Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with oil

What non-sketchy sites can I buy unscented bath beads from?

Canageek — Tue, 07 May 2013 20:09:03 -0800

My Mom used to love using bath beads, but we haven't been able to find them for ages (We used to get them at a little red shop instead of a bigger store; I think it was a body shop inside of a Sears or Bay or something like that?) Anyway, I figured I would get her some for mother's day. This is turning out to be a lot more challenging than I anticipated. I'm pretty sure they are still around, as a Google Image search for bath beads gets pages and pages of nice, pretty shapped beads. However, Google doesn't find much on that term on the first couple of pages, and directly searching the types of shops that pop into my head (The body shop, The Bay, Sears, Shoppers Drug Mart) don't have them.

I'm not used to this: Normally when I type a term into Google 1.5 billion people want to sell me said item. Now, I've only found one site that looks decently respectable so far, and a bunch of Amazon sellers.

Since this is going in a bath, I'd rather something from a respectable chain, or company, rather then Random Amazon Seller 434632. Does anyone have any suggestions? I've found The American Soap Company and they look OK, 1) but I've never heard of them before: Are they a respectable manufacturer? Do they make good bath beads? and more importantly, 2) all their beads seem to be scented. My Dad is very, very sensitive to smells, so perfumed bath beads are a no-go; I'd rather not have her gift give him headaches. A really weak vanilla might be OK, but anything stronger then that is a bad idea.

Also, the site has to ship to Ontario without a crazy shipping charge.

Oh, and I know it won't arrive in time, opps.

How does multi weight non detergent motor oil work?

john123357 — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 00:07:02 -0800

I seen this oil at home depot called "Powermate Non-Detergent 4-Cycle Engine Oil - 10W30" my oil knowledge is at a beginner level but I thought multiweight oils were a emulsion. How do they make a 10w30 oil if there is no detergent in it?

When was the Spanish printer Artes graficas del Rio in operation?

kirsti — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 17:54:24 -0800

I have an old Spanish olive oil label. The printer's name/location, as they appear in fine print at the bottom the label, are as follows: ARTES GRAFICAS - DEL RIO - LUARCA. I am trying to determine the age of this label. Herminio Azcárate Campo died in 1944, but I don't know when he inherited his father's business, which was established sometime after 1891. The label can be viewed here. If I knew when this printer was in operation, I could get a better idea of when this label was in use. Any useful information on ARTES GRAFICAS - DEL RIO or Herminio Azcárate Campo would be appreciated.

How do I repair a rip in oil painting on canvas?

daveo'h — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 14:13:37 -0800

Have an oil painting, self portrait of my old man, there is an L shaped rip around 6x4in flap. What's the best way to repair it?

When was the olive oil brand L'Aiglon in use?

kirsti — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 18:46:40 -0800

I have an antique olive oil label, probably from France, that I suspect was printed in the early or very early 1900s. It reads as follows: "L'Aiglon Marque déposée Huile d’olive vierge extra douce Superfine Poids net 800 Gs". The printer's name is not indicated, nor is the name of the company. I would like to know when this brand name of olive oil was in use.

Fake a lipstick treatment

edbles — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 16:20:38 -0800

We're doing a show that requires a character to write on a laminate surface every night with what is supposed to be lipstick and are looking for some work-arounds to deal with expense and time. The actual lipstick has starting breaking every night and it's no longer a tenable solution. We were using oil pastels for a while, but those were proving too costly in terms of time to clean off and beginning to remove the aging on the set piece. Does anyone have thoughts on how to remove and oil pastel mark from a laminate surface or thoughts on an alternate substitute for either lipstick or an oil pastel. Soft pastels seem to break easily as well, would they be any easier to clean?

How to remove an oil stain from a canvas bag

mizrachi — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 09:08:28 -0800

I just noticed the stain recently but it feels set-in. It's roughly 3 inches around. What's the best way to go about removing the stain?

Castor oil for both ends? Neither?

Chorus — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 01:54:16 -0800

I accidentally bought 250ml of Castor Oil instead of Cod Liver Oil. What do I do with it? Google says it will give me the runs if taken internally. Or, I can put castor oil in a 'compress for cramps'. Or, I can cut it with olive oil to cleanse my face.

Do you use castor oil for anything else? Preferably in a way that'll empty this big glass bottle quickly? Any and all suggestions, please!

Is $3.79 Ok For Heating Oil?

Quisp Lover — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 12:48:49 -0800

I'm paying $3.79/gallon for heating oil in Westchester county, NY. Is that a reasonably ok price? If not, can anyone recommend another supplier (I'm using Castle).

Rule of thumb for initial break outs?

flying_trapeze — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 16:43:31 -0800

At what point do you decide that the initial breakout is now a reaction breakout? I began using sea buckthorn seed oil as a treatment for my rosacea. I also suffer from moderate acne, but my biggest skin concern is redness and inflammation. I've gotten a few recommendations for sea buckthorn oil, so I purchased it and started applying a few drops morning and night. While my skin is definitely much more moisturized and less flaky, I'm breaking out. I've gotten a few cysts, and alot (more than a dozen) of other small bumps. (The pimples definitely aren't related to anything else, as my acne is hormonal and I am familiar with the timing.) The acne is making my skin even more irritated and red.
Since it's been a week, I'm wondering when I should give up the ghost and accept that the product isn't working? For this oil's case, and just in general for all skin products.

