sheltie
freely admits to licking rocks
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Post by sheltie on Oct 12, 2012 12:52:44 GMT -5
I've had my slab saw working 4-6 hours a day for the past 3+ weeks and the oil is really nasty looking, a brown such as you see when a baby has the runs ![>:(](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/angry.png) . There is probably about 1/4" of sediment on the bottom of the saw. I thought I would drain and filter it tomorrow just to see how to do it. Am I to believe that after the oil has been filtered that it will be back to clear again? If not, should it still be replaced back into the saw or should I put in new oil?
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fwfranklen (Mike)
spending too much on rocks
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Post by fwfranklen (Mike) on Oct 12, 2012 13:21:58 GMT -5
filter through paper bags and it will clear up as new...at least mine does. It works best in a warmer area and it takes a while. I let mine sit for two weeks.
Mike
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sheltie
freely admits to licking rocks
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Post by sheltie on Oct 12, 2012 14:29:08 GMT -5
filter through paper bags and it will clear up as new...at least mine does. It works best in a warmer area and it takes a while. I let mine sit for two weeks. Mike I live in Texas so that shouldn't be much of a problem ;D. I was planning on letting it filter through burlap for just a day. It looks like I may have to change my plans. I'd sure hate to nat be able to use the saw more than a day or so.
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Oct 12, 2012 15:06:46 GMT -5
I emptied mine and started filtering two gallons through two brown paper bags about 16 days ago and so far only about 1 gallon of nice clean oil has come thru. I am in Michigan though and its getting down in the 30's at night already here. I bought enough new oil so there was no down time and now I'll have enough to start swapping without any down time.
Chuck
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Post by deb193redux on Oct 12, 2012 15:44:50 GMT -5
yes, burlap no good. brown paper bag seems to be correct sieve size.
You should get some extra oil so you can have a full saw and a bunch still in the filter bag. When it finished filtering, just store it in a bucket or bottle.
unless it is below 60 deg, about half of the oil usually filters in 48 hours. it is the other half that takes weeks.
if you have about 50%-60% extra oil, you only are down for about 48hr. (if you have 100% extra oil, you are not down at all).
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sheltie
freely admits to licking rocks
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Post by sheltie on Oct 12, 2012 19:03:50 GMT -5
yes, burlap no good. brown paper bag seems to be correct sieve size. You should get some extra oil so you can have a full saw and a bunch still in the filter bag. When it finished filtering, just store it in a bucket or bottle. unless it is below 60 def, about half of the oil usually filters in 48 hours. it is the other half that takes weeks. if you have about 50%-60% extra oil, you only are down for about 48hr. (if you have 100% extra oil, you are not down at all). I have plenty of oil so no problem there. Why do you say burlap is no good (I'm not arguing, just trying to understand)? Our temps are still in the high 80s and I thought I'd try this for the first time prior to winter setting in in a couple months. What do people do with their saws when it's cold and they can't drain them? I should also ask how you do it. Just put a couple paper bags in a five gallon pail and drain the saw into it? What's the process? Won't the paper bag eventually fall apart? Guess I better find where I can get some paper bags around here (the grocery stores all have plastic).
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Post by deb193redux on Oct 12, 2012 19:27:18 GMT -5
the holes even in fine burlap are way larger than the fine particles in the sludge. what comes through will not be clear. even 1000 thread count is still much larger holes than paper.
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The Dad_Ohs
fully equipped rock polisher
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Post by The Dad_Ohs on Oct 12, 2012 20:23:46 GMT -5
would a paint filter work?? I know in the auto body field they have to strain the paint so that it doesn't clog the spray gun and the screens are measured in micron size... anyone know if they would work??
They make them to work in 5 gallon buckets too.
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The Dad_Ohs
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Post by The Dad_Ohs on Oct 12, 2012 20:33:02 GMT -5
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Post by deb193redux on Oct 12, 2012 20:48:09 GMT -5
I don't know about paint filters, except they likely cost more than paper bags.
