usaret
having dreams about rocks
Member since October 2012
Posts: 52
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Slab ?
Jul 3, 2013 0:10:23 GMT -5
Post by usaret on Jul 3, 2013 0:10:23 GMT -5
After cutting slabs with oil in the saw,what do I soak/ clean them in or with ?
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Slab ?
Jul 3, 2013 0:20:59 GMT -5
Post by jakesrocks on Jul 3, 2013 0:20:59 GMT -5
What kind of oil are you using ? I think most people on here soak their slabs in Dawn dish washing soap and hot water. Myself, I live off a dirt road in a very dusty area. I stand my slabs on edge in an old toast stand and leave them outside. Between the hot sun,the wind and dust, within a couple of days the dust has absorbed all of the oil.
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keystonecops
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since October 2010
Posts: 957
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Slab ?
Jul 3, 2013 0:32:46 GMT -5
Post by keystonecops on Jul 3, 2013 0:32:46 GMT -5
I use kitty litter till there dry and crusty then wash em off. Later Clyde
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Slab ?
Jul 3, 2013 5:21:57 GMT -5
Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Jul 3, 2013 5:21:57 GMT -5
I throw them in to a bucket full of cheap oil-dri from the auto parts store then after that I use a stiff scrub brush in a bucket of dawn dish soap and water.
Chuck
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barclay
has rocks in the head
Lowly Padawan of rocks
Member since November 2011
Posts: 510
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Slab ?
Jul 3, 2013 8:18:36 GMT -5
Post by barclay on Jul 3, 2013 8:18:36 GMT -5
I stand up my slabs in a pail of kitty litter and bury them. Unless you are doing slabbing as a business that should last you a looong time. The only problem with soap and water is you have to get rid of the oily water. If you slab something porous or leave the slab in oil for a long time you may need to use soap and water.
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barclay
has rocks in the head
Lowly Padawan of rocks
Member since November 2011
Posts: 510
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Slab ?
Jul 3, 2013 8:18:51 GMT -5
Post by barclay on Jul 3, 2013 8:18:51 GMT -5
I stand up my slabs in a pail of kitty litter and bury them. Unless you are doing slabbing as a business that should last you a looong time. The only problem with soap and water is you have to get rid of the oily water. If you slab something porous or leave the slab in oil for a long time you may need to use soap and water.
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Slab ?
Jul 3, 2013 8:22:25 GMT -5
Post by Peruano on Jul 3, 2013 8:22:25 GMT -5
I have a 7" trim saw that I run oil in so . . . when a slab comes off the 12" slab saw it is propped up on the 7" to drain a bit, then it often gets hurled into the cat litter until I get ready to look at it in detail, then its a quick rinse in soapy water. So, I guess I use all of the methods, but try to reclaim those first drops of oil into my 2nd saw. Tom BTW I'm using mineral oil which can be easily wiped off to get rid of 90% before going into soapy water. Oily rocks into soapy water turns into glick to quickly for me. Tom
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Slab ?
Jul 3, 2013 8:50:29 GMT -5
Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Jul 3, 2013 8:50:29 GMT -5
I forgot to mention the squeegee part. I use a small 4" rubber squeegee to get as much oil as possible off before they leave the slab saw. I started doing this step just to save on wasted oil and it cuts down on the clean up after.
Chuck
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Slab ?
Jul 3, 2013 9:11:16 GMT -5
Post by jakesrocks on Jul 3, 2013 9:11:16 GMT -5
Those toast racks that you used to see on peoples breakfast tables are great for draining slabs. I picked up a few at a thrift store. I let the oil drain into a plastic tray for a couple hours, then out in the dusty air to remove the last of the oil. After a couple days in the dust I seldom have to wash a slab. The oil that collects in the tray gets poured back in the saw at the end of the cutting session.
The toast racks are also great for storing sanding and polishing laps. I try to find the stainless steel racks. Plastic or ceramic racks break too easy.
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sheltie
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since January 2012
Posts: 982
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Slab ?
