Spraying boards with borax solution

[Old Greenhorn]

OK, so the rep got back to me through IM's. I asked what the difference was between Timbor and Solubor. Instead he told me the difference between Timbor and Bora-care.

"Re: Bora-Care and Tim-bor - we manufacture both. And there are significant label differences.  Bora-Care is a glycol-borate with 40% DOT and Tim-Bor is a powdered borate with 98% DOT.  Both are mixed with water.  Bora-Care at 1:1, the active ingredient is 23% and Tim-Bor when mixed with water can either be 10% or 15%. For active infestations (particularly wood boring beetles), diffusion and high loading of borate is critical which is why Bora-Care is highly recommended.  Bora-Care's carrier is glycol which is an excellent material that will penetrate wood. The carrier in Tim-bor is water which will not diffuse as much as Bora-Care.  Application rates are different as well. There are different solubor formulations.  The labels of the products dictates the use patterns.  But the actives are DOT (disodium octaborate tetrahydrate)."

Then I asked again about Solubor bore and got this:

"Solubor is a US Borax product.  I don't know all their specific label language. The most widely used borate for wood boring beetles is Bora-Care mixed 1:1 with water. It's a high loading of borate on the surface which diffuses within the wood itself."

As he doesn't sell Solubor he didn't push it much. For me it comes down to cost.
Your tip on the paint strainer is a good one and I just ordered some of those. I should have thought of that and not trying to mix it in the spray container. I am learning the hard way, but learning. I wish I could just mix it up and have a few gallons on hand to use over the course of a week, but I am sure it will settle out and be wasted.

[WDH]

Timbor is 98% disodium octabotate tetrahydrate.  

Solubor is 98% disodium octaborate tetrahydrate.  

The only difference between them is the color of the bag and the brand name on the label.  

If you took a bag of timbor and poured it out, then emptied a bag of solubor into the timber bag, presto, you now have a full bag of timbor again.  

If I get asked what I spray on my lumber, I tell them 98% disodium octaborate tetrahydrate.  "One brand name is Timbor". 

[Old Greenhorn]

Following up on this. I just mixed another batch and used the hints Don offered up. I used hot water and what a difference! It melted and mixed like ice cream in a frying pan. I filtered through a paint funnel but didn't need it except for some dust junk that was in the mixing bucket. Sprayer works like a charm now. Keeping it warm by the stove today until it is finished up. Thanks for the education everyone, especially Don. 

[Don P]

Glad its working better. Uh yeah, good advice/judgement comes from having tried all the other options first  :D. I left instructions, my sprayer and a sack with the owners where I'm working, I'm hoping they are having a spray party in there today.

[Old Greenhorn]

OH, and just for future readers, I have to say, the HOT water for mixing really does the trick, it mixed almost too easy but more importantly after 12 hours, none of the material is precipitating out, which is amazing compared to my first go 'round. From now on, its hot water for the win. I have a little left in the jug and will leave it over the weekend (we are going away) and will see what it will look like on Monday night.

[Don P]

Check the bottom of the pail. One thing I was trying not to give TMI on first round but now your playing with crystallization, when things make rock candy the solution doesn't precipitate from a saturated solution down to a solution and stop, the crystallization keeps pulling the borate out of the solution and it'll become a very weak solution. I've played with it some and you can get it to redissolve on the shop woodstove but it takes some doing. I try to use it all up in one session if at all possible.

[leather neck]

I mix concentrate boron & purple power in sawing water for first coat ,helps with mold / bugs, this is FL.