Motor oil contamination

[Bob Mehew]

It would be better to do a simple "controlled" strength test experiment with clean new nylon rope and oil contaminated new nylon rope. The difference in break strengths would give useful information about the effect of the particular contaminant. Replication of results would also then give more confidence in the findings.

Good idea but I am busy with radon and CO2 data logger at the moment (and my wife reminds me we are away for almost all of May) so I won't be doing anything until sometime in June at the earliest.

I note the IRATA link did not work for me, try https://irata.org/downloads/2055 .

 

[mikem]

Could be worth cutting the cowstail to find out how far the oil has soaked through - I expect it's only on the surface...

 

[Chocolate fireguard]

I imagine you are going to replace your cow's tails, if nothing else.
If you can get them to somebody who can drop or pull test them it might provide information that would be useful in the future.

But what would that tell you? The used item(s) may fail at low load for some other reason.

It would be better to do a simple "controlled" strength test experiment with clean new nylon rope and oil contaminated new nylon rope. The difference in break strengths would give useful information about the effect of the particular contaminant. Replication of results would also then give more confidence in the findings.

Bob Mehew may be the best person to advise on this suggestion.

A couple of points:
I don't believe in looking a gift horse in the mouth when there is a chance to gain information.
All information is valuable so long as it is used wisely.

 

[Pitlamp]

I agree with your last sentence. 

If the contaminated cows tails are tested - and they fail at close to the expected strength of new rope - that would suggest that the contaminant hasn't had any great effect. But if they fail at significantly lower tension it'd not be possible to determine if this was due to the contaminant or some other reason.

I hope Bob sees this topic and it captures his interest.

 

[andrewmcleod]

I hope Bob sees this topic and it captures his interest.

3 posts up?

 

[blackshiver]

Just got a reply from Lyon and as I thought they advise to replace both harness and cows-tails because oil is corrosive to nylon that harness and ropes are made from so will most-likely affect the strength of the materials.

Surprise Surprise........

 

[Pitlamp]

(Re Andrewmc's post just before Blackshiver's

Ah yes; that'll teach me to read all of a topic! 

Bob's probably the best person to look into this, whenever he's got the time to address it properly.