Water bucket at grinder

J

jimwyma

Joined
Sep 10, 2024
Messages
5
Hey folks, with the cold weather coming soon, would there be a downside to adding some normal automotive antifreeze to the water bucket i use for cooling and rinsing at my belt grinder? With an unheated shop, it gets tiresome having to fill and empty it every time I use it...
 
i just chip a hole in the ice. but that was years ago. might think about going to a farm supply store and get a bucket warmer before you close shop just hang it in the bucket and plug it in. next day unplug and set aside
 
Salt is for sure the cheap solution. If you're paranoid about rust - you could also use something like methanol, ethanol or isopropanol and water (i.e., "heet" or "iso-heet" from the auto parts store). The're sort of non-toxic-ish. Here's a chart of freezing temperature vs. ethanol concentration:

Ethanol Freeze Protected Water Solutions

Freezing temperature and flash points for ethanol based water solutions or brines.
www.engineeringtoolbox.com www.engineeringtoolbox.com
 
OP - Check out non-toxic RV or Marine antifreeze. Google MSDSs for propylene glycol and then ethylene glycol and compare the health/toxicity sections. More info, better decision making! Good luck.
 
There are water buckets for horses that have a built in heater. It worth a look at least.
 
A buddy of mine uses propylene glycol in a mixture of 1 part PG and 3 parts water. The problem with that (for me) is that you’re now dunking your hands in SUB freezing water. I lose fine motor skills for grinding when I do that, because frankly I’m not great at grinding.

I’ve found a 50w - 100w aquarium heater in a five gallon bucket is more than sufficient to keep the water from freezing (and even somewhat comfortable) when the temps drop to around 25f.
 
a snowman?
 
Bill DeShivs said:
I can't understand "unheated shop."
If you have power, you can heat it. Why would anyone choose to work in sub freezing temperatures if you don't have to?
Click to expand...

My shop is set up to start heating up about an hour before I start working in there, and turn it off when I head out. My shop isn’t insulated unfortunately, so water can pretty easily freeze overnight during the winter.
 
I use an oil filled radiator in the shop; it doesn't get hot enough to burn me or light dust on fire and it warms things up pretty well, so I start it up a couple hours before I start working in the shop. It's near my dunk tank, so thats one of the first things to get heated up. I walled off and insulated off part of the garage to keep the dust and warmth in and I have a pair of insulated coveralls if it gets really cold. Other than that, I just break the ice.
 
Parking diesel heater for shop heat, large plastic coffee can (plastic type )for grinding dunk. Dump it at end of day carry in with me, fill and take out next grinding session.
 
Last year I got a thermostatically controlled immersion heater that kicks on when the water drops below a certain temp and then turns off at something like 50 degrees
 
Bucket heaters are $20-$30. That’s probably the route I’d go if I lived in a place where water freezes outside…. As it stands, I occasionally have to wear a long sleeve shirt in the winter if I want the shop doors open.
 
Bill DeShivs said:
I can't understand "unheated shop."
If you have power, you can heat it. Why would anyone choose to work in sub freezing temperatures if you don't have to?
Click to expand...

Because the cost to insulate and heat my 50 year old garage (Bangor, Maine) would be astronomical. We work with what we have... I point a directional heater at the grinder while I work, which keeps it comfortable enough.

To the OP, an aquarium heater in my 5gal bucket seems to work well enough. It's not warm, but it keeps the ice away.
 
Nate Webb said:
Because the cost to insulate and heat my 50 year old garage (Bangor, Maine) would be astronomical. We work with what we have... I point a directional heater at the grinder while I work, which keeps it comfortable enough.

To the OP, an aquarium heater in my 5gal bucket seems to work well enough. It's not warm, but it keeps the ice away.
Click to expand...
100%

The garage I’m in is large enough for 4 cars so as long as I’m a little warm I can work. I have thought about tracking down an old wood burning stove for the winter a few times.
 
I have heard nothing but good things about the mini-diesel heaters. The units put out a surprising amount of heat from cheap diesel oil. The exhaust can easily be routed outside the shop. Alternatively, you can put the unit outside the shop and route the air in and out through the wall to the shop.
 
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