rocknewb101
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since October 2022
Posts: 1,368
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Post by rocknewb101 on May 6, 2024 9:18:29 GMT -5
So I didn't really give much consideration to using the drop saw to cut most of my slabs, until I came across an old post here about not using oil for certain rocks. Ugh. Too late. I cut both my malachite and tiger iron on the drop and while I think maybe the tiger iron is ok, the malachite is muted and has zero chatoyancy. Maybe it didn't to start, but I think it had some - is it ruined? I saw mixed comments on the other post that once they started grinding the oil 'washed' out and all was ok so I'm hopeful - is it typically softer rocks you have to be careful with? I have a chunk of lapis lace which is mostly white with blue streaks through it - is this one that I should use with water? Google tells me a mohs of 6. There's not much nice blue on it and I don't want to waste it, but it's a tad too big for my trim saw. Anyone have any experience? Thanks!
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Post by Rockoonz on May 6, 2024 9:39:16 GMT -5
Generally harder means less porous, but that's not always true. I look at how light colored the rock is and how dirty the saw oil is, in my experience fresh never been filtered super clean oil is fine for almost everything, but some require a longer time in the degreaser bucket.
I do kitty litter to water with a degreaser to rinse water and recently started adding a bit of bleach to the rinse at times.
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rocknewb101
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since October 2022
Posts: 1,368
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Post by rocknewb101 on May 6, 2024 9:49:21 GMT -5
Generally harder means less porous, but that's not always true. I look at how light colored the rock is and how dirty the saw oil is, in my experience fresh never been filtered super clean oil is fine for almost everything, but some require a longer time in the degreaser bucket. I do kitty litter to water with a degreaser to rinse water and recently started adding a bit of bleach to the rinse at times. Thank you!! I wasn't aware of using kitty litter/degreaser - I will try that. Yeah, my oil needs changed - especially after cutting the tiger iron. I'll wait to do the lapis lace lest it become red instead of white lol. Thanks!!! |
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Post by Rockoonz on May 6, 2024 13:20:20 GMT -5
Purple degreaser is what I use, Castrol or ZEP brand. Cheap generic litter works great for oil.
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Post by Peruano on May 6, 2024 14:14:10 GMT -5
I kno we often say kitty litter but in my view a focused oil cleanup compound ismaybe more effective. I buy Oil Dri at wally world in abig sac. You dont want the stuff that looks lie powdered fluff. I should look like kitty litter but without the lumps provided by the kitty. Then to Dawn liqud.
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rocknewb101
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since October 2022
Posts: 1,368
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Post by rocknewb101 on May 6, 2024 14:50:26 GMT -5
Thanks Rockoonz and Peruano - so do you soak/put the rock first in a bag of the degreaser (like rice and your wet phone lol) and then use soap to clean? |
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Post by Peruano on May 6, 2024 20:08:29 GMT -5
I almost always drain the slab on my trin saw table. Even a few minutes reduces the oil carried into the oil dri. If I'm in a hurry the slab can be swished against the oil dri which removes a grat deal of the surface oil. Or bury it and leave the slab overnight. Either way the next step is to a bath/soak in soap soluton(dawn for me). A soak is better and a dip in clean water is useful before drying or just jumping to the wheel. Obviously if you are going to a trim saw with oil as i do you may noy need to be oilfree except to be able to mark your cutting lines. And certainly oil removal is useful before trying to dop (I use super glue and nails). Are we having fun yet?
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Post by Rockoonz on May 6, 2024 23:10:32 GMT -5
I use vermiculite that says kitty litter on the bag, the stuff that says oil dri is also vermiculite and costs about double. Thing is finding the really cheap stuff without the scent and whatever they add that gives cat owners the fantasy that their house doesn't smell like cat crap.
I also like to just stack the slabs in the corner of the saw and prop them up to drip out a little overnight before moving to the litter tub.
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gunsil
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2023
Posts: 345
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Post by gunsil on May 7, 2024 15:38:45 GMT -5
All my slabs and preforms go right into the kitty litter after the saw. It will absorb the oil from malachite and rhodochrosite. After the kitty litter they go in a small plastic tub in the slop sink my clothes washing machine empties into. When I do laundry the empty hose shoots into the tub of slabs and washes them well with the soapy water. sometimes I leave them for a couple loads of laundry but it works well.
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