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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Jul 26, 2012 7:34:26 GMT -5
What methods are being used to clean the oil off slabs after cutting? I am trying oil-dry (kitty litter) right now and also dont know how long to leave them in there before washing them off.
Thanks, Chuck
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Post by paulshiroma on Jul 26, 2012 8:45:00 GMT -5
Hi Chuck - I leave the slabs in some clay kitty litter for an hour or so. I just check by feel and see how much oil is left. Eventually, I dump them in a bucket of water with a lot of Dawn dishwashing soap. They stay in there a bit longer - another hour or so, sometimes overnight if I forget to take them out . There's probably a better way to do this but it seems to be working for me; I'm sure others will have a more efficient method. Paul
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Post by jakesrocks on Jul 26, 2012 9:32:19 GMT -5
Kitty litter is too expensive. I watch the sales at Tractor Supply, and buy a 40 pound bag of oil dry when I can get it cheap.
Another method I use if I'm not in a hurry for the slabs. I live off of a gravel road with lots of dust. I put my slabs in old thrift store toast racks, and let them sit for a few days in the sun and dust. After a few days the dust and oil wipe right off. Works good with mineral oil. Don't know if it would work with Pella or ALMAG.
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dbryans
having dreams about rocks
timor ominus abesto
Member since June 2012
Posts: 71
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Post by dbryans on Jul 26, 2012 9:56:49 GMT -5
my answer to you is a spray bottle of simple green or awsome orange cleaner ...i use both with good results
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Jul 26, 2012 10:02:02 GMT -5
right now we have been keeping them in oil-dry for a couple hours then scrubbing off with fast orange hand cleaner and thats working OK. I was just wondering what the other options were. I am going to have some more questions now that the saw is up and running so thanks for your replies and your patience.
Chuck
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
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Post by Deleted on Jul 26, 2012 10:09:04 GMT -5
I have an old towel hanging by the saw that I use. First I slide the slab up the inside of the saw to scrape off the major bunch of oil then I wipe it down with the towel. From there it goes into a tub of water and dish washing soap. I leave them in the tub until I get a bunch of slabs and end cuts in it then I go to work with a scrub brush. Even after sitting in the water and soap for a few days there will still be oil seeping out of the fractures. It is a good way to find the fractures but not good if I want to stabilize the the slab. In that case I use an engine degreaser to get the slabs completely oil free.
When the hanging towel gets really oily it either goes to the floor to wipe down the rock that comes out of the clamp or gets saved so I can wash a batch of towels. Takes a lot of laundry soap and I have to wipe a scum out of the washer buy I do not have to deal with floor dry or clay. Jim
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Post by FrogAndBearCreations on Jul 26, 2012 10:22:30 GMT -5
I use a fiberglass squeege and a bucket of water and dawn dishsoap too
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Post by jakesrocks on Jul 26, 2012 10:43:27 GMT -5
Man Jim, your wife lets you wash those oily towels in her machine ? I tried that once several years ago. I'm still hearing about it.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
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Post by Deleted on Jul 26, 2012 10:51:44 GMT -5
In some cases it is better to not have a wife. lol Over all I am not sure which is better. I have been married and single three times and I had to learn the correct procedures for each one of them. Not sure if I will add a fourth to that list and go through the whole procedure again. But who knows what tomorrow will bring. Right now I wash whatever I want. Jim
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Post by rockpickerforever on Jul 26, 2012 11:03:12 GMT -5
I use food-grade mineral oil. I have not done the kitty litter/oil absorbent yet. As I cut the slabs, I put them in a flat-bottomed stainless steel bowl. When the bowl is full, I take them into the garage, and put hot water and lots of Dawn into them. After soaking for awhile (until I can get back to them), maybe a day or so, I take them out one by one and scrub them with a brush and more Dawn. The degreaser from Smart and Final works good, too. If the cutting oil is exceptionally dirty, and leaving black residue on the rocks (especially light colored rocks, or ones with fractures and voids), I slather Dawn on them immediately and use a brush to clean them up right away. And I would kill the person that washed oily rags in my washer!!! You can wipe out the drum itself, but unless you take the washer apart, you are not going to be able to remove the gunk from the outer tub. Best to take them to a laundromat (at night, when no one is around), and use their washers! Jean
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Post by FrogAndBearCreations on Jul 26, 2012 11:10:35 GMT -5
I wash hubbies oily stuff all the time just put the washer through a clean cycle with the super duper stuff for that afterward and all done, no muss on fuss!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 26, 2012 11:40:21 GMT -5
Frog, THE WOMAN OF MY DREAMS. Do you have a twin sister. lol Jim
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Post by FrogAndBearCreations on Jul 26, 2012 12:05:49 GMT -5
I'm a one of a kind down to earth no frills plain jane tomboyish female and no twin Love tools, getting dirty, riding motorcycles, shooting guns still no twin I don't like to fight or argue but have no problems with just disagreeing and having differing opinions this is my 2nd hubby and so far a keeper
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RockIt2Me
has rocks in the head
Sometimes I have to tell myself, "It's not worth the jail time."
Member since December 2009
Posts: 668
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Post by RockIt2Me on Jul 26, 2012 16:51:42 GMT -5
I use hot water and dawn and a toothbrush...still oily?...run them thru the dishwasher. And I do run my oily towels thru the washer....I thought that was what a washing machine was for.
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Post by rockpickerforever on Jul 26, 2012 17:05:17 GMT -5
I do wash my husbands work clothes in my washer (with some Borax added), but not grungy oily rags with rock snot on them! If you have ever taken a washing machine apart to fix a leaky seal at the bottom, you would see the ring of grunge that you can't get to, and will stay there regardless if you do a rinse.
I also love tools, and I work on cars - but only when I have to now. I took auto shop in high school, and my first car was a '64 Corvair my dad bought for me that needed work. He bought the parts, I did the work - rebuilt the engine and put a seal kit in the 2-speed tranny, and painted it. Recently, we changed all the u-joints (in the rear driveshaft) and carrier bearing on our old Ranger, and now it's on the driveway on jack stands, waiting for new axles to arrive. Those things really make a mess when the bearings wear out, and grease starts pouring from the seal. Oh, it's gonna get new shoes, wheel cylinders and brake hardware while I'm at it! My fingers and nails are TERRIBLE dirty and grungy right now. Jean
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 26, 2012 18:10:41 GMT -5
Way to go frog and rock picker. I have a grand daughter that loves to get dirty so we hang together quite a bit. Have not gotten her to work on the Jeep or get close to the rock polishing machine but I'll keep working on it. Jim
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Post by johnjsgems on Jul 26, 2012 20:42:07 GMT -5
The Petsmart store near where I used to work sold torn but taped bags of kitty litter (the plain cheap stuff to begin with) really cheap. With Pella oil I would leave slabs in the kitty litter for a day to 3 days. Then a degreaser for a day or two and rinse. Mineral oil would be faster and food grade mineral oil would almost rinse off with just plain hot water.
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