LarryS
freely admits to licking rocks
SoCal desert rats
Member since August 2010
Posts: 781
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Post by LarryS on Oct 24, 2013 12:36:15 GMT -5
If you go through the archives you'll find many posts on all the different water soluble coolants. I've tried Borax, RV/marine antifreeze & Lube Cool with lousy results. I only cut hard agate/jasper in my 10" Covington while using 301 & 303 blades. Wore many out using these products. Then I came across Kingsley North's Gem Lube. Fantastic stuff. You mix it 1 part Gem Lube to 10 parts water. My saw blade is always sitting in the tank full of coolant and have had zero rust in the 2 years I've been using this product. Blades last forever and require minimal sharpening. Saw cuts through maximum size rocks with no stress on the motor or clutch.
John with JSGems started to carry a new product and I just tried it out. It's called Smokey's EZ Cut. Comes in 1 quart bottles and you mix it 2oz to 1 gallon of water. It's a purdy blue color, like Windex. After adding the 2oz to the 1 gallon of water, it still feels oily. Tried it out on some very hard Lavic jasper where I've burnt up or dished many blades in the past using other products. The EZ Cut works great. Saw motor ran cool and didn't bog down. Sliced right though 3 1/2" rock with no issues. Time will tell on the rust protection properties. And like Gem Lube, I wouldn't hesitate using this coolant on larger blades.
Swished the slabs and my hands in a clean bucket of water, wiped them off on my T shirt and I'm good to go. Dump the saw tank behind the house and rinse out with the garden hose. Eat your heart out you oil guys! Xmas is coming up and hope you all get new hazmat suits!
LarryS
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grizman
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since July 2011
Posts: 878
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Post by grizman on Oct 24, 2013 13:26:48 GMT -5
You've either found a great secret, or you have just invested in some (un)known stock? It would be great to find a true option to the mess of oil!
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Oct 24, 2013 14:05:34 GMT -5
I dont have the balls to switch. Anyone using waterbased lubricant in a 24"?
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Post by Peruano on Oct 24, 2013 17:27:31 GMT -5
Its good to hear praise for Smokey's EZ cut. I met Smokey himself at the Albuquerque Gem and Mineral Show early this month and he did talk a convincing line about the attributes of the product. He is a guy who brought much technical experience to the rock world from his other job. I have not tried it but probably will sometime soon. Tom
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Post by Hard Rock Cafe on Oct 24, 2013 18:02:50 GMT -5
John: What do you think of using this product on larger saws?
Thanks! Chuck
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Deleted
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Member since January 1970
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Post by Deleted on Oct 24, 2013 19:07:17 GMT -5
John: What do you think of using this product on larger saws? Thanks! Chuck johnjsgems
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Post by Rockoonz on Oct 24, 2013 20:47:29 GMT -5
Is there MSDS sheets for it? I have been using Lube Cool in my trim saws and a weaker mix for drilling with nary a problem. Everything I've ever tried on a blade larger than 8 inches has resulted in blade damage. Might be worth a try to at least use it in one saw for materials that don't like oil, like Rose opals and opalised wood.
Lee
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Post by johnjsgems on Oct 24, 2013 23:37:17 GMT -5
According to Smokey it will work in any size saw. Also for drilling, carving, etc. I'm buried under projects but plan on trying it in my 18" Great Western if I can get all the old oil out some how. Won't be anytime soon though.
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Post by Rockoonz on Oct 25, 2013 0:11:47 GMT -5
You won't get all the oil out but if the water soluble cutting fluid has a surfactant the old oil should pretty much wash out on the first use. With aqueous cutting fluids you should wear gloves just as you should with oil, extended exposure to cutting fluids has caused lots of health problems with machinists.
Lee
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Oct 25, 2013 11:08:30 GMT -5
I plan to get all the oil out/ first.
Plan =
fill saw with water and half a bottle of dawn dish soap. Run without stone for 30 minutes, drain and then rinse with tap water. should have 99+% oil out that way.
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Post by johnjsgems on Oct 25, 2013 11:10:23 GMT -5
This stuff is supposed to be very safe. They applied for some kind of "green" certification. I'll have to see about the MSDS.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
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Post by Deleted on Oct 25, 2013 11:44:01 GMT -5
I am definitely going to try it. I am so sick of the oil mess that I have quit cutting. Lortone 12 inch can be hauled to the car wash and hosed out pretty easy. Jim
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Post by Hard Rock Cafe on Oct 25, 2013 12:26:25 GMT -5
I'm all for switching as long as I don't end up spending a lot of money on blades as a result.
Chuck
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LarryS
freely admits to licking rocks
SoCal desert rats
Member since August 2010
Posts: 781
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Post by LarryS on Oct 25, 2013 12:48:16 GMT -5
Try using that new Dawn Platinum. Not all stores carry it yet. Works great. Diane doesn't like it because it's hard on her hands. I'm a mechanic so my hands are tough. Works great on washing the Jeep too. Diane doesn't like that either, the Jeep is her baby. But hey, it's a Jeep! Cuts the dead bugs and crud right off it. But it streaks the windows. She gets to wash them!
If you try EZ Cut on a larger saw, just make one pass and see how the blade holds up. I changed out the pulleys on my 10" saw and run it at 2250rpm, max speed BD allows. No lubricating or premature dulling issues.
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Post by Jugglerguy on Oct 25, 2013 14:31:28 GMT -5
Hey Larry, I need to buy some sort of water additive. I'm thinking of going with the Gem Lube since you like it so much. I just read somewhere else that the spray from silicone based additives is almost impossible to clean up. Have you had trouble cleaning it up, or are you using it somewhere where that's not an issue?
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Post by Rockoonz on Oct 25, 2013 16:44:08 GMT -5
Kingsley North sells Gem Lube water based cutting fluid, and silicone extender spray for diamond paste on leather or canvas. They are to my knowledge 2 unrelated products other than the name. I wouldn't think they would use silicone oil in a cutting fluid. Definitely stay away from anything silicone based for cutting rocks. Nothing sticks to silicone, especially dop sticks, and it is near impossible to completely remove.
Lee
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LarryS
freely admits to licking rocks
SoCal desert rats
Member since August 2010
Posts: 781
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Post by LarryS on Oct 25, 2013 16:52:05 GMT -5
Gem Lube isn't silicone based as far as I know. All they say it's synthetic & biodegradable. Silicone isn't a very good lapidary blade lubricant, I tried. Clean up? Rinses right off with water, you, rocks & the saw. Nothing left behind, no residue. Dop sticks stay on. I keep a bucket of clean water for my hands & slabs. Then after about a month of slabbing, right when the coolant tank is full of muck, I'll take the saw behind my house and dump it on the ground. If I cut Lavic jasper, I bury the muck because it's a burnt orange color and looks bad on the ground. Squirt everything with the garden hose and fill it back up with coolant. I'll then trim using the clean/clear coolant. And Gem Lube is nice to use while trimming with the hood off. Saw always has coolant in it. Zero rust.
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Post by Jugglerguy on Oct 25, 2013 18:06:12 GMT -5
Cool, I'm going to get some. Thanks.
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Deleted
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Member since January 1970
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Post by Deleted on Oct 25, 2013 18:08:25 GMT -5
I don't think silicone will mix with water but I am not a chemist. Don't people spray silicone on things to keep water off? Jim
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Post by Jugglerguy on Oct 25, 2013 18:12:39 GMT -5
I use it to keep water off stuff, but I'm not a chemist either. I read that here.. I don't believe everything I read on the Internet, which is why I asked.
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