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Post by johnhodgson1111 on Aug 8, 2023 0:21:55 GMT -5
I have purchased a 10 in Covington Slab, and have not used it yet; when I was purchasing the 10in trim/slab I bought the silicon cutting oil. However I wonder if when I use my hands on small cuts will the boule slip? is water really a problem? they talked about rust?
is there a latex glove that will hold onto the trim piece well?
I do have all the attachments,
So, the question is 'how do you hold on to the trimmed boule with silicon oil being used?
John
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Post by rmf on Aug 8, 2023 4:32:53 GMT -5
I had never heard of silicone oil, yet after looking it up I discovered some interesting properties.
"Some silicone oils, such as simethicone, are potent anti-foaming agents due to their low surface tension. ... Consumer products to control flatulence often contain silicone oil."
From this I take it that your saw won't fart.
I have only used mineral type oils in my saw except for one experiment with a water emulsion which damaged the saw. I would assume you could just hold a rock with your hands or gloved with disposable gloves. Not sure how removing the oil from the rock would work since it is water repellent. Does soap/degreaser work the same way for silicone oil as with mineral oils?
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Post by Rockoonz on Aug 8, 2023 7:53:11 GMT -5
Interesting, used a silicone oil emulsion in water as a mold release for molding rubber, but used the regular saw oil additives for trim saws. If you drain, I don't think straight water is a problem at all for smaller blades.
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Post by stardiamond on Aug 8, 2023 10:34:08 GMT -5
I don't know if it is oil vs water or hand feed vs machine feed, but my slab saw blades last a lot longer that my trim saw blades.
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Post by johnhodgson1111 on Aug 9, 2023 5:23:39 GMT -5
I looked at the two single gallon os 'Rockhound Oil' by Covington Engineering. Going to website. "Covington's own C-Brand cutting oil! This product is a 100% food grade, pure white mineral oil. This high quality oil features a high flash point with low cost and low odor and no additives. Try now at our introductory price"
They are selling now 'Covington's all new Koolerant #4: Glass Specialty should be your first choice for all of your glass grinding and cutting needs! This is a non-foaming, amber colored, oil free koolerant has excellent cooling properties and rust inhibitors without leaving a residue on your glass. Mix this koolerant with water and lubricate your diamond tools! This additive is compatible with both your saws and grinders! We recommend using 20 parts water to 1 part Glass Specialty."
I should have posted exact information, then going from memory, and the label did not have any ingredients on it, just 'RockHound Oil'
The basic question is about cutting and holding the material using water, a better grip. or mineral oil, slippery stuff while hand-holding the material being cut.
I will just buy the non-oil solution, with additives. it's much easier than getting this question answered.
thanks
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Post by Rockoonz on Aug 9, 2023 8:27:55 GMT -5
Your original question was about cutting a boule with silicon oil? Of course you got no answer, a boule is the form of a synthetic alumina based gemstone like sapphire or ruby, and there are no silicon oil based water additives for trim saws.
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Post by Rockoonz on Aug 9, 2023 8:37:29 GMT -5
If your goal is to cut up boules to be faceted or perhaps small cabochons, a 4" trim saw with a very thin blade and straight water, no additives, will serve you well. A 10" saw is not a good idea for that. As far as how to hold them, I would say firmly and with it partly resting on the table.
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Post by johnhodgson1111 on Aug 9, 2023 23:43:00 GMT -5
"I wonder if when I use my hands on small cuts will the boule slip? is water really a problem? they talked about rust?" I combined three questions, one is holding the boule its about 20mm diameter, I also purchased hydrothermal quartz from 1 inch in diameter to 2.5 inches in diameter. I will look into buying a smaller machine for the boule. So, its making another bench spot for the 6 in trim saw. So now I have two gallons of mineral oil, I will just give that to the Faceting Workshop where I live.
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