Corinne G asked:


I’ve been researching, but still can’t get a simple answer. I’ve read a lot of good things about jojoba. Also for grapeseed oil, not so much about anything else. Almond oil works reallly good for my hair, jojoba works good for my skin as well as coconut, but the only problem is that i want one oil that can do it all.

CAROL

mejeepgirl asked:


I got something that seems to be an oil of some type all over my newer microfiber couch. I’m at a loss as to how the best way is to get it off. It is a clear oil of some kind. It came from a back that was stored in my porch, so my guess would maybe be a motor oil? I don’t know how ANY oil would have gotten on the bag, but that’s my best guess of what kind it would be since there’s no cooking oil out there ever. TIA!

BERNARDO

Michael Barrett asked:


Insufficient lubrication is one problem that can lead to premature failure. Proper lubrication is defined as the proper amount of the proper lubricant at the proper place. If oil levels are low, or the lubricant delivery system is inadequate, a proper oil film cannot be maintained at the friction surface. This results in metal to metal contact and accelerated wear. Sufficient lubrication can only be achieved when oil levels are correct, and the appropriate lube is in place and functioning properly.

Another problem that can sometimes lead to lubricant related machine failures is lubricant degradation. Nature takes its toll on all of us, and lubricants are no exception. Oxidation breaks down the base oil of a lubricant, additives are depleted, and physical properties change over time. This process is accelerated by high temperatures, heavy loading, and contamination. When a lubricant reaches the end of its useful life, it is no longer capable of protecting equipment components. Steps must be taken to ensure a healthy lubricant is in use at all times.

A third problem that can lead to premature failure is contamination. Contaminated lubricants account for nearly half of all lubricant related failures. Lubricants can become contaminated with either solid or liquid contaminants. Solid contaminants can act as abrasives causing severe damage to components. Oil will hold contaminants in suspension as it flows through the machine. The contaminants are carried away from the friction surface to settle out in the reservoir or be filtered out. Solids can also clog filters and orifices restricting oil flow and resulting in lubricant starvation. Filters need to be checked and maintained on a scheduled routine basis.

Fluid contaminants such as water will alter the load handling ability of oil, and act as a catalyst for lubricant degradation. Many fluids also cause internal corrosion and rust. The proper oil additives will enhance the rust and oxidation inhibiting properties of the oil. When the oil starts to show a high level of degradation, it is time to change the oil removing all the contaminants from the system. The scheduled oil analysis tests will assess the oil condition and degradation. Proper filtration must be maintained, and sources of potential contamination should be identified and controlled to ensure the cleanest lubricant possible.

Lubricant related failures may also include incorrect lubricant selection. When selecting a lubricant for a given application, both equipment specifications and operating parameters should be taken into account. A higher oil viscosity will be required for equipment running at a higher load. There are many types of oil to choose from. Most importantly, the proper grade (viscosity) lubricant must be chosen.

Oil absorbs the heat generated by the friction surface. The oil carries the heat away to the reservoir where it can disperse, cooling before circulating through the equipment again. Oil can be passed through a cooler to disperse the heat more rapidly. The viscosity will determine the amount of heat the oil is meant to withstand. Low viscosity subjected to higher heat temperatures will cause the oil to break down prematurely. Testing the viscosity will assist in confirming that the proper oil is being used for the application at hand.

Secondly the lubricant should have the proper additive package. Lubricating oils are composed of 70% to 95% base oil and the balance is additives. Engine oil has the most additives due to the engines high running temperatures and rough environments. The second highest amount of additives is in gear oil, AW hydraulic oil, and transmission fluid. The least amount of additives is found in turbine oil. Additives enhance rust and oxidation inhibiting properties in turbine oil creating a longer lasting, more durable product. Some oils use alkaline additives to neutralize acid as it is formed.

Other considerations in selecting a lubricant include demulsibility properties and extreme temperature characteristics. Running a base line oil analysis test before the oil is used, confirms the cleanliness of the new oil. This gives a point of comparison for future oil testing as the oil breaks down with age and use. This can be an important part of an efficient Predictive Maintenance Program.

Lubricant related failures are sometimes caused by the use of grease when oil is required. The lubricant functions to reduce friction and wear by physically separating opposing friction surfaces with an oil film. This also reduces the amount of energy needed to complete the task.

Once the proper lube is selected, procedures should be put in place to ensure the selected lubricant is applied at the proper intervals. Always monitor the oil with scheduled oil analysis testing to spot lubricant problems before they turn into costly machine failures.



FRANKLIN

Solunas asked:


I just bought a beautiful gently used wood rocker but it squeaks. What is the best oil to use for a good piece of wood furniture? I have olive oil, coconut oil, peanut oil, grapeseed oil, castor oil and mineral oil already on hand. Will any of these work without doing harm to the wood? I’d prefer a natural and inexpensive solution.

GIUSEPPE

Jonny S asked:


I need to buy massage oil for a course i’ve just started, and wanted to know what the difference between grapeseed oil bought from a supermarket and massage oil is?

ALBERTO

Daniel Yergin asked:


With eyes focused on whether and when oil breaks through the $100 barrier, it turns out that $100 a barrel is really $99.04, at least in terms of the all-time record, according to Cambridge Energy Research Associates (CERA).

