Oils - petro., plants, synth., viscous - got Qs:

[diyer]

I need some oil information, and maybe other information that I am unaware of. Not sure if I am asking the right questions.

I recently spent far more money for some specialty oil products that could have been avoided. I had the same problem a few years ago with chemicals until I started reading labels and learning about chemicals. I purchased a dedicated cleaning product to clean a stubborn residue off a part. It was advertised as the only product known to clean this particular substance. I payed about $4.00 for a 2 oz bottle of some lacquer thinner. I didn't bother to look at the label until afer I opened it and used it, and then recognized the smell. I could have bought a whole quart of LQ for less than that $4.00. Sales on Gallons of LQ were $6.00 at the time. I've been looking at labels ever since. I guess I'm wondering if there are generic identifications of oils, similar to buying "generic" drugs at a far less cost than name brands. It's as if the advertised label is a marketing trick that holds back the needed generic information. Sometimes even when I call and ask about the MSDS, they often will not tell me what is in the product.

I am running into the same problem with oils but there is less information on the labels so it is a but more difficult to know if I already have the oil at home (and not aware of it), or whether I could make the product myself by mixing oils, etc. So, here are the questions:

First, how are oils classified: by Petroleum based versus Plant based? ... or Natural versus Synthetic? ... or by Viscosity? ... or all of the above? ... or something else entirely? Please excuse my ignorance, but I fail to see the common denominators among oils. So, I'm hoping to learn a good deal more practical information here, without having to go to the public library and studying a text on the subject and going for my doctorate in oilology (I made up that word for this discussion; I suppose a study of tribology might yield the answers, but again, that's just too involved for me at this time).

This is not an all inclusive list but I have heard references at this site to: light oils, non-drying oils, cutting oils, sharpening oils, hydraulic oils, tool oils, quenching oils, jewelers oil, sewing machine oils, firearm oils, and other oils, and wonder about their "differences AND similarities." Are they all that unique or can I buy one or two generic oils, and then mix and match, etc., making up what I need?

Some common problems I currently have is that I need to oil various wooden tool handles and wooden kitchen tools. I want to prevent the wood from drying out and cracking and also from moisture. I do not want to put a non safe food oil on kitchen woods and have it migrate onto the food, nor do I want the handles to be greasy from the oil, which could migrate onto another substance and ruin it. (years ago I had put some food based Oil of Cloves, in a Styrofoam cup and was surprised to see that it had eaten thru the cup a few hours later). So I am wondering if I need to use Linseed Oil, or Lemon Oil, or Tung Oil, OR something else entirely on both the Kitchen and Tool handles?

I also need to protect my industrial tools and parts generally from ferrous and non-ferrous rusts and the non metal stuff from general degradation. I work with tools and parts made of all sorts of plastics, elastomers, metals, woods, and man made materials. But after I get the tool or part clean, I am not following up by adding a protectant for the tools, because I have no idea what to use to prevent the degradation of the material, and because sometimes there is an overlapping of materials and what works on one destroys the other.

I often use DA as a final cleaning step, except on elastomers, because its cheap. Although, it seems that most of the advice I am getting is to use WD-40 for just about everything. But I do not know if that is good advice or bad advice. Somewhere along the way I heard that WD-40 dries out and is not the all around snake oil people think it is. Starrett has told me, "You do not want to put WD-40 on your micrometers ... or similar tools ... way too heavy and drying." See, right back to the oil questions: Are Starrett's Tool Oil and Lube Spray, a one of a kind, trade secret, special dedicated product, or is it just marketing hype for some common oil I may already have in the garage?

A bit off topic, I was surprised to learn from a rep at CRC Industries that silicones are being used way too often today and present many "migration" problems and do more damage than most people realize is done to their engines and their health. The CRC rep I spoke to (MS. MW), seems to despise silicones, she claims they are just about impossible to get rid of. Yet silicones are looked at like some kind Cure-All. I bet they make silicone oils too. Is it really possible to make a rubber oil?

Thanks you.
diyer

[gregvasale]

Can't answer this directly, but "Marks' Handbook" available at a good bookstore in the engineering/reference section may answer your question. Mine's a 1941 edition, so there is much newer data. It is expensive to buy, about $150, and I've seen one used for sale, have the guy's tel#, but you might find it on ebay. Only thing is, his is as old as mine. But there is tons of stuff in it.

[jan3]

Hi For what it's worth I have one answer and a couple of opinions. For use on wood where food is involved Jasco sells a product for cutting boards and salad bowls which meets FDA approval www.Jasco-Help.com . This is nothing more than mineral oil . For the use of WD40 I use it as a cleaner,but not as a protectant.On my tools I have been using sewing machine oil,which so far has work great.Should be used sparingly on precision tools. Hope this relevant to some of your questions.

[itspcb]

Diyer,
Your Q is complex, oil co's spend squillions on research, but it is a bit technical to understand. They issue stacks of info on their products. I'll see what I can find.
For Non toxic finishes you need natural products, problem is that they often have other toxic products in them to give them other properties so you can never be sure how safe they are, driers being particularly nasty.
Stay safe and only use those (FDA or other) recomended for food use. Behlen make a salad bowl finish, Watco was said to be ok but they have changed the formula recently. Natural oils like Olive oil and Walnut oil can be used, but need frequent appplication. Searching the Fine Woodworking archives should reveal something. (The last 10 issues don't seem to cover it).
As to WD40 it is a cleaner and water dispersant, not a protector. But I take a pint of WD40 and add a teaspoon of STP to it, put it into a garden spray and use it liberally to give light protection .

Peter B
UK

[mbensema]

You can get some good information from the McMaster-Carr catalog or website. That will probably give you a good start on what the different oils do and how they are different.

As for the cutting blocks, mineral oil is usually recommended, it is cheaper then the specialty oils and pretty much the same thing. I bought a large bottle at the local supermarket for the same price as the specialty oil a 1/4 of the size. I'm not too sure about the olive oil, I've heard it can get rancid. In that case, Mineral oil would be the safer alternative.

Mike