Soluble oil

I built a 12" scale steam locomotive years ago and now I'm working on a steam powered cycle. When I bought the castings ETC for the loco I bought several quarts of soluble (or steam cylinder) oil which was recommended. It seems that this oil has been used from time immemorial for steam engines. Now I am running low and wondering what if I was to use ordinary lubricating oil? My locomotive has a pump lubricator and the cycle a displacement lubricator. The reason that I am considering this is that I've put a feedwater heater on the cycle and I'd like to reuse the condensate that comes out of the heater. I would like to put it into a column made of plastic pipe and drain the distilled water out the bottom but I find that with the soluble oil it does not separate well enough. Any thoughts?

Engineman

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Reply to
engineman
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I don't know what the oil is, but didn't you also build a steam powered bicycle years ago?

I did see the trike shown on your homepage.

Reply to
Wild_Bill

--Call John York; he sells it by the gallon for steamboaters.

Reply to
steamer

From what I=92ve read, water soluble oils have emulsifiers (detergents) to make them mix with water. Without them you probably run the risk of the lubricant not working properly, however that makes them also difficult to separate.

Here=92s something that I found on DIY formulations:

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There=92s also this supplier (if you don=92t already know):
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Reply to
Denis G.

Don't muck up thousands of hours of work by using the wrong thing.

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Reply to
Jim Stewart

Reply to
engineman

When studying Geology - mostly Gulf Coast Stratigraphic studies used by industry - I had use of a large slab saw. It had a 48" diamond circular blade and a large vise. It used 50 gallons of soluble oil.

One time, the oil salesman suggested a different kind. It wasn't milk like when mixed - more clear - slightly yellow. (suspected sulfur).

Anyway, once it mixed with rock dust - it gelled. We can in the next Monday - and the tray was a solid Jello mass. We wondered if we got some bad stuff for us. Once we fired up the big saw - the movement liquefied it.

Mart>

Reply to
Martin Eastburn

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