tks fluid buying

[aviatoreb]

Hi All,  TKS fluid is just sky rocketing - memory is I was buying it at $12/gal in 5 gal jugs about 7 or 8 years ago.  I think that was the total shipped to my door price.  And it keeps going up quickly.  Now today I am finding about $30/gal in the 5 gal jugs shipped to my door price (hazmat shipping).

What is the secret sauce - how can I find a more efficient way?

Plus I hate the 5 gal jugs as they are too heavy to use.

[Mark89114]

I think I paid about $120 for 6 gallons from DW Davies.  Including shipping.

[aviatoreb]

14 minutes ago, Mark89114 said:

I think I paid about $120 for 6 gallons from DW Davies.  Including shipping.

Aha!  Bingo!  Thanks.  Yeah that is much better than anything I have been finding so far this year.

[StevenL757]

Guys, like other items that are worth buying in bulk, this is no exception.  I’ve been using these guys for the last several years, and they’ve worked out great.

https://www.tksfluid.com/shop/accuchem-tks-406b-fluid

I’ve ordered the 55-gal drums.  If you call them, they can often do better on the internet price, or throw in shipping at no cost on the drums as well as smaller quantities.  The 55-gal option brings your cost to $11.32 per gal.  Not sure how often you all fly in ice to warrant such a large purchase, but between using it while flying and bleeding the panels on the ground every 30 days or so, I go through a fair amount.  The 55-gal drum usually lasts me about 1 1/2 to 2 years.

Steve

[M016576]

6 minutes ago, StevenL757 said:

Guys, like other items that are worth buying in bulk, this is no exception.  I’ve been using these guys for the last several years, and they’ve worked out great.

https://www.tksfluid.com/shop/accuchem-tks-406b-fluid

I’ve ordered the 55-gal drums.  If you call them, they can often do better on the internet price, or throw in shipping at no cost on the drums as well as smaller quantities.  The 55-gal option brings your cost to $11.32 per gal.  Not sure how often you all fly in ice to warrant such a large purchase, but between using it while flying and bleeding the panels on the ground every 30 days or so, I go through a fair amount.  The 55-gal drum usually lasts me about 1 1/2 to 2 years.

Steve

That’s exactly what I’ve done the past two years- around here 55 gallons lasts about a year.  Just be aware when you order from them, they can only ship the barrels to a business or airport.  I take delivery through my FBO, then move it to the hangar.

Edited November 19, 2017 by M016576

[carusoam]

Use eBay to find stuff like this to ease handling your 55gal drum...

https://www.uline.com/Grp_455/Drum-Handling?pricode=WX530&AdKeyword=drum handling equipment&AdMatchtype=e&gclid=Cj0KCQiA0b_QBRCeARIsAFntQ9qbCi9GQZ5DFQDHdUhzC-aUoWYt7PGNhDNeCT2_kUH1llnbE8Pa2o0aAkN5EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Best regards,

-a-

[milotron]

What is the shelf like for TKS fluid? You think your prices are bad; try buying it in Canada.  2.5gal jugs are the sweet spot for me for material costs versus shipping, but I  should look in to the 55 gal drum costing.

 

iain

[exM20K]

From DW Davies, the 2.5 and 5 gal come with a HAZMAT charge for shipping.  1 Gal,  even in the same total quantities don't.

55 Gal drums are great, but I just ruined about 30 gal with either a cheap pump's corrosion or drywall sanding dust (or both).  the fluid now has floaties and is relegated to bug-sprayer duty for pre-flight surface de-ice.

For me, the 6x1 gallon boxes are the best value.

 

 

-de

Edited November 19, 2017 by exM20K

[RLCarter]

Split the cost of 55gal with someone else or several people for that matter, 

[aviatoreb]

Huh - it never occurred to me that for large purchases like a 55gal drum you could negotiate to skip the shipping cost.  Otherwise there is not a big savings on the big drum because the hazmat shipping is huge.

I don't use enough tks to merit a 55gal drum.  A 30 gal drum maybe likely yes, but I never considered it much beyond because of the hazmat shipping making it not competitive.

Those 6 x 1 gal purchases do seem cheaper (but not bulk) because of the lower shipping rate - not hazmat.

