Downside of Diesel

[Rockoteer]

I just visited a rock shop and got a look at his saws etc.  He had three large saws going and was using diesel as his saw oil.  What are your views on diesel?
I did search the forums for diesel in the topic line, perhaps i should have searched in the text?

tks
Gary (Rockoteer)

[Taogem]

Hi Gary ..

There has been some discussion about the use of diesel here before.. Freeform is one who mentioned how he likes to mix a little motor oil with his diesel..

I believe there is an issue of straight diesel actually being a bit flammable.

I use mineral oil so can't offer hands on experience...

I am sure others will jump in here for ya.. ! 

[idrockman]

Gary,

I too use mineral oil, like George, I know the Diesel stinks and after cleaning the stone, I want to make sure that what could someday touch someone's skin would be gentle, whereas Mineral oil is and Diesel is not.


Sorry I couldn't answer your question.

Brad

[Bluesssman]

I too only use a mineral oil. My biggest concern was I knew I would be getting what ever cooling/lubricating substance all over my hands, so i went with something easy on my old skin. The only advantage to using diesel is the lower cost per gallon.


Gary

[Pondmn]

I use mineral oil in my 10 inch powerdrive loritone saw and like it.  In my two 18 inch saws I use biodiesel.  My friend processes his own biodiesel.  Instead of putting in the methane and other additives he just runs the oil thru the lye process and takes out the glycerin and then washes it and we use the oil at this stage for our saws.  I have been using the same oil since last summer and have had no problems with odor or the typical chemical issues of biodiesel.  It does not seem to get rancid.  I have asthma and have not had much issue with either biodiesel at that stage or mineral oil.  Our club has used pella and some grade of cutting/gear oil and they seem to have some type of smell.  Jerry

[hulagrub]

I've been using an ISO 32 industrial grade hydraulic oil that Dean (slabber) stocks in his shop. My blade cuts like it is brand new. No smell, and washes off easily with Dawn dishwashing soap.

[Freeform]

Thats really only the down side to using Diesel, its doesnt wash off easy. And usaully you smell of diesel all day. But i do keep a pair of heavy rubber gloves by the saw in case i have to stick my hand down into the resivor for a dropped slab.  I do a 1-4 part mix. Motor oil to Diesel.

[johnjsgems]

I've heard too many horror stories about shops burning down with diesel.  I have several friends using Shell Amber 100.  It costs $8 per gal. in 5 or 55 gal (from a Shell Oil distributor).  It washes off easily, filters easily, no odor and non-hazardous. 

[catmandewe]

My wife said she doesn't want her house and washing machine to smell like diesel, so that's out for me. I would also be afraid of it catching fire, but that depends on which diesel you are using. Regular diesel out of a pump has a flash point of about 150 degrees, but bio-diesel has a flash point of about 265 and mineral oil has a flash point of about 275. So bio-diesel would be much closer to mineral oil than pump diesel.

I use mineral oil also. No smell and good for your hands. Easy to clean the slabs, just rinse the guck off of them then put the slabs in the dishwasher for a slab so clean you could eat off of it!

Tony

[Rockoteer]

Wow, what a great bunch.  Thanks much for all the replys.  Diesel is not an option for me.  I am trying to retain my garage for my rock shop and diesel would be a deal breaker with my wife for sure.  I wanted a new GMC diesel p/u but the D word put the cabash to that.

Thanks again everyone,
Gary (Rockoteer)

[Old Hickory]

John,
I just contacted the major Shell Oil Distributor in the Seattle metro area and they say they have never heard of "Shell Amber 100. Could it have another name? I have been using Petro Canada White Oil 15 (Food Grade Mineral Oil) and it works well except it really makes a mess of the saw. Lots of rock snot, It seems to hold everything in suspension and everything under the hood gets covered in what appears to be chocolate pudding, and it doesn’t filter very well. The Shell Amber 100 sounds like it might work a little better.

Ron

[slabbercabber]

White oil is really the ideal mineral oil as it has been distilled to remove the volatiles.  Other than that it is the same as Pella A or Almag.  The problem you are having with suspended sludge is due to the viscosity.  See if they offer a six weight.  I also use biodiesel.  It has no smell and is very easy on the skin.  The down side is that it suspends sludge and also is not filterable.  I use a double settling system in my saw pumping system so I can live with it.  If I could find white oil at a reasonable price I would use it.
Steve

[AlainTernet]

Someone can tell me how he cut porous stones? (like "dinosaur bone)
Do you still use oil in you slabs saw ?  Do the oil penetrates the rock ?
And how to remove them after ? Or do you use a other saw with water only for that ?

[Freeform]

IN the 15 years ive really been into lapidary and rocks ive never heard of any shops burning down because of using Diesel as a cooling agent. Thats a new one for me. Autoignition with diesel doesnt happen till its over 200F.  Ive been running my slab saw outside in the Arizona 115-120F summers without a worry about the coolant catching fire.   Now, i dont production cut anymore, so the saw is not running 12hours a day. But even when it was, that was still never a concern.   Inside, yes i would be a little concerned, more becasue of the contanimation, mess, and general off putting smell.   

There are rust inhibitors folks can buy to use in a water mixture for cooling your saw too. For really porus stones like Turquoise and Chrysocolla. I wouldnt worry about Dino bone, so long as its still well agatized.  A Cat litter dry soak for a day or two usaually does the job for me.

[johnjsgems]

OK, I had a friend check his barrel of Amber 100.  It does not say Shell anywhere.  He bought it from a local Shell Oil distributor but it apparently isn't a Shell product.  I've heard good comments on Shell Garia but don't know anything about it. 

[johnjsgems]

Here is the Amber info:

"Amber Neutral Oil 100"

Packaged by Amber Resources
1543 w. 16th St.
Long Beach, CA 90813

Purchase at Dion and Sons (Shell distributor) also in Long Beach, CA

[bobby1]

I was lucky when we shut down a facility they didn't want to transport the refrigeration or vacuum oils to the new facility. They also didn't want to pay to dispose of them in the waste stream, so I agreed to "dispose" of it for free. I got about 100 gallons. They are a highly refined, costly, 15 wt oil and it works great for me. No smell and I wipe the slab off after it is cut and put it into cat litter for a day or so. No oily residue is left on the slab. The oil filters very effectively with the double paper bag method.
Bob

[Alvin]

great information guys. after my second five gallons of cutting oil, I was hoping there was something less expensive. Also getting the impression that most of you wash your slabs with dawn (soap) and water. Thanks for the information.
Alvin