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Post by 1dave on Oct 30, 2013 13:39:02 GMT -5
Lots of heavy users of slab saws frequently drain the oil, and dump water on it. Immiscibility takes over as water drops work their way through the oil, surface tension traps rock particles and drag them to the bottom of the bucket. Rattle the bucket until separation is complete. Set the bucket out on a cold night. Next morning the water is frozen, and you can pour the now clean oil back in your saw.
My idea: build a sump with transparent drain pipe and 1" ball valve in the bottom of the tank. From time to time, dump a gallon or so of water into the saw one morning, drain the gallon of water the following morning.
Pros and cons?
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Deleted
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Member since January 1970
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Post by Deleted on Oct 30, 2013 15:13:17 GMT -5
whattaya do if ya live where freeze doesn't happen? Change name to "Northern Self Cleaning Slab Saw", the highly acclaimed NSCSS. In mild criticism of your concept, a 1" pipe is unlikely to achieve anything. Also, what makes the water go there?
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Post by 1dave on Oct 30, 2013 15:24:46 GMT -5
" what makes the water go there?"
Gravity and the sump - a funnel shaped low point of the box. As we are taking the water off the bottom and not pouring the oil off the top, we don't want it to freeze.
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Post by catmandewe on Oct 30, 2013 17:12:45 GMT -5
I think if you had a sloped bottom and at the bottom of the slope you were to add on a 2 or 3" pipe approx 6-12" long and then installed a large ball valve on the top and bottom of it, then it would probably work. That way you can keep the oil from dropping down into the pipe by closing the top valve and then drain the pipe with the bottom valve, kind of like an air lock so you don't drop all your oil out. Close the bottom valve and open the top valve and then add water and agitate and it should settle out into the stand pipe with a little time.
Might be worth a try.
Tony
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Deleted
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Member since January 1970
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Post by Deleted on Oct 30, 2013 17:29:33 GMT -5
You might be onto something Tony. Since I do not have a welder any more if I send my saw will you fix it up. lol If not I am going to try the water soluble lube. I am tired of cleaning out oil. Jim
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Post by 1dave on Oct 30, 2013 17:38:10 GMT -5
I think if you had a sloped bottom and at the bottom of the slope you were to add on a 2 or 3" pipe approx 6-12" long and then installed a large ball valve on the top and bottom of it, then it would probably work. That way you can keep the oil from dropping down into the pipe by closing the top valve and then drain the pipe with the bottom valve, kind of like an air lock so you don't drop all your oil out. Close the bottom valve and open the top valve and then add water and agitate and it should settle out into the stand pipe with a little time. Might be worth a try. Tony I think (thank, thunk) if oil got down into the pipe, it would float up and out as the water replaced it.
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Post by DirtCleaner on Oct 30, 2013 21:52:54 GMT -5
whattaya do if ya live where freeze doesn't happen? Change name to "Northern Self Cleaning Slab Saw", the highly acclaimed NSCSS. In mild criticism of your concept, a 1" pipe is unlikely to achieve anything. Also, what makes the water go there? I was wondering the complete opposite. How do you get water to flow outside without freezing?
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Post by Rockoonz on Nov 2, 2013 22:34:31 GMT -5
In my trim saws the water based lube tends to mix with the rock dust to form a concrete-like petrified rock snot that will not drain out. I think you would want to leave the water in the saw for a very short time and stir it up real good after adding the water. Would the oil froth up like when water gets into the motor oil in a vehicle?
Lee
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Post by 1dave on Nov 3, 2013 8:20:10 GMT -5
In my trim saws the water based lube tends to mix with the rock dust to form a concrete-like petrified rock snot that will not drain out. I think you would want to leave the water in the saw for a very short time and stir it up real good after adding the water. Would the oil froth up like when water gets into the motor oil in a vehicle? Lee AGREED! I think you would only want to pour the water in after a heavy saw usage, then cut a few slabs so the vibrations would help the water and oil separate, then drain the water and rock chips out of the bottom within 24 hours. My last saw cleaning occurred after not using my saw for a year. Yes, I should have cleaned it after the last use, but life demanded . . . No water in the oil, but the rock particles had settled to the bottom in layers. As you say, the bottom layer almost like caliche (moisture in the air?) Alternating layers of various colors - obviously from the sequential rocks I had cut - like layers of linoleum stuck together, then the top inch had the consistency of gooey brownies. Putty knives and a heavy duty egg flipper helped a lot. Another consideration, the weight of the cutting oil. The lighter the oil, the easier the rock particles separate from it. The heavier the oil, the slower they separate.
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Post by 1dave on Nov 7, 2013 17:01:35 GMT -5
Another thought. I'm running an 18" blade in a 20" saw. What if . . . I kept 2" of water in the bottom of the box.
How much would the blade stir things up? At cleanup time wouldn't I end up with a mud deposit on the bottom instead of sludge?
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rykk
spending too much on rocks
Member since September 2011
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Post by rykk on Nov 20, 2013 0:40:44 GMT -5
I have a 2-tier sloping bottom along with a 4-5" wide, 4" deep "catch basin at the very bottom where my drain is. I had an idea of somehow putting a piece of sheet or pillowcase in the catch basin with a way to raise it up all at once and suspending the sheet with its wad of snot and oil above the sump for a day or so and then tossing out the thickest stuff. If I'm disciplined and pulled the sheet frequently - like every week or so - the oil would always be clean-ish and Id wouldn't have to bother with the major hassle of a full-scale cleaning. What do you think, Dave - does it sound like a fair idea? C-ya, Rick
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Post by johnjsgems on Nov 20, 2013 11:47:49 GMT -5
My HP24 had a pump. The drain pipe (2") had a cloth sack attached to catch some sediment before draining into a 10 gal. bucket under the saw. The pump pumped oil from the bucket to two hoses attached to the "bike fender" over the blade. A more better way would have been a divided tank with baffles so sediment dropped to bottom of first compartment and oil spilled over top of baffle to the pump compartment. A triple baffle would give you pretty clean oil circulating. No water involved to rust cast iron parts or damage bearings.
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