Lime As A Lubricant Carrier For Wire Drawing Operation

Wow, what a question! Good one!

Slaked lime is a lot less alkaline. I don't know WHY you would burn the limestone and then slake it... Ordinary limestone dust made wet makes a surprisingly good lubricant all by itself. It might be a useful purification method. (Just a guess)

And yes I had trouble with this question on google as well. But you know, that is your second option. Google knows all...

Soap might help the dust get wetter more quickly, a simple detergent is all you would need.

The real worry I would think might be abrasives which get into the limestone. That might erode your dies.

Anyway, its not like I know much. Last time I drew wire, it was silver wire, and I used grease I had made from soap and olive oil. I think this project is much bigger and actually, more interesting. So I will watch the smart guys weigh in on it.

Hi Yusef 1

You are right that slaked lime is just hydrated lime. But i have read in the books that for a good lubricant carrying capability the specific surface SS of Ca(OH)2 should be very high( meaning finest grain size) of the order 50000 gm/cm2 and above. Commercial limes dont reach this value of SS, so we need to slake it in controlled conditions to get the high SS.

I was interested in soap addition as then maybe a less SS commercial lime sufficed with soap could give us reasonable lubricant properties.....

Ah, so I was right that slaking would be a means of purifying it.

I dont know if it changes the characteristics or it co-efficient of friction.

Please report back no matter what you decide.

I used to work at a place that drew wire and the old saying was "make mine pickle and lime". the lime used was commercial grade I'm perrty sure but the pikling was done with sulfuric acid so I was told. Don't know about the addition of a soap. but I would think this would help the drawing processes.

oilcan13

Have a look for "Milk of Lime", a liquid with a high concentrate of low SSA lime held in suspension.

I only know of UK suppliers (I worked on the development project for MoL many years ago).

Have a look here http://www.tarmac.co.uk/products_and_services/buxton_lime/idoc.ashx?docid=f703d4d0-ad8e-4410-972c-177e208437af&version=-1

Commercial lime covers quick lime and hydrated lime(slaked). Hydrated lime is quick lime with water added. So what is you pickling bath?

Hi

You are right that slaked lime is just hydrated lime. But i have read in the books that for a good lubricant carrying capability the specific surface SS of Ca(OH)2 should be very high( meaning finest grain size) of the order 50000 gm/cm2 and above. Commercial limes dont reach this value of SS, so we need to slake it in controlled conditions to get the high SS.

I was interested in soap addition as then maybe a less SS commercial lime sufficed with soap could give us reasonable lubricant properties.....

MY PICKLING BATH RIGHT NOW is commercial Ca(OH)2 with a low specific surface !

Soaps that are sulphonate types might work, as they are less likely to precipitate with the calcium from lime. Certain nonionic ones might be tried, but I suspect their stability in very high pH lime suspensions. Good luck.