A fellow hangar neighbor had a sr22 and he bought a 55gal drum - but didn't use much more than half and then he moved and rather than move the fluid which at that point was in risk of getting old.... he gave me like 10 gal free!  That rate is hard to beat...  Now if I could just find more cirrus driving surgeons like him to give away the stuff, then we would be talking...

Now on my little rural airfield, I am the only tks airplane - mostly beat up ol' junkers, but otherwise there is a nice P210 but with boots, and a Cessna citation - with boots.  So any purchase I make its all me.  I suppose I could look at the neighbor rural airports to see if I can find a tks-barrel partner.

[JKSmith]

I'd buy the 55gal drum then sell gallon jugs of it to my hanger neighbors for some profit. It may pay for the fluid you use. Just a thought. 

[StevenL757]

On the home page of the site I posted earlier, there’s a $50 coupon to use with your first 55-gal drum...bringing the total to $574.  Comes out to $10.44 per gallon.

Not bad...

[thinwing]

I wonder if there are enough tks users close to me at KSAC...say Petaluma/Santa Rosa/Bay Area to split a 55 or 30 gal barrel...I have a couple empty 5 gal tks containers...so 10 gal would work for me..

[M016576]

Am I the only guy that goes through 55 gallons a year?

 

by that, I’m more wondering how much people are actually using this system.  It gets a good workout for me in the winter months here in Oregon- just starting it up “in case” tends to run me through a gallon or two.

Edited November 21, 2017 by M016576

[aviatoreb]

Just now, M016576 said:

Am I the only guy that goes through 55 gallons a year?

Well there are the boys at fed ex driving those TKS caravan's that say they use a drum or two. And the Canadian mounties air patrol.  But Mooneyspace - I think you win the tks prize.  I'm good for 15gal a year - maybe 20 incl the summer time purging.  I should be buying 30 gal drums eh?

[M016576]

2 minutes ago, aviatoreb said:

Well there are the boys at fed ex driving those TKS caravan's that say they use a drum or two. And the Canadian mounties air patrol.  But Mooneyspace - I think you win the tks prize.  I'm good for 15gal a year - maybe 20 incl the summer time purging.  I should be buying 30 gal drums eh?

 I hit send on my previous message before finishing the thought- but you read my mind!

edit: the prize is I get to spend more money on fluid.... great. Hah!

Edited November 21, 2017 by M016576

[StevenL757]

Was thinking the same thing...  :-)

[thinwing]

16 hours ago, M016576 said:

Am I the only guy that goes through 55 gallons a year?

 

by that, I’m more wondering how much people are actually using this system.  It gets a good workout for me in the winter months here in Oregon- just starting it up “in case” tends to run me through a gallon or two.

That's what you get living under an ice factory!

[peevee]

On 11/18/2017 at 5:30 PM, Mark89114 said:

I think I paid about $120 for 6 gallons from DW Davies.  Including shipping.

That's who I buy from. If you buy the 1gal you skip the hazmat.

[glenn reynolds]

I have the 55 gallon drum and no hazmat shipping fee.  I use about twenty gallons per year.  I do put an extra five gallons in the back when I travel so I don't have to buy it on the road as it is often north of $30 per gallon at FBO.  I love the TKS system and don't see how people fly in the north without  it.  

[aviatoreb]

7 hours ago, glenn reynolds said:

I have the 55 gallon drum and no hazmat shipping fee.  I use about twenty gallons per year.  I do put an extra five gallons in the back when I travel so I don't have to buy it on the road as it is often north of $30 per gallon at FBO.  I love the TKS system and don't see how people fly in the north without  it.  

How did you get it without hazmat?

[glenn reynolds]

commercial delivery to a business.  Don't recall anything other than $550 cost delivered

[CAV Ice Protection]

Another option is to buy direct from CAV Ice Protection, the manufacturer of TKS.

Below is the 2017 pricing which includes commercial shipping and no hazmat fees for orders within the contiguous United States.

We can also ship residential if you call 913-738-5401 to order.

2 x 2.5 gallons - $115.12

5 gallons - $109.80

30 gallons - $542.87

55 gallons* - $795.57

275 gallons* - Call 913-738-5401 to order

*The 55 and 275 gallon drums are HEAVY. Be sure to have a forklift available. If no forklift is available, you can order over the phone and request a liftgate that will be added at no charge.

https://www.caviceprotection.com/store

 

Edited November 30, 2017 by CAV Ice Protection
Added residential shipping