MonthlySPECIALS

  THE ECONOMICS OF FURNITURE STRIPPING 

A COST COMPARISON OF METHYLENE CHLORIDE AND AN M-PYROL STRIPPER

  Bill Mullen founded “ Oldies but Goodies” in Elmira NY in 1983. In the last 17 years it has grown to a substantial operation with 8 full time and 4 part time employees. It is a full service business featuring contract stripping and refinishing, sale of refinished antiques and a complete line of collectibles and souvenirs.

Oldies but Goodies has used methylene chloride based strippers from the beginning. They have a conventional stripping tray, a separate water rinsing booth and a complete water filtration and recycling system. Ventilation is, as expected, modest. When OSHA promulgated its’ new rules dealing with methylene chloride exposure, Bill was faced with a quandary. He realized (after testing) that his existing equipment did not come anywhere near compliance with the new OSHA regulations and it would require a considerable and continuing expense to achieve compliance. Bill approached Seneca Research to discuss the possible purchase and installation of our Millennium 2000 stripping tray and water rinsing booth. During the discussions we mentioned the possibility of his replacing methylene chloride with a less hazardous alternative to methylene chloride as his stripping agent. I pointed out that, if the alternative worked for him, he could save a large percentage of the capital expense necessary for methylene chloride compliance as well as eliminate the need for water rinsing and neutralization. Bill decided to try a 5-gallon sample of our M-Pyrol based stripper S-502. To make a long story short, Bill, based on the results with the 5-gallon sample, decided to switch to S-502.

The transition was not made without adjustments in their normal operating procedures. M-Pyrol based strippers are slower acting than methylene chloride and the stripped furniture takes a much longer time to dry. The longer drying time also results in a lingering pervasive odor. The slower stripping rate can be partially compensated for by maintaining the stripper at 90 F which doubles the rate of attack on finishes without a significant increase in evaporative losses. We also suggested installing a drying room with modest ventilation and infra-red heaters to cut down the drying time and the lingering odors. Bill had a 10X12 foot drying room constructed with 2 suspended 1500 watt infra-red heaters and a small intermittently operating exhaust fan controlled by a timer.

Bill Mullen has always kept a detailed record of his costs of operation and, as a result, after a year of experience with our S-502 stripper is able to come up with an accurate comparison of the operating costs of the two systems (this assumes that he made the necessary investment required for compliance using methylene chloride) and the net profit generated by each.

  The following is the result of that comparison:

  Premises For the Cost Comparison

      a)      Oldies but Goodies averages $75,000 per year in stripping revenue.

b)      Hazardous waste disposal cost is $500 per drum

c)      S-502 generated 1.5 drums of hazardous waste per year. Methylene chloride generated 5 drums per year

d)      Cost to operate the drying 24 room hours/day, 28 days per month. 3000 watts at 0.15 per KWH equals $300 per month.

e)      Capital invested for the drying room (room, infra-red heaters, fan, timer, electrical installation) $3000 depreciated over 5 years

f)        Capital investment necessary to achieve compliance using methylene chloride (ventilated stripping tray, new ventilated water rinse booth, pressure washer, air make up heating system for 7500 CFM, ductwork and electrical installation) $17,000 depreciated over 5 years.

g)      Cost to heat 7500 CFM of make up air to 65 F with gas ($.014/ 1000 BTU) for approximately 6000 normal annual degree-days. $4000 per year.

h)      Stripper costs: S-502 $950 per drum delivered, Methylene chloride $400 per drum delivered.

i)        Indirect overhead includes management payroll, advertising, telephone etc.

j)        Stripping employees are compensated at the rate of 20% of stripping revenue produced when using S-502.

k)      Employee compensation was 15% of stripping revenue when using methylene chloride.

  Costs per $500 of Stripping Revenue (year 2000 prices)

·        Methylene chloride stripper cost is based on usage with the old non-compliant system. With the compliant system, usage will increase. With the ventilation necessary to maintain methylene chloride concentrations in the breathing zone below the OSHA standard of 25 PPM stripper consumption will increase 20 to 50% .