sold as "Methanol Spirit". Actually, I've been buying the stuff for years to thin epoxy and prep surfaces before gluing. Even used it in my alcohol camping stove.

Of course when I ask, the shop swears that its methanol. Unforunately, it's obviously been repackaged and there are no markings on the cans.

My question is: is it safe for me to try mixing up a batch with this "Methanol Spirit" stuff? I will strain and filter while mixing and there's always a filter in my fuel feed lines, but is there any chance I'll damage the engine?

I will probaly be trying try low or no nitro with 20% castor and use tach readings to check performance.

Thanks.
       Post #: 1

RE: Methanol For Home Brew - 10/21/2006 4:25:46 PM   
hpi apollo



Posts: 2639
Joined: 5/13/2006
From: Georgetown, KY, USA
Status: offline 		your best bet to to track down a shop that has some pure methanol in a 5 gallon drum, that stuff at the hardware store usually has random chemicals mixed in with it, i pay $21/5 gallons, called around for motorcycle shops that might carry some methanol and nitro, or be able to order it for you


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       Post #: 2

RE: Methanol For Home Brew - 10/22/2006 11:37:06 AM   
efish


 

Posts: 459
Joined: 8/12/2005
From: Singapore, SINGAPORE
Status: offline 		Thanks, was just hoping for a quick and easy way to do this since I pass my regular hardware shop just about everyday.

Will try and find a 5 gallon drum - that would probably be a lot cheaper.

(in reply to hpi apollo)
       Post #: 3

RE: Methanol For Home Brew - 10/22/2006 2:21:40 PM   
RCPAUL


 

Posts: 619
Joined: 12/15/2001
From: Gahanna, OH, USA
Status: offline 		Are you sure that what you've been buying is not methylated spirit? This is the same as denatured alcohol - ethanol with a little methanol or other chemical added to make it non-drinkable. It can be used in camp stoves.

Paul

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RE: Methanol For Home Brew - 10/22/2006 4:53:46 PM   
efish


 

Posts: 459
Joined: 8/12/2005
From: Singapore, SINGAPORE
Status: offline 		Hi Paul, funny thing is that I've always thought it was methylated spirit and used it as such.

But the label on the can/bottle says "Methanol Spirit" and the shop seems to think it's 100% methanol.

Will start looking for a methanol supplier, but in a pinch, would running methylated spirit (if that's even possible), or questionably pure methanol damage an engine?

Thanks.

(in reply to RCPAUL)
       Post #: 5

RE: Methanol For Home Brew - 10/24/2006 3:03:50 AM   
hpi apollo



Posts: 2639
Joined: 5/13/2006
From: Georgetown, KY, USA
Status: offline 		use methanol, nothing else, use what engines are intended to run on and you will no have problems, there are other chemicals in that hardware alcohol too


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95% of statistics are made up on the spot

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       Post #: 6

RE: Methanol For Home Brew - 10/24/2006 4:04:12 AM   
efish


 

Posts: 459
Joined: 8/12/2005
From: Singapore, SINGAPORE
Status: offline 		Yeah, that's what I thought, HPI_Apollo. Thanks.

It's holiday period here right now, so I'll resume my "great methanol" search tommorrow. Thanks again.

(in reply to hpi apollo)
       Post #: 7

RE: Methanol For Home Brew - 10/24/2006 9:10:07 PM   
Sport_Pilot



Posts: 7652
Joined: 1/21/2002
From: Acworth, GA, USA
Status: offline 		To call it a spirit implies there is only a small amount. A ghost of itself. Do an internet yellow page search for VP Racing Fuel, I don't know if they ship to Singapore or not, or if this is the best way to get methanol in your area, but it wouldn't hurt to e-mail them and ask.

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RE: Methanol For Home Brew - 11/2/2006 1:45:34 PM   
speedster 1919



Posts: 1467
Joined: 12/17/2004
From: Martinsville, IN, USA
Status: offline 		Sport pilot He's in Sigapore. I doubt they would have a drag racing outlet. I know in other parts of the world methanol is called something else.