Jul 3, 2013 11:52:37 GMT -5
Post by sheltie on Jul 3, 2013 11:52:37 GMT -5
I put mine in degreaser liquid for two days, then in a dishwasher rack in the sun for a day, then my wife uses Dawn to wash off the remaining oil, if there is any.
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,622
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Slab ?
Jul 3, 2013 20:12:17 GMT -5
Post by QuailRiver on Jul 3, 2013 20:12:17 GMT -5
I use food grade mineral oil when sawing. Just as the slabs come off the saw, I wipe mine down with a paper towel and then soak them in a small tub of lacquer thinner for a little while. Lacquer thinner dissolves the oil very well. Then I paper towel dry them and give them a lite wash with soapy water just to get rid of the lacquer thinner smell. When handling lacquer thinner I always use neoprene gloves in a well ventilated area, away from sparks or flame.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Slab ?
Jul 3, 2013 21:41:20 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on Jul 3, 2013 21:41:20 GMT -5
Quailriver, when the lacquer thinner evaporates can you re-use the oil?
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,622
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Slab ?
Jul 4, 2013 2:23:34 GMT -5
Post by QuailRiver on Jul 4, 2013 2:23:34 GMT -5
I don't let the lacquer thinner evaporate. I keep a lid on it and when the thinner gets too saturated with oil to be effective I store it in it's original cans to be recycled. Our local city dump has a bi-annual drop off for hazardous chemicals free of charge and that is what I used to do with the used thinner. But last fall I bought a Solvent Reclaimer from a community college surplus sale. When I picked it up the supply manager told me that the unit had been donated to the school's automotive repair department. It did not look to have been used much if any at all and I got it for $100. Which is about the same cost as ten gallons of new low-grade lacquer thinner. I guess the head of the auto repair department didn't see any need to recycle as long as the state budgets them enough money to buy new thinner. Anyhow this Solvent Reclaimer uses a distilling process to extract the lacquer thinner from the oil and any other debris. When I get enough thinner stored up I'll try this unit out and see how it works. But as for reusing the oil, since lacquer thinner is so flammable, I would be Leary of reusing oil that may still contain some traces. It's not worth the fire and health risk in my opinion.
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Slab ?
Jul 4, 2013 11:59:50 GMT -5
Post by parfive on Jul 4, 2013 11:59:50 GMT -5
Cat litter . . . dishwashin’ liquid . . . five minutes . . . done.
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,622
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Slab ?
Jul 4, 2013 13:28:41 GMT -5
Post by QuailRiver on Jul 4, 2013 13:28:41 GMT -5
I tried the cat litter & dish washing liquid method and it didn't work that well for me. Even after letting the slabs soak overnight in a sudsy tub of warm water and Dawn dish washing soap, oil residue still remained in the pores and cracks of the slabs so I went back to using lacquer thinner. It may have something to do with the type of cutting oil I use.
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robertm
off to a rocking start
Member since February 2013
Posts: 18
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Slab ?
Jul 4, 2013 14:18:32 GMT -5
Post by robertm on Jul 4, 2013 14:18:32 GMT -5
I use used hydraulic oil in my saw, then drop the slab into a bucket of wood saw dust. Then after rubbing it in the saw dust I wash in dish wash liquid. If the stone is porous, I will then boil it in water with a little dish wash liquid, this usually cleans it up nicely
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The Dad_Ohs
fully equipped rock polisher
Take me to your Labradorite!!
Member since September 2012
Posts: 1,860
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Slab ?
Jul 6, 2013 16:18:13 GMT -5
Post by The Dad_Ohs on Jul 6, 2013 16:18:13 GMT -5
After cutting slabs with oil in the saw,what do I soak/ clean them in or with ? I have a 5 gal bucket of "environmentally friendly" grease cutter, 1 cup of cleaner and 3 gallons water, I think it is citrus based, that I bought at Sam's Club & I throw my slabs in there as I cut then and let them soak for the day, when I am done cutting for the day or at my lunch break, I take em out and rinse off whatever is on the stones at that point and set them out in the sun to dry. it cost about 5.00/gallon and lasts quite a while. At my rock clubs shop they stick them in kitty litter and use dawn to clean afterwards.
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