Used anti-freeze source?

[Lil Foot]

I recently picked up an old yard roller/road compactor. (sorry, keep forgetting to take pics) Very old school, thinnest material is 5/16" steel, 61 1/2" wide, weighs 335lbs empty, should be 911lbs full. It's pretty rusty, approximately 60 years old, & my place in the mountains occasionally gets down to -15 degrees F. I would like to fill it with something that won't freeze or rust, so I thought I would get used anti-freeze from various garages, oil change places etc..
I thought they would be anxious to get rid of old anti-freeze, but was shocked to find most places dump used anti- freeze into their used oil tanks. A few places keep it separate, but would not let me have (or buy) any because of liability. I need about 70gals of liquid, and would prefer to not have to take out a second mortgage to pay to fill a yard roller. Any ideas?

 

[lsmurphy]

Yeah, fill with water, use, drain for winter.

 

[skeets]

If you can find a junk/auto salvage yard you might be able t pick some up after telling him what you need it for,, if not like Murph said fill it in the spring and dump it in the fall

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Fill it with sand almost to the top then use a 50/50 mix of water and antifreeze just to top it off. I weighs more than strait antifreeze and is a heck of a lot cheaper.
You can use strait dry sand only too.

 

[Lil Foot]

Yeah, fill with water, use, drain for winter

Trouble is, I want to use it from now until probably early to mid December, depending on the first major snow that sticks.

ill it with sand almost to the top then use a 50/50 mix of water and antifreeze just to top it off.

Interesting, I'll have to check into that suggestion, thanks.

 

[lsmurphy]

Wet sand will NEVER come out of it.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Wet sand will NEVER come out of it.

I've done it several times, just flush it out with a hose...I wouldn't do it in the middle of winter though!

 

[gssixgun]

Not sure about where yer at, but up here the Dump/Land Fill we have a separate section for automotive waste products.. There are Gallons of used antifreeze just sitting there.. Keep in mind that you will have to test the mix for where the ratio is at..

I like the idea of the sand, way less chance of a leak

 

[Lil Foot]

Around here, (Phoenix, AZ area) lots of cities have hazardous materials turn in days for such things as anti-freeze..... but it is impossible to get anything from them, I've tried.

As for sand, wet or dry, the fill port is a brass male garden hose fitting, with maybe a 5/8" hole..... kind tough to get any quantity in or out..... maybe I can weld in a larger port of some kind.

 

[Eric McCarthy]

Here's a completly left field thought. Go to Wal-mart or somewhere cheap and buy a electric heating blanket like you would for a bed and wrap the roller in it and plug it up on High. Naturally you'd have to keep the roller dry from rain/water but I don't see why it wont work.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Hey put a block heater in it and then you'll have a hot roller! HAHAHA

Just weld in a 4" pipe plug or bung out of a 55 gal drum.

Home depot has test plugs (rubber stoppers) for holes up to 4" holes too.

 

[Lil Foot]

I have a magnetic block heater that I haven't been able to use for the tractor, (can't access any place on the engine to stick it) maybe I should use that. Only one minor problem- no power yet in the garage. Guess I better get busy digging that power line trench! Hopefully the power doesn't go off for long periods up there. Keep the ideas coming!

On an impractical (ridiculous?) note, a neighbor suggested filling it with lead shot or BBs. Even if I could afford that, I doubt I could move it! Maybe with my F350 6.0L.....

 

[skeets]

Lil Foot if you find that much lead shot laying around cheap please,,, please,,,, please,,,, let me know I ll come pick it up!!!

 

[Lil Foot]

Lil Foot if you find that much lead shot laying around cheap please,,, please,,,, please,,,, let me know I ll come pick it up!!!

Yeah, I know the feeling!

 

[ipz2222]

Used antifreeze is what i have in my roller and 3ph weight. I took a gas water heater and shortened it to fit between my lift arms and put sand and used anti freeze in it. Just added some more today. Sorry you're not close, I have about 30 gallons.

 

[MagKarl]

My Grandpa had a gang of rollers that were probably 24" diameter pipe and 6 or so feet long, filled solid with concrete. Do you think you'll really need to unload it in the future?

 

[Eric McCarthy]

This is where the landscaper in me gets real technical and ponders why in sam hell you'd want to roll a lawn? Its kind of counter productive from aeration which is suggested to be done twice a year on a lawn.

Packing it down or unpacking...

 

[Lil Foot]

Actually, I don't want to roll a lawn, I don't even have a lawn. I want it for compacting a road bed that I'll be modifying soon. I learned early on that if I call it a road roller, everyone assumes it's one of those two rollered, self propelled things for compacting asphalt paving.

 

[Lil Foot]

Do you think you'll really need to unload it in the future?

I'm not sure, but I'd like to keep that option open for now..... empty, I can wrestle it around & even load it on a trailer by myself.

 

[BadDog]

This is where the landscaper in me gets real technical and ponders why in sam hell you'd want to roll a lawn? Its kind of counter productive from aeration which is suggested to be done twice a year on a lawn.

Packing it down or unpacking...

Aren't they used mostly for either rolling in fresh laid sod, or for going over top-coat when reseeding to bring the top-coat/soil into firm contact with the new seed.