gemfeller
Cave Dweller
Member since June 2011
Posts: 3,807
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Post by gemfeller on Nov 9, 2013 20:26:38 GMT -5
I recently started using odorless mineral oil in my slab saw. But none of my previous ways of degreasing slabs seems to work now. I'm wondering if anyone out there has a solution. I leave them in kitty litter for 24 hours then scrub with dishwashing detergent in hot water but they come out slimy. If this is an old question and there's already a thread on it I'd appreciate a pointer to it. Thanks in advance.
Rick
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Nov 9, 2013 20:34:07 GMT -5
I am surprised to hear that. I have used the mineral oil from tractor supply and the stuff from walmart with no issues at all. I use the same method you do with kitty litter and dawn dish soap and I can go right from there to the wax dopping station and never have an adhesion problem so that means no oil residue is left. My saw only takes 2.5 gallons to fill so I am hooked on the walmart stuff that comes in pints for $1.50 each. Comes out to $12 a gallon.
Chuck
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Post by catmandewe on Nov 9, 2013 22:02:34 GMT -5
Slabs go right from my saws into a bucket of water with dawn in it, they sit in there an indeterminate length of time like anywhere from a few days to a few months, then when I get some time they go into the sink full of hot soapy water. I scrub them with an SOS pad and spray them with a degreaser that I get from dollar store (the one I use is called Totally Awesome) and then a rinse in hot water and let them sit. Most come out with no film but occasionally some types still have it, if I really need the film off I use more totally awesome but almost all of them come out OK.
I used to use the dishwasher with good results but now the dishwasher don't do dishes so good so I quit before my wife figured out I probably ruined it and I think the sink method works better anyways.
Tony
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gemfeller
Cave Dweller
Member since June 2011
Posts: 3,807
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Post by gemfeller on Nov 9, 2013 22:12:25 GMT -5
That's interesting Chuck. I'm using the odorless Rockhound Oil from Covington -- there's no Tractor Supply in my area and the local Wal-Mart involves combat-style shopping and parking. Monday I'm going to look into some of the hardware store degreasers unless someone comes up with a cheap and simple solution. Glad you're not having problems.
Rick
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gemfeller
Cave Dweller
Member since June 2011
Posts: 3,807
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Post by gemfeller on Nov 9, 2013 22:15:11 GMT -5
I scrub them with an SOS pad and spray them with a degreaser that I get from dollar store (the one I use is called Totally Awesome) Thanks Tony. There's a Dollar Store nearby and parking is easy. I think "Totally Awesome" and I are going to become acquainted very soon. Rick
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quartz
Cave Dweller
breakin' rocks in the hot sun
Member since February 2010
Posts: 3,341
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Post by quartz on Nov 9, 2013 22:34:23 GMT -5
I go from saw to hot Dawn/water. Found some time ago if I let rocks set in kitty litter they seemed harder to clean. Wonder if the litter dries the oil a little.
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Nov 9, 2013 22:49:14 GMT -5
I should have added that I do not leave mine in kitty litter. I just briefly move them around in a bucket of that to get some oil off to avoid the dish soap bucket from getting too oily to quick. I also have a squeegee I use at the saw to get some oil off too before the kitty litter.
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Post by jakesrocks on Nov 9, 2013 23:04:07 GMT -5
If you live in a dusty area, and aren't in a big hurry to use your slabs you could do what I do. I have several of those toast racks, picked up at thrift stores and yard sales. After scraping oil off into my saw I stand the slabs on edge in the toast racks and let them sit in the sun for a week or two. The sun heats the slabs and bring the oil to the surface. Dust from farm fields and gravel roads coat my slabs. The dust soaks up the oil. After a week or so I scrape off the dust and give the slabs a quick wash in Dawn. It's the rare slab that has any oil left after this treatment. Low tech and cheap.
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Mark K
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Member since April 2012
Posts: 2,600
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Post by Mark K on Nov 9, 2013 23:13:54 GMT -5
As I am cutting, I drop the slabs into my vibe filled with kitty litter. This really cleans the oil up. However, if there are porous spots, it still seeps oil until they are scrubbed. after a while in the vibe, they get rinsed off and rewashed. Much of the time there is almost zero oil left.
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Fossilman
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Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,685
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Post by Fossilman on Nov 9, 2013 23:18:01 GMT -5
I've hear d kitty litter,than Dawn soap works good too...
