Part 295

«Lubricants»

«Oil for Firearms.»—Either pure vaseline oil, white, 0.870, or else pure white-bone oil, proof to cold, is employed for this purpose, since these two oils are not only free from acid, but do not oxidize or resinify.

«Leather Lubricants.»—Russian tallow, 1 pound; beeswax, 6 ounces; black pitch, 4 ounces; common castor oil, 3 pounds; soft paraffine, 1⁠/⁠2 pound; oil of citronella, 1⁠/⁠2 ounce. Melt all together in a saucepan, except the citronella, which add on cooling. Stir occasionally.

«Machinery Oils.»—I.—The solid fat, called bakourine, a heavy lubricant which possesses extraordinary lubricating qualities has a neutral reaction and melts only at about 176° to 188° F. It is prepared as follows:

A mixture is made of 100 parts of Bienne petroleum or crude naphtha, with 25 parts of castor oil or some mineral oil, and subjected to the action of 60 or 70 parts of sulphuric acid of 66° Bé. The acid is poured in a small stream into the oil, while carefully stirring. The agitation is continued until a thick and blackish-brown mass is obtained free from non-incorporated petroleum. Very cold water of 2 or 3 times the weight of the mass is then added, and the whole is stirred until the mass turns white and becomes homogeneous. It is left at rest for 24 hours, after which the watery liquid, on the surface of which the fat is floating, must be poured off. After resting again from 3 to 4 days, the product is drawn off, carefully neutralized with caustic potash, and placed in barrels ready for shipping.

II.—Melt in a kettle holding 2 to 4 times as much as the volume of the mass which is to be boiled therein, 10 parts, by weight, of tallow in 20 parts of rape oil on a moderate fire; add 10 parts of freshly and well burnt lime, slaked in 30 or 40 parts of water; increase the fire somewhat, and boil with constant stirring until a thick froth forms and the mass sticks to the bottom of the kettle. Burning should be prevented by diligent stirring. Then add in portions of 10 parts each, gradually, 70 parts of rape oil and boil with a moderate fire, until the little lumps gradually forming have united to a whole uniform mass. With this operation it is of importance to be able to regulate the fire quickly. Samples are now continually taken, which are allowed to cool quickly on glass plates. The boiling down must not be carried so far that the samples harden on cooling; they must spin long, fine threads, when touched with the finger. When this point is reached add, with constant stirring, when the heat has abated sufficiently (which may be tested by pouring in a few drops of water), 25 to 30 parts of water. Now raise the fire, without {461} ceasing to stir, until the mass comes to a feeble, uniform boil. In order to be able to act quickly in case of a sudden boiling over, the fire must be such that it can be removed quickly, and a little cold water must always be kept on hand. Next, gradually add in small portions, so as not to disturb the boiling of the mass, 500 parts of paraffine oil (if very thick, 800 to 900 parts may be added), remove from the fire, allow the contents of the kettle to clarify, and skim off the warm grease from the sediment into a stirring apparatus. Agitate until the mass begins to thicken and cool; if the grease should still be too solid, stir in a little paraffine oil the second time. The odor of the paraffine oil may be disguised by the admixture of a little mirbane oil.

«For Cutting Tools.»—The proportion of ingredients of a lubricating mixture for cutting tools is 6 gallons of water, 3 1⁠/⁠2 pounds of soft soap, and 1⁠/⁠2 gallon of clean refuse oil. Heat the water and mix with the soap, preferably in a mechanical mixer; afterwards add the oil. A cast-iron circular tank to hold 12 gallons, fitted with a tap at the bottom and having three revolving arms fitted to a vertical shaft driven by bevels and a fast and loose pulley, answers all requirements for a mixer. This should be kept running all through the working day.

«For Highspeed Bearings.»—To prevent heating and sticking of bearings on heavy machine tools due to running continuously at high speeds, take about 1⁠/⁠8 of flake graphite, and the remainder kerosene oil. As soon as the bearing shows the slightest indication of heating or sticking, this mixture should be forcibly squirted through the oil hole until it flows out between the shaft and bearing, when a small quantity of thin machine oil may be applied.

«For Heavy Bearings.»—An excellent lubricant for heavy bearings can be made from either of the following recipes:

I.—Paraffine 6 pounds Palm oil 12 pounds Oleonaphtha 8 pounds

II.—Paraffine 8 pounds Palm oil 20 pounds Oleonaphtha 12 pounds

The oleonaphtha should have a density of 0.9. First dissolve the paraffine in the oleonaphtha at a temperature of about 158° F. Then gradually stir in the palm oil a little at a time. The proportions will show that No. II gives a less liquid product than No. I. Quicklime may be added if desired.

«For Lathe Centers.»—An excellent lubricant for lathe centers is made by using 1 part graphite and 4 parts tallow thoroughly mixed.

«Sewing Machine Oil.»—I.—Petroleum oils are better adapted for the lubrication of sewing machines than any of the animal oils. Sperm oil has for a long time been considered the standard oil for this purpose, but it is really not well adapted to the conditions to which a sewing machine is subjected. If the machine were operated constantly or regularly every day, probably sperm oil could not be improved on. The difficulty is, however, that a family sewing machine will frequently be allowed to stand untouched for weeks at a time and will then be expected to run as smoothly as though just oiled. Under this kind of treatment almost any oil other than petroleum oil will become gummy. What is known in the trade as a “neutral” oil, of high viscosity, would probably answer better for this purpose than anything else. A mixture of 1 part of petrolatum and 7 parts of paraffine oil has also been recommended.

II.—Pale oil of almonds 9 ounces Rectified benzoline 3 ounces Foreign oil of lavender 1 ounce

«PETROLEUM JELLIES AND SOLIDIFIED LUBRICANTS.»

Petroleum jelly, vaseline, and petrolatum are different names for the same thing.

The pure qualities are made from American stock thickened with hot air until the desired melting point is attained. Three colors are made: white, yellow, and black of various qualities. Cheaper qualities are made by using ceresine wax in conjunction with the genuine article and pale mineral oil. This is the German method and is approved of by their pharmacopœia. Machinery qualities are made with cylinder oils, pale mineral oils, and ceresine wax.

I.—Yellow ceresine wax 11 parts White ceresine wax 6 parts American mineral oil, 903⁠/⁠907 151 parts

Melt the waxes and stir in the oil. To make white, use all white ceresine wax. To color, use aniline dyes soluble in oil to any shade required.

II.—Ceresine wax 1 pound Bloomless mineral oil, Sq. 910 1 gallon {462}

Melt the wax and add the oil, varying according to the consistency required. To color black, add 28 pounds lampblack to 20 gallons oil. Any wax will do, according to quality of product desired.

«White Petroleum Jelly.»—

White tasteless oil 4 parts White ceresine wax 1 part

«Solidified Lubricants.»—

I.—Refined cotton oil 2 parts American mineral oil, 903⁠/⁠907 2 parts Oleate of alumina 1 part

Gently heat together.

II.—Petroleum jelly 120 parts Ceresine wax 5 parts Slaked lime 1⁠/⁠2 part Water 4 1⁠/⁠2 parts