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       Post #: 9

RE: Methanol For Home Brew - 11/2/2006 5:23:25 PM   
efish


 

Posts: 459
Joined: 8/12/2005
From: Singapore, SINGAPORE
Status: offline 		Thanks Speedster. Have tracked down a possible source that I will be checking out tommorrow.

Apparently, Go-Karts used to run on methanol and nitro, but these days, I understand that they all run on regular petrol.

(in reply to speedster 1919)
       Post #: 10

RE: Methanol For Home Brew - 11/2/2006 7:55:21 PM   
Sport_Pilot



Posts: 7652
Joined: 1/21/2002
From: Acworth, GA, USA
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: speedster 1919

Sport pilot He's in Sigapore. I doubt they would have a drag racing outlet. I know in other parts of the world methanol is called something else.


Which is why I mentioned shipping. Did you not read that?


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RE: Methanol For Home Brew - 11/2/2006 7:57:00 PM   
Sport_Pilot



Posts: 7652
Joined: 1/21/2002
From: Acworth, GA, USA
Status: offline
quote:

Apparently, Go-Karts used to run on methanol and nitro, but these days, I understand that they all run on regular petrol.


Go Karts run on gas. Racing karts run on methanol. I don't think there are any that use nitro, except maybe a cheater or two.

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RE: Methanol For Home Brew - 1/28/2007 4:09:30 PM   
Fuel Dinosaur


 

Posts: 85
Joined: 6/25/2002
From: Warrenton, GA, USA
Status: offline 		I would check the MSDS safety data sheet for the methanol to make sure the purity and major contaminants, like water, ethanol, etc. When you find out their supplier, you can find out either online or in the store catalog the exact description of what they are supplying you. I agree that a kart racing place or motorcycle shop (or speed or racing shop) is fine for a local supply. Do not forget about local industries that either have, or can get good methanol for you. VP Racing sells M-1 methanol in 55 gallon drums for club use. My current 110 gallons are 99.985% pure, okay a little overkill, but what can you expect from someone with a chemistry degree in their bag of degrees?
In a local speed shop, I did find some really clean nitromethane. VP has that too, but for a 30 gallon barrel, you have to bring your firstborn with you when you pick it up. Not. Many modelers have come to the conclusion that with small quantities of methanol, relatively expensive oils and very expensive nitromethane, and the wonders of hazmat shipping costs, you really have to use a lot of fuel to justify making your own. Having mixed all my fuels for longer than I care to remember, I have never known otherwise. A few pilots gave me some fuel to test, including some green all synthetic stuff. I just LOVE to see my engines smoke like that after a run.

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       Post #: 13

RE: Methanol For Home Brew - 1/30/2007 7:23:11 AM   
efish


 

Posts: 459
Joined: 8/12/2005
From: Singapore, SINGAPORE
Status: offline 		Thanks for that Fuel Dinosuar, with some difficulty, I finally managed to get some methanol from the "friend-of-the-wife-of-a-fellow-flier" who happens to run a chemical factory.

Now my the only thing I can't seem to find is Nitro. There are no speed shops that I know about locally.

Was told that post 9/11, it's now a controlled substance here, but there are persistent rumors of limited availability from various sources. Will try to track it down, but failing which, I'll try some 0% and/or cut some of my 5% with the stuff.

At one time, I was burning about a gallon a week so premixed fuel cost was substantial. I've about halved that now by flying smaller engines less frequently, but 2 gallons a month still costs a bit.

Thanks anyhow.

(in reply to Fuel Dinosaur)
       Post #: 14

RE: Methanol For Home Brew - 1/30/2007 1:34:12 PM   
Fuel Dinosaur


 

Posts: 85
Joined: 6/25/2002
From: Warrenton, GA, USA
Status: offline 		Re: nitromethane- A controlled substance is quite different from a banned or illegal substance in the case of nitromethane. If there is not a complete ban on nitromethane in your country, a chemist type person can probably obtain the nitromethane in small quantities, like gallons or 5 gallon quantities. I have about 30 gallons or so right now and did have to explain that I was using the nitromethane as a solvent and for model fuels. It did not hurt that I have a degree in chemistry a