timloco
has rocks in the head
Member since April 2012
Posts: 545
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Post by timloco on Feb 7, 2013 18:50:59 GMT -5
I live in northern CO and I have a slab saw but would like to source my oil for it locally. We have a Grainger's here I would imagine they have something suitable but looking through their catalog I see they've got a bunch of different lubricating oils, nothing specifically for lapidary. Any suggestions?
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Post by Peruano on Feb 7, 2013 19:00:21 GMT -5
Far and away the cheapest route for mineral oil is Walmart. Something like $1.50 per pint which comes to $12 per gallon (however you may wipe them out in the pharmacy and get some strange looks at checkout). I was buying 7 pints recently and the checker said " this stuff works but it tastes sort of funny". I told him I was going to saw rocks with it. At Tractor Supply or other farm or vet stores you can buy mineral oil (primarily for laxatives and lubricants for horses, cows, goats, etc.) If I recall Tractor Supply was $17 or so for a gallon, but when I asked for 3 gallons the clerk asked if I was the one who called yesterday, who wanted 7 gallons. Looking at the dosage for a goat at 1/2 pint or so, a quart maximum for a horse, I remarked to him that he must have one big horse if he need 7 gallons.
Seriously the human stuff is cheaper than the horse or industrial stuff. There may be some viscosity differences, but they are not apparent to me. I'm even using oil in my trim saws (I know its heresy), but awfully convenient. Whatever you do don't go to Walgreens, they wanted $5plus for the same pint that Wallyworld wanted $1.50 for. And we wonder why Wallyworld is popular with the masses. Good luck finding a reasonable source. Anything under $18 is reasonable in my book, but to save $5, I'll go back to Wallyworld twice or three times to let them re-stock. Tom
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Post by orrum on Feb 7, 2013 19:00:48 GMT -5
If u use mineral oil tractor supply sells it by the gallon reasonable. Its in the animal health section. I use rv antifreeze in my lil 6 inch saw, its great for turquoise. I think it might cause my blade to wear prematurely tho. The pros on here will chime in and give lots of info.
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Post by orrum on Feb 7, 2013 19:03:07 GMT -5
Ya beat me to it Peruano! Good info!
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Post by MrP on Feb 7, 2013 19:52:31 GMT -5
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riverbendlapidary
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2006
Posts: 1,058
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Post by riverbendlapidary on Feb 7, 2013 20:58:36 GMT -5
Lookup your local Chevron Lubricants dealer and ask for Brightcut NHG oil.
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Post by Rockoonz on Feb 7, 2013 21:51:29 GMT -5
Brightcut is the same viscosity as Shell pella, perfect for cutting. How's the smell?
Lee
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Jasper-hound
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since June 2010
Posts: 208
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Post by Jasper-hound on Feb 7, 2013 23:52:47 GMT -5
Johnson Bros.
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riverbendlapidary
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2006
Posts: 1,058
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Post by riverbendlapidary on Feb 7, 2013 23:55:09 GMT -5
it smells like liquid hand soap.
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Post by phil on Feb 8, 2013 0:16:35 GMT -5
I buy mine at a veterinary supply for $12 per gallon. If I buy 30+ gallons tho, I get it for $10/gal. You might try a local veterinary supply house. If you have a horse race track close by, check with them. They buy it in 55 gallon drums for the race horse owners who dose their horses the day before they race and a track goes thru a lot of mineral oil.
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Minnesota Daniel
freely admits to licking rocks
A COUPLE LAKERS
Member since August 2011
Posts: 891
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Post by Minnesota Daniel on Feb 8, 2013 3:32:57 GMT -5
... They buy it in 55 gallon drums for the race horse owners who dose their horses the day before they race and a track goes thru a lot of mineral oil. The track goes thru the mineral oil? I think you said that backwards, and it's the horses, not the track.
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Post by catmandewe on Feb 8, 2013 10:38:31 GMT -5
Think you could follow the horses around and strain it?
Food grade mineral oil is also called Penreco and technical grade mineral oil has another name which I always forget, I will have to look and update it. The Penreco is around $12 the technical grade is $7-8 per gallon. Check with a wholesale oil supply house.
Tony
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timloco
has rocks in the head
Member since April 2012
Posts: 545
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Post by timloco on Feb 8, 2013 11:57:20 GMT -5
Wow, great advice. Thanks everyone! We have a farm and ranch supply store on the north end of town I'll check out this afternoon. It looks like a couple of places in Denver have the Shell and Chevron products but I'd have to drive 50 miles for it. It sounds like the plain jane mineral oil should do just fine.
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Post by phil on Feb 8, 2013 13:07:19 GMT -5
... They buy it in 55 gallon drums for the race horse owners who dose their horses the day before they race and a track goes thru a lot of mineral oil. The track goes thru the mineral oil? I think you said that backwards, and it's the horses, not the track. Daniel, Actually, you've got it backwards. THe horses don't go thru the oil, rather the oil goes thru the horses. Tony, great info. If you can remember that technical name, please post it.... I could use $7 gallon oil for sure! ;D Thanks!
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Feb 8, 2013 14:10:29 GMT -5
Shell discontinued Pella.
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RockIt2Me
has rocks in the head
Sometimes I have to tell myself, "It's not worth the jail time."
Member since December 2009
Posts: 668
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Post by RockIt2Me on Feb 8, 2013 14:39:09 GMT -5
Think you could follow the horses around and strain it? Food grade mineral oil is also called Penreco and technical grade mineral oil has another name which I always forget, I will have to look and update it. The Penreco is around $12 the technical grade is $7-8 per gallon. Check with a wholesale oil supply house. Tony I went to my local wholesale oil supply house and asked for technical grade mineral oil and was told all oil is mineral oil. The guy I talked to was very helpful but could not give a decent price. The best he did was $11 plus tax for a 55 g drum...and I am still not sure he knew what I was asking for. Tony, please post the the name of your oil. I have two saws that are past due.
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Minnesota Daniel
freely admits to licking rocks
A COUPLE LAKERS
Member since August 2011
Posts: 891
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Post by Minnesota Daniel on Feb 8, 2013 19:30:38 GMT -5
The track goes thru the mineral oil? I think you said that backwards, and it's the horses, not the track. Daniel, Actually, you've got it backwards. THe horses don't go thru the oil, rather the oil goes thru the horses. Thanks! That's what I meant. The track goes thru the oil is backward. Ie, the oil goes thru the track, except it's not the track, it's the horses that it goes thru. I thought that another name for mineral oil was liquid paraffin, or paraffin oil.
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Post by Rockoonz on Feb 9, 2013 1:13:55 GMT -5
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Post by johnjsgems on Feb 9, 2013 10:35:17 GMT -5
Back in my cowboy days the vet would pour a whole gallon down a tube to the horse's stomach for colic. It worked fast but you would not want the end product in your saw. Oil distributor would be best bet for 5+ gallon amounts as they generally don't sell smaller containers. Some clubs and groups of people buy a 55 gal. drum and split it. I've heard a lot of people talking about the WalMart mineral oil so probably best bet for small amounts. Key to saw oil is low viscosity and high flash point.
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timloco
has rocks in the head
Member since April 2012
Posts: 545
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Post by timloco on Feb 9, 2013 13:59:33 GMT -5
Funny story, I go to the farm and ranch store and get a couple of gallons (14 dollars per)and the girl at the checkout asks, "Are yer cows bloated?" According to her that is the go-to remedy for that :-)
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