solubor liquid

farmfromkansas · February 12, 2020, 12:19:44 PM

Went to a crop meeting yesterday, featured Winfield United, put on by the local Coop, and I asked the speaker after the meeting if they had Solubor. He asked another guy who said they did have it, and the coop guy from another branch said they could get me another product that is in liquid form, which would work better in a sprayer, as the stuff would not settle out. Did not get the name of the stuff, but they are to get me a box. Asked earlier at the local branch and they were not familiar with solubor, so took the opportunity at this meeting. There was a lot of talk about micro nutrients, and seems boron is needed on our farms, along with N, P, and K, along with a lot of other micro nutrients. Will post the name of this product when I get the box.

Southside · February 12, 2020, 05:02:58 PM

Interesting. I would like to know the concentration if you find out. It is a good amendment for any oil seed crop.

Don P · February 12, 2020, 06:35:30 PM

Our soil tests are back for this year and we can still use boron which means I'm still safe using borated planer shavings in the garden. With solubor I know its pure DOT, from memory the assay is 98% DOT and 2% H₂O. With the product you are getting I would check the MSDS and find out what the other chemicals are then check the MSDS's on them to make sure it is something you are comfortable with from cradle to grave in your operations. We are using these chemicals off label and when doing so it isn't the chemical you are wanting that is the problem, it is the other chemicals in the mix that can be the problem. With Solubor I know it is chemically identical to TimBor, which is listed for this use. The assay, the MSDS's and the CAS numbers are the same.

farmfromkansas · February 12, 2020, 07:52:36 PM

Thanks, will look at the label before using the stuff.

WDH · February 12, 2020, 08:50:00 PM

The liquid that I looked into was a solution of 10% boron. My brother is a chemical and crop specialist, and he said that to get the same concentration of boron as one pound of solubor to one gallon of water (the powderpost beetle preventative concentration), you would need to mix 28 ounces of the 10% liquid boron to one gallon of water.

The reason that I did not use it was that the 10% liquid boron cost a good bit more per gallon of mixed spray solution than the same amount of spray made with the solubor powder. So, I have stuck with the solubor powder. If you mix the solubor powder in water a day or two ahead before you use it, it will almost all dissolve into the water. So, I just plan ahead a little bit and save the difference on the cost of the chemical.

Southside · February 12, 2020, 09:15:55 PM

I mix mine into a back pack, pump sprayer, that has an agitation paddle. Got it at Lowes, has a Husky logo on it, $80 or so. Works really well, dump in the powder, put in the water, and work the handle up and down as you spray, adds air pressure and the paddle mixes in one step.

caveman · February 12, 2020, 09:43:39 PM

Y'all probably know this but the Solubor dissolves pretty well in hot water. Several years ago I added a hot water spigot on the outside of my shop. It comes in handy dissolving Solubor and when using the pressure washer on certain projects (not hot enough to damage the pump).

farmfromkansas · February 12, 2020, 10:05:39 PM

Thanks for all the replies. Plan to use an ATV sprayer, thanks for the tip about the hot water. Was thinking the powder would fall out of the mixture, and the liquid would stay in suspension. Will have to drop by the coop and ask about the details.

WDH · February 13, 2020, 07:24:57 AM

Once the powder dissolves, it does not drop out of suspension.

Don P · February 13, 2020, 08:32:12 AM

Danny, this will probably take your brother's input. My understanding is that at 1lb/gallon solubor/water it is a 10% saturated solution. At higher concentration it is a super saturated solution. The warmer the water the more solubor the solution can hold, and hot water does help me with dissolving it, I usually stir, wait and stir until the solution goes clear then apply, often this is just 10-15 minutes between mixing and starting. I've learned to use everything I mix. For one thing the temperature of the solution drops, my mix ratios are not exact so I'm sure I get into the super saturatd range more often than not. I usually also add a few drops of Dawn to help it wet out. If I try to store it for any length of time it usually precipitates and forms a rock candy sludge or crystallized layer at the bottom of the pail, or if I don't clean a sprayer very well it forms inside the sprayer.

GeneWengert-WoodDoc · February 13, 2020, 10:55:39 AM

There are many boron and borate based chemicals. The are naturally occurring minerals that protect wood from fungus, termites, and other wood-decomposing organisms. Borate wood preservatives are comprised of disodium octoborate tetrahydrate.so, always make sure that this is the chemical you have.

farmfromkansas · February 13, 2020, 01:07:56 PM

Dropped by the coop this morning, asked about the solubor, was informed they do not buy the power, only the liquid. Once they get it in, will check on the chemical on label.

WDH · February 13, 2020, 08:12:07 PM

This is what I use. It is 98% disodium octaborate tetrahydrate.

Solubor DF 20% Boron

farmfromkansas · February 19, 2020, 08:50:04 AM

Coop informed me a bag of solubor is on the way. Could someone tell me if I can use a measuring cup rather than a scale to measure out the powder per gallon?

WDH · February 19, 2020, 12:55:44 PM

I use a plastic scoop. Turns out that one full scoop of my scoop of powder is one pound, so one heaping scoop per gallon of water.

farmfromkansas · February 19, 2020, 04:06:16 PM

Thanks, guess I will have to go to the coop with the measuring cup and the powder, and experiment to find how much powder to the gallon. But one pound per gallon, sounds good.

scsmith42 · February 19, 2020, 08:43:42 PM

I can't speak about solubor, but I know that when using a 15% solution of Timbor in hot water, if I have extra mix and it sits and cools off overnight, it will separate.

Danny, how does your price of solubor compare with Timbor? I'm paying around $4.00 per pound for Timbor powder delivered and I use it at a rate of 1.5 lbs per gallon.

Don P · February 19, 2020, 09:16:23 PM

I'm paying about $2/lb for Solubor, which is what Ron is selling it for in Danny's post above. I got a kick out of that link, Michelle was up there this week picking up garden supplies.

I weigh out a pound on her scale in whatever plastic container is handy and mark the line then use that as my measuring scoop. Other times I just approximate, which tends to be higher concentration.

farmfromkansas · February 19, 2020, 09:41:23 PM

The coop said about 40$ for a 50 lb bag of solubor. There may be freight involved, with a 1 bag purchase, have not received it yet.

scsmith42 · February 19, 2020, 11:40:20 PM

At those prices it sounds like I need to ditch Timber for Solubor!

WDH · February 20, 2020, 07:58:37 AM

I just ordered a whack of 50# bags and I believe that it will cost $80 for each 50# bag. Never heard it available for as low as $40 a bag. BTW, I will be bringing over some 50# bags to the Project at Jake's for someone and will probable have a couple of extra bags if someone who will be there wants one.

Don P · February 20, 2020, 08:04:36 AM

That's about what I was paying until not too long ago (you know how that memory works :D) Then it basically doubled, seems like overnight. Some of the other brands do come in #25's.

scsmith42 · February 20, 2020, 02:26:37 PM

Quote from: WDH on February 20, 2020, 07:58:37 AM
I just ordered a whack of 50# bags and I believe that it will cost $80 for each 50# bag. Never heard it available for as low as $40 a bag. BTW, I will be bringing over some 50# bags to the Project at Jake's for someone and will probable have a couple of extra bags if someone who will be there wants one.

Danny, I'd love to get one of those bags; thanks for the offer. My local stores don't stock it.