Posts Tagged surface

Power Tool Care – Cutting Fluids

Posted on October 22, 2011 | Automotive Repair.

The Industrial Revolution brought with it many changes. One of those changes was the way that metals are worked. Instead of relying on a man’s strength to shape metal, there were now machines that were able to cut and shape the metal for you. But with the new technology came new problems, like how to cool and lubricate the cutting tool, extend its life and improve surface finish. The answer to this problem was, of course, to use cutting fluids including cutting oils.

Cutting Fluids serve as a combination of coolant and lubricant and were created specifically to be used for machine work and metalworking. Cutting fluids usually fall into one of the following categories; oils, pastes, gels, oil-water emulsions and mist and are made out of plant oils, animal fats or petroleum derivatives.

The process of cutting and working metal by machine produces a great deal of heat; metal on metal, and one of a cutting fluid’s main objectives is to keep the piece being worked on at a consistent temperature. Besides serving as coolants they also prolong the life of the cutting tool by reducing friction and help to reduce any safety risks to the person handling the machine and material and reducing rust on the machine parts.

When cutting fluids first started being used water was the most logical choice, for with the heat and friction caused by metalworking the first instinct was to cool it off with water. It was quickly found, however, that water made the metal machine parts rust fairly quickly. Soda water was the next step, and helped with the rust problem though it didn’t do much for lubrication. When someone actually figured that putting grease on the machine parts would help, lard became the lubricant of choice. There are references as well to red and white lead being mixed into lard oil to make it more malleable, but that practice was discontinued due to the discovered toxicity of lead.

Today cutting oils fall into four basic categories;

  1. Straight oils, which are used for machines that run at a slower speed and need more lubrication than cooling.
  2. Soluble oils, which have additives that allow them to be mixed with water. These not only provide lubrication but some cooling.
  3. Semi-synthetic oils, which are similar to soluble oils but contain less petroleum, making them cleaner and more effective as coolants
  4. Synthetic oils, which contain no petroleum based oils and are the best for performance, cooling and rust prevention.

All four of these categories are applied in any number of ways, including dripping; spraying, misting, brushing, whatever suits the purpose at hand, though direct contact with any cutting oil should be avoided due to the fact that many have been linked to skin rashes, esophagitis, lung disease and even cancer.

Finding A Good Automotive Repair Facility

Posted on August 14, 2011 | Automotive Repair.

Many people spend their time looking for a good repair shop, or perhaps taking the car back to the dealership which the vehicle was purchased from. Unaware that they could be saving money by taking their car to an independent repair shop. Sometimes finding a good repair shop can be a bit of a challenge. Knowing the signs to look for that make a good repair shop will definitely help. Or knowing the right questions to ask when you get there. Even going into a well run repair facility without knowing what to look for can result in a unpleasant experience. Poor service can result from not knowing the right things to be on the look out for, the right questions to ask, or the right info to give the service writer behind the counter.

Poor service can come from several different factors. I would not say that poor service is the customer’s fault, in fact it is quite the contrary. Most of the time when a customer receives poor service, it is because the shop is not managed well. There are things you as the consumer can learn to spot when a shop is not managed well. Many times a shop can appear well run and put together on the surface. If someone is not looking, they might miss some of the biggest signs. Knowing what to look for and what questions to ask will help the customer. It always helps to know what to be on the look out for and what information is the best to share with the service writer. You should also pay close attention to what questions the service writer is asking you. Informing yourself will help you. Educate yourself by asking people about their experiences. Where they had good service and what made it good. Online research can be very useful. Looking for articles written by someone in the repair industry would be a great help. They will know what kind of information will be needed and what will be useful. All of this will help you know what to be prepared with.

Pay close attention to the way that the service writer makes you feel. Your intuition is very important and you should count on it, trust it. Is this some one you feel you can trust? Someone that you feel wants to work with you to accommodate your automotive needs? After all, it is your hard earned money that you will be spending. You should feel comfortable with the recommendations that the repair shop is giving you about your vehicle. You should also feel confident in the work that is being performed.

A well informed consumer will be be able to spot a well managed shop. They will also be able to know what kind of questions to be asking at the repair shop. As well as what kind of information to be prepared with when walking into the repair facility. It is important to be aware of what kind of questions the service writer is asking you. With all of this information, a customer will be able to find a good automotive repair shop. One that will value them as a customer as well as fill all of their automotive needs. Keeping all of this in mind will help you as the customer find the right repair facility.