druusilla
off to a rocking start
Member since April 2008
Posts: 7
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Post by druusilla on Feb 13, 2009 11:31:45 GMT -5
I'm fairly new to cutting with my 10" Covington saw. I've been using Covington's oil up to now. I was recently talking with someone that has been into lapidary for many years. He said he's using water with coolerant to cut with and that it wouldn't be a problem for me to switch. I'm primarily cutting agate, jasper and wood that I find here on the Oregon coast and thought that I needed to use oil to cut stones this hard. If I could get away from the mess of oil that would be nice - but I don't want to compromise my blade. Are any of you using water/coolerant to cut agate? Oh, and one other thing, he said breathing the mist from the oil is really dangerous?
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Post by Hard Rock Cafe on Feb 13, 2009 12:49:23 GMT -5
I can't comment from direct experience, just the advice I was given here as I prep to start cutting. At 10" and under, you can use water, but you have to make sure you dry everything when you're done so that the blade doesn't rust. At 10" and over, you should use oil. So, 10" is the hinge point.
I suppose the mist can contain silicon dioxide and lead to silicosis. I'll let others comment on that.
Hope that helps! Chuck
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agatemaggot
Cave Dweller
Member since August 2006
Posts: 2,195
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Post by agatemaggot on Feb 13, 2009 12:58:02 GMT -5
Haven't had the best of luck cutting Agate with water , but there is a product available in automotive stores called smoke away that stops the misting problem . Breathing oil vapors is an absolute no-no ! One bottle, they are small, will probably treat 3 loads / fills / changes, in your 10 inch saw. When a cut is finished, waiting a few seconds before lifting your cover is a good practice, I have developed the habit of taking a deep breath and holding it before lifting the lid and grabbin the finished slab out even WITH the additive.
Harley
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mirkaba
spending too much on rocks
Member since August 2006
Posts: 321
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Post by mirkaba on Feb 13, 2009 17:34:19 GMT -5
Some saws are reccomended to cut only with oil. Like my Lortone as the oil lubes the moving parts in the feed works and xfeed...........Bob
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mossyrockhound
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2011
Posts: 1,314
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Post by mossyrockhound on Feb 14, 2009 1:02:20 GMT -5
I use water with an additive for my 10" and smaller saws. With these smaller saws I only hand-cut and trim though. The additive is a 30:1 (water:additive) ratio. The additive is a water-soluble rust-preventative and disinfectant mix. With this mix, you don't have to worry about drying everything off after using the saw. Keep in mind that you do get evaporation when using water, so you periodically have to add water and a little bit additive. I just kind of eyeball how much additive to put in. The additive turns the water kind of a milky white, so as long as I see this milky white solution coming off my blade, I'm good. It is certainly much easier to clean off the rock and your hands than oil. You don't need to worry about the mist problem either.
For the larger saws, its a whole "nuther" story though. I'm switching my larger saws over to mineral oil as I run out of the Pella oil.
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rockhound97058
freely admits to licking rocks
Thundereggs - Oregons Official State Rock!
Member since January 2006
Posts: 760
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Post by rockhound97058 on Feb 15, 2009 0:44:08 GMT -5
Can't say I've used water with the "additive" they sell for it, however over the years I have ran pella oil, which worked great for years, but then lost my local dealer for it, then I switched to diesel which works very well, but stinks and takes forever to come back out of the rock. Unless you use a degreaser after to cut....
About a year ago I changed my 18" lortone to the new food grade (mineral oil). It was expensive @ $12.50 a gallon, but was great stuff as it was safe, non toxic.... No smell and user friendly.... However cutting certain rocks I had a very difficult time removing the oil from the stones.... then after a month of cutting a bunch of rock it sludged up and actually caused my blade to cut dry! I was not happy at all.
I have now switched over to 2 gallons straight automotive antifreeze mixed with water until it reaches operating level. Have not had a problem one with this mix! The only downside is the toxicity of the antifreeze. One thing I love with antifreeze is I can cut a stone.. wash it up....dry it and get it flat lapped, sanded and on the polisher withing 30 minutes!
Another member posted a message regarding the oil treatment for anti-misting.... This is true - I use it in my large 20" Highland Park. It's STP Oil treatment - you'll find it at the auto parts store next to the engine treatment products. I mix it with the diesel (I still use in my 20") and it does completely eliminate the "mist"
Keep in mind though when changing fluids - If your operating a new saw changing oils with often times void the warranty of the saw. Each manufacturer wants you to use their own "special blend"
Jason
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mossyrockhound
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2011
Posts: 1,314
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Post by mossyrockhound on Feb 15, 2009 12:30:11 GMT -5
Jason, That's a good tip on the mineral oil. Thanks.
Here's another tip/story: A local dealer in the Seattle area was using anti-freeze in one of his 24" slab saws and was very happy with it at first. The saw was working perfectly, the rocks were cutting well, the rocks were fairly easy to clean up - I mean he was REALLY happy with this anti-freeze mix. I saw him (6 months?) later and asked him how things were going. He told me that the anti-freeze had worked its way into the bearings and he lost the bearings - and the shaft! He said he won't use it again because of this. Maybe you won't have the same problem, but I just thought I should let you know about this incident. It seems that there is no "perfect" coolant for rock saws. We need to watch them all, keep the coolant levels up, keep the sludge levels low, etc.
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rockhound97058
freely admits to licking rocks
Thundereggs - Oregons Official State Rock!
Member since January 2006
Posts: 760
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Post by rockhound97058 on Feb 15, 2009 12:54:19 GMT -5
Thanks for the note on that! I'll keep my eye's open for any problems relating to the bearings, but so far (knock on wood) I have not faced that problem. Keep in mind this is a Lortone 18" I'm running the antifreeze in and I have had every other problem you can think of with it! Not fluid related, but just poor engineering problems. I swear the next problem I have with this lortone, I'm either going to pump it full of gas and watch it melt to a puddle of metal, or haul it to the scrap yard LOL. Ever since I bought it, I have had nothing but problems....
Thanks again for the note - Appreciate it.
Jason - watching it snow again in Oregon! Sheesh I'm ready to dig rock!
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jcinpc
has rocks in the head
Member since April 2009
Posts: 722
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Post by jcinpc on Apr 7, 2009 22:56:57 GMT -5
I have been cutting agitized coral and some thurdereggs and I use water in my saws. The oils will soak into the coral and I cook it afterI cut my slabs. I put a few drops of dish soap and when I`m done I drain the water out.This is a highland park 10 in saw. Those of us in Fl that do cut coral this is all we use. I cannot stand oil
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