I think the fibers in the bags provide a capillary action. if the sludge clogs the bag pores, the oil is wicked up a few inches and then still seeps through. I am not sure the fibers in paint filters would do this.
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RockIt2Me
has rocks in the head
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Post by RockIt2Me on Oct 12, 2012 20:50:39 GMT -5
I have drilled several holes in the bottom of the top bucket. Place a sturdy brown paper bag in the bucket. Suspend the bucket over another bucket, Pour sludge into paper bag in bucket...Viola! ![](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8040/8039102979_81fd9c9fd4.jpg) ![](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8032/8039103989_a522e31607.jpg) I recover approximately 50-70%.
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Post by catmandewe on Oct 12, 2012 21:12:50 GMT -5
The more seepage holes in the top bucket the faster it filters, I started out with a 5 gal bucket inside of a kitchen sized plastic garbage can. I now have a 5 gal bucket that drains into a 55 gal drum with a hole cut into the top that the buckets sets into. My 5 gal bucket has about 30 half inch holes in it on the sides and the bottom.
I only use one bag because I dont think an extra bag makes any difference except to soak up more of your oil.
Tony
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Post by deb193redux on Oct 12, 2012 21:26:45 GMT -5
i don't know about the holes. I use a hardware cloth cage to hold the bag, and I don't think it goes any faster.
the more surface area in the bag, the faster it goes
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quartz
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Post by quartz on Oct 12, 2012 21:36:55 GMT -5
Paper lunch sacks at Dollar Tree are 40 for a buck. they fit nicely into an 8" piece of 4" dia. PVC sewer pipe [the thin stuff]. I put two at a time in a piece of light weight metal channel that has many perforations in it, short legs for suppport, and a catch container underneath for the oil. A support structure for the pipe could easily be fashioned of wood, plastic, or metal. The thing I really like about this method is ease of disposal of the filtered gunk, pick up the pipe with the bag in it while supporting the botttom of the bag, and slide the bag into a siutable permanent disposal container, no worries about the bag ripping and making a mess.
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The Dad_Ohs
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Post by The Dad_Ohs on Oct 12, 2012 21:44:53 GMT -5
well I guess I'll have to remember to Paper Please, from now on when they say paper or plastic..... or head to the dollar tree!! I also have a Tractor Supply Co. opening near me on the 20th so I'll be moseying on over for 3-4 gallons of mineral oil (aka Horse Laxative!!) to keep the saw running while the old stuff is filtering, after all the old stuff is about 20 years old... give or take!! LOL
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snuffy
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Post by snuffy on Oct 12, 2012 21:45:03 GMT -5
If you have the space and the inclination,after the oil is filtered,place your bags of gunk in a 30 gallon plastic trash barrel half full of water.You will be surprised over a period of time how much oil will float to the surface to be skimmed off.
snuffy
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snuffy
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Post by snuffy on Oct 12, 2012 21:50:53 GMT -5
We have one grocery store here that still has paper or plastic.I go once a month and buy enough there for 3 or 4 bags.The wholesale place has them,but have to buy a 400 count package.
snuffy
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sheltie
freely admits to licking rocks
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Post by sheltie on Oct 13, 2012 8:23:18 GMT -5
My wife, who is the creative person in the family (go figure!) suggested that I ask about using quilt batting as the filter. It's about 1/2" thick and can be doubled and tripled if necessary. It looks like it should do the job but then I've never tried it.
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Post by catmandewe on Oct 13, 2012 9:50:30 GMT -5
Not sure about the quilt batting, never tried it. If you do let us know how it works. Not sure how you would keep the gunk from just seeping through with the oil.
John Rowland sells a centrifugal filter that continuously cleans your oil as you cut. I would like to try it one of these days but the cost is pretty prohibitive.
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sheltie
freely admits to licking rocks
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Post by sheltie on Oct 13, 2012 10:43:09 GMT -5
Tony,
It's $750, but to those of you who do a lot more of it than I do, it may be worth it. I'm still considering it somewhere down the line.
Denny
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