CERA, an IHS company (NYSE: IHS), finds that the inflation-adjusted high of $99.04 in today’s dollars, $39.50 in 1980 dollars, was reached during the spring of 1980 when geopolitical turbulence in the Middle East, and Iran in particular, created acute uncertainty about the reliability and adequacy of oil supplies from the world’s most important oil exporting region.

“Breaking the historical high of $99.04 per barrel will be a landmark in itself,” said James Burkhard, managing director of the Global Oil Group at CERA. “It will certainly have psychological impact since it will intensify momentum for the market to hit $100 per barrel. And it will have a concrete effect since it pushes the world economy deeper into uncharted territory-the oil price range which can contribute to an economic slowdown.”

CERA’s calculation of $99.04 is based on the April 1980 nominal average posted price of $39.50 per barrel for West Texas Intermediate. This is a monthly average price since, at the time, there was no crude oil futures market to provide a daily price. Crude oil futures trading did not begin until 1983. The translation of the nominal prices into 2007 U.S. dollars is based on the U.S. Consumer Price Index using annual averages.

“There are different indexes and methods that can be used to adjust prices to inflation,” Burkhard said. “These methods can result in prices that are lower or higher than our $99.04 per barrel calculation. However, we believe that using an annual average inflation rate provides the best basis for comparison between 1980 and 2007, and that is what makes $99.04 the benchmark for today.”

$100 OIL: WHAT IT MEANS

The oil price in recent weeks has taken on the trappings of a sporting record that once seemed untouchable. Now it is broken with such regularity that what has historically been viewed as a distant prospect-$100 per barrel oil-is in sight. The world has never experienced a triple-digit oil price. The all-time inflation-adjusted high was in April 1980, when, CERA calculates, crude oil hit $99.04 per barrel in terms of 2007 US dollars. The broader significance of a $90-$100 price range is that it highlights in dramatic fashion how different the oil market environment, and indeed the world economy, is today compared with the past two decades.

Daniel Yergin, chairman of Cambridge Energy Research Associates, made the following statement with regard to the rising price of oil:

“The oil market is demonstrating both ‘fright and flight.’ Instead of the proverbial ‘flight to the dollar’ in times of economic uncertainty, we’re now seeing ‘a flight to oil.’ The strengthening of oil since August is responding, in part, to the weakening of the dollar. For the last few years, the force behind rising oil prices has been strong global economic growth. Over the last several weeks, the market focus has shifted to economic weakness in the United States. At the same time, tension over Iran’s nuclear program will continue to recharge anxiety on a continuing basis in the oil market.

Historical assumptions about the dynamics of oil prices, demand, supply, and the global economy have given way to a new, but still unfolding, paradigm. This new paradigm is not without risks and dangers. The world economy can withstand the headwinds of very high oil prices much better than in the past, but prices of $90 to $100 push geopolitics and the economy deeper into uncharted territory. High oil prices will tend to exacerbate geopolitical tensions in the short term and create a sharper divide between the winners and losers of a very high oil price environment.

Today’s price levels bring us farther into the range where the oil price can contribute to an economic slowdown. The effect on economic and oil demand growth depends on the duration of $90-$100 oil. Although not widely recognized in the face of the attention on the record, for 2007 the year-to-date annual average for West Texas Intermediate is just $70- not $100.

Burkhard continued: “The reaction to oil prices varies much around the world, owing to differences in income levels, taxes, subsidies and the relative use of oil in a national economy. But, if oil prices were to average around $110 for six months or more, it would increase the world economy’s vulnerability to a serious downturn of the early 1980s’ type. But even prices in the $90s have negative impacts on the economy and consumer spending. We just haven’t seen the full effects yet, for the year-to-date annual price for oil this year has been $70- not $100!

“CERA’s Break Point scenario (as described in CERA’s Dawn of a New Age: Energy Scenarios to 2030 study) demonstrates that $120-plus prices would not only have major economic impact, but would lead to much stronger conservation policies among consuming countries and would greatly accelerate innovation and efficiency and a move away from oil, even in transportation.”

High oil prices in the 1970s set the stage for the most severe global downturn since the Great Depression. Indeed, the high prices of 1980 were at the beginning of the worst three-year period of economic growth of the past four decades. For the oil price to potentially play a similar role in a significant economic slowdown, prices would have to average from $100 to $120 per barrel for six months to a year. To be sure, negative economic repercussions on consumer spending and economic growth will also materialize even at prices in the $90s range. Also, of course, oil prices do not exist in a vacuum, but will interact with other economic developments, particularly the unfolding consequences of the credit crunch.

The jump in price from $75 at the beginning of September to the mid-$90s in early November highlights the dominant sentiment driving the oil market-that oil supply will be unable to keep pace with rising demand. The market may hit prices above $100 unless signs emerge that the oil price has reached a level that is reducing economic and oil demand growth. However, if oil demand growth hits the brakes or if supply anxiety eases, we could see a steep fall in price.

Daniel Yergin added: “Oil prices at this level will themselves be a negative in conjunction with everything else going on in the U.S. economy. While $60 or $70 oil had little effect on the economy, that does not mean the same will hold true for $100 oil. One point is obvious - we’re much more likely to see an impact on demand at this higher price level, especially in the context of a slowing economy.

“A continuing downslide for the dollar will put oil on an upslide.”



GREGORY