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,632
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Post by QuailRiver on Nov 9, 2013 23:25:37 GMT -5
I'm using an Industrial grade white mineral oil that is now sold under the trade name of Clarion 70. Dawn dish washing soap doesn't dissolve it very well either. So I squeegee off what oil I can on the lip of the saw so it runs back into the reservoir. Then wipe off the excess with a paper towel. Then I drop the slab in a shallow covered tub of lacquer thinner and leave it soak while the next round of slabs are sawing. Lacquer thinner cuts the oil very well. Then I take the slab out and dry it again with a clean paper towel. After it air dries for a little while I then wash it with soapy water just to get rid of the lacquer thinner smell. If you go this route always use the lacquer thinner in a well ventilated area and keep it away from flame and sparks. Also use tongs or wear neoprene coated gloves when handling the slabs in it. Only real draw back from using lacquer thinner I find is that it is getting so expensive. I used to could buy a five gallon can at Sherwin Williams for $24.99, but since crude oil prices have gone so high it's over $60 for a five gallon can. And single gallon cans run about $5 more per gallon.
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The Dad_Ohs
fully equipped rock polisher
Take me to your Labradorite!!
Member since September 2012
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Post by The Dad_Ohs on Nov 16, 2013 17:55:04 GMT -5
not all mineral oil is the same!!! if you are using rock oil from companies like covington, they are not going to use a light oil but instead a medium weight as it handles heat build up better and as such may be the reason you are having this issue.... At the rock shop in my club, they have a bucket of kitty litter right next to the 18 inch saw and as each slab comes off that saw, or any of the trim saws, they go right in the kitty litter, couple minutes and they are good to go right onto the cab machines. Of course some materials are more porous than others and that can cause the material to hold more oil than others, but generally speaking, it should pull the oil off the surface of the material cut and leave it fairly oil free. Of course the only way to guarantee oil free is hot water, detergent, and a scrub brush. I know of 1 person, actually it seems more than 1, who uses an old dishwasher to clean all their slabs and love it. I don't have an old one ... yet, mine is starting to have problems soooooo.....
I use a degreaser in a bucket... I cut slabs for X amount of hours and they all go into the slab, then after awhile I take them and a scrub brush and clean them in the dgreaser/water mix in the bucket and set them out in the sun to dry... on a summer day in florida I have dry slabs in 2 minutes and after 4 minutes are hot to the touch. I was just given a bucket of kitty litter from a friend and will use than with my saw to see how well it works, but I still have the degreaser bucket handy... just in case.
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Post by Rockoonz on Nov 17, 2013 20:30:37 GMT -5
I put my slabs into kitty litter till the litter box is filled, then transfer to a slab bucket. I have been using castrol royal purple at about maybe 1/4 cup to couple gallons, just enough to start to feel a little soapy.
Lee
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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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Post by The Dad_Ohs on Nov 17, 2013 23:12:42 GMT -5
not all mineral oil is the same!!! if you are using rock oil from companies like covington, they are not going to use a light oil but instead a medium weight as it handles heat build up better and as such may be the reason you are having this issue.... At the rock shop in my club, they have a bucket of kitty litter right next to the 18 inch saw and as each slab comes off that saw, or any of the trim saws, they go right in the kitty litter, couple minutes and they are good to go right onto the cab machines. Of course some materials are more porous than others and that can cause the material to hold more oil than others, but generally speaking, it should pull the oil off the surface of the material cut and leave it fairly oil free. Of course the only way to guarantee oil free is hot water, detergent, and a scrub brush. I know of 1 person, actually it seems more than 1, who uses an old dishwasher to clean all their slabs and love it. I don't have an old one ... yet, mine is starting to have problems soooooo..... I use a degreaser in a bucket... I cut slabs for X amount of hours and they all go into the slab, then after awhile I take them and a scrub brush and clean them in the dgreaser/water mix in the bucket and set them out in the sun to dry... on a summer day in florida I have dry slabs in 2 minutes and after 4 minutes are hot to the touch. I was just given a bucket of kitty litter from a friend and will use than with my saw to see how well it works, but I still have the degreaser bucket handy... just in case. and I forgot to mention 2 things with this.... 1) I use "whip it" which is a citrus based solvent (non-toxic) from Sams Club I buy it in 2 or 3 bottle/box and not too expensive either add I cup/3 gallons of water and add slabs till almost full. I take them out of the soak scrub brush with same liquid and dunk them back into the liquid to rinse (I think thrash them around in the bucket sounds better but thats just me) take them out and set to dry... no greasy feel once dry 2) if you're going to use Kitty Litter on slabs, you will get mixed results depending on porosity of the material, agates and similar hard material needs only kitty litter softer stones may absorb oil and should be soaked in a degreaser then scrubbed by hand and rinsed and set out to dry. thats my take on it and I haven't had any issues yet
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Post by jakesrocks on Nov 17, 2013 23:26:08 GMT -5
40 lb bag of oil dry from Tractor Supply is a lot cheaper than kitty litter. If I'm in a hurry to clean slabs, I pour enough oil dry in a bucket to hold the slabs on edge. I pour in enough oil dry to cover the slabs and stand another layer of slabs. Repeating until the bucket is full. A day in oil dry will pull most of the oil out of even porous material. A quick rinse in Dawn dish soap and they're clean. And a plus is that the oil dry will still be good to spread under the saw to soak up drips.
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