From the Rolls-Royce experimental archive: a quarter of a million communications from Rolls-Royce, 1906 to 1960's. Documents from the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation (SHRMF).
Lubricating and cutting oils used in the works before and during the war, including supplier and product changes.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 76\4\ scan0176 | |
| Date | 9th September 1919 | |
| R.{Sir Henry Royce} from Wd.{Mr Wood/Mr Whitehead} c. to CJ. c. to EH. c. to Bn.{W.O. Bentley / Mr Barrington} c. to EPC. c. to Mr. Hall (Lab). X.1434 Wd{Mr Wood/Mr Whitehead}13/NJ9.9.19. Re Lubricating Oils. In my note Wd{Mr Wood/Mr Whitehead}2/NJ2.9.19. I mentioned that I was writing you a separate letter with regard to the lubricating and cutting oils at present in use in our works. Many matters of paramount importance have fully occupied my time and I have been unable, until now, to fulfil my promise. I think it will interest you if I mention the classes of lubricants employed in the Works prior to the War and what happened during the War to disturb our use of such lubricants. For light work, such as Drilling & Milling Machines, we used prior to the War Electric Cutting Cream ex Dee Oil Co. but, owing to difficulty in getting a sufficient supply, we, in Oct. 1916, had tests made with "Atoz" Soluble Oil, afterwards called "Fibrine" Cutting Oil, supplied by the Manchester Fibrine Co. Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} reported same to be quite as effective as the Electric Cutting Cream and more agreeable in use and the cost was considerably less than the then price of Electric Cutting Cream. This Cutting Oil was thereupon adopted. The "Fibrine" Cutting Oil gave good results for some time, but eventually troubles arose through the oil separating after mixing and the presence of a large quantity of ammonia in the oil, which led us, in Sept.1917, to test "No.1 Dixol" Soluble Oil from W.B.Dick & Co.Ltd. which was reported satisfactory, adopted and is still giving satisfaction. For Automatic Machines & Heavy Lathes etc. we used prior to the War pure lard oil supplied by Thelwall & Co.,Hull, but this became unobtainable in 1917, all supplies being commandeered by the Food Controller. We therefore obtained a compounded lard oil called "Houghtolard", supplied by the Houghton Co.,Phil. U.S.A. and sold here by Edgar Vaughan & Co.,Birmingham. This was satisfactory, but, in June,1918, we were unable to obtain adequate supplies on account of reduction in shipping, supplies being lost at sea, etc. and we thereupon requested W.B.Dick & Co. to submit samples of oils for test and eventually we adopted their "H.S.F" Cutting Oil, which is a composition of mineral and animal oils, but this did not give as good results as "Houghtolard" Eventually W.B.Dick & Co.Ltd. furnished samples of their Compounded Lard Oil, which was tested against "Houghtolard" by Mr.Lupton, No.1 Auto.Shop, and Mr.Forrest, No.2 Auto.Shop, and found to give excellent results; therefore it was adopted and is still giving entire satisfaction. (contd) | ||