Tea Tree Filter

bad grammar — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 16:44:28 -0800

Should tea tree oil in bath water sting like crazy? I'm not getting a good answer from the online tea tree oil fanatics who swear by its use for all medical and hygienic purposes.

I used 100% tea tree oil from the drugstore and put about 2 t. in my hot bath water. About halfway through the bath (not a long soak), it started to make my legs sting like crazy, and I drained the bath water, cleaned the tub and soaped all over again to get it off. It is still stinging. Oddly enough the rest of my body isn't experiencing the prickly sensation.

Is this a serious reaction (i.e. poison, allergy) or will it go away? I basically feel as if I've had a Finnish sauna and beaten myself with the traditional birch branches.

I realize I probably used too much. For impulse actions I identify with Mark Vonnegut who said "My mind is like a lynch mob."

Loose oil cap fix?

curious nu — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 07:07:45 -0800

[Carfilter] The oil cap on my car vibrates itself loose, causing oil to spill out onto the engine and thus wreathe my hood in some lovely smoke. Oil cap has been replaced once already to try and fix this, to no avail. What are my options? 96 Saturn SL2. At this point I'm assuming something has been damaged/warped around the threads or bit where the oil cap rests (think a mechanic may have done this at some point in the last few months, but can't prove anything, alas). I'm hoping someone will have a particularly clever (and cheap!) fix for this I can do myself. Barring that, what if I just caulk the outside of the cap? I still need to put oil into it but I could just run a boxcutter around and free the caulk, put the oil in, then re-caulk it? Maybe?

Is a hybrid water heater more efficient than oil?

Thrillhouse — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 11:48:24 -0800

Help me analytical-types! Do I upgrade my current water heater to the GE Geospring Hybrid for practically free?? Okay, here's my story.
I live in MA.
My house is 20 years old and heated with oil forced-hot-water.
My water heater is a furnace coil with 80-gallon storage tank.

This year we installed Mitsubishi split-system AC/Heat Pumps in every room.

The expectation is that we will be using these systems for heat until the temps are in the low 30's or lower. However my furnace will still be running all year 'round to maintain hot water for the house.

My understanding is that even in this case my hot water heating is STILL more efficient than a standard electric water heater.

However, this new GE Geospring hybrid heater is claiming 60%+ more efficient than a standard water heater.

National Grid is giving $1000 rebates for upgrading to this system making the upgrade close to free for me.

Is this a good idea? Will I see a substantial savings over my current water heating system? Trying to work the numbers is beginning to blow my mind so I figured I'd release my dilemma upon you smart people.
Thanks!

Emissions problem and low oil

SpacemanStix — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 16:50:38 -0800

My car, for the first time in 12 years, did not pass an emissions inspection in California. Right before this, my oil light had started to periodically blink. On inspection, my oil was very (very) low. I filled it back up after the test. What are the chances that this caused the high emissions levels? I have a free retest coming up, and I'm trying to figure out if I should pay for a mechanic to investigate and potentially fix a different problem. Or, is it likely that low oil would have led to testing problems. In this case, I would retest right away.

Help me keep my SmartyPants image shiny.

kestralwing — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 07:27:09 -0800

Considering the huge amount of oil/energy expended driving trucks full of food all over the country, would it make more sense to increase our train infrastructure (is that even possible?) to move more food? That's the question, but not why I've come to Metafilter. Here's the actual question: is it possible to find any half-way reliable statistics about this? There was a bitter dinner table argument about the question of trucks vs trains, and I suggested that since no one actually knew anything, we change the subject. Both parties suggested that if I was such a smartypants, I find some those "facts" I keep going on about. I tried, but my google-fu is minimal, and what I mostly got was Peak Oil sites full of more opinions.

So, please, any suggestions about how to find obscure statistics will be welcome.

Tips on setting up an art studio

pakora1 — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 10:47:30 -0800

Need tips on setting up my art studio After a long hiatius I am setting up my art studio, initially for oil painting (mostly figurative). Besides the easel I need a small table that holds my paints/pallete etc. whilst I paint. Would love suggestions around what would be a good piece of "stand" that would hold my oil paints, brushes and a "table" where I can put down my palette to take a break. Hard to explain but those who paint might completely understand what I am talking about.

Any other suggestions for storage etc. in a paint studio would be greatly welcome. The goal is to make sure I have easy access to paints and work well with the stuff I collect whilst painting.

Thank you.

So, what do YOU fry your porkchops in?

St. Alia of the Bunnies — Thu, 02 Aug 2012 12:17:24 -0800

What is the healthiest cooking oil ? Ralph and I were sitting around and looking at labels...we've gone online....and we are still scratching our heads. What we want to know is what is a healthy or at least safe oil to fry with? We understand some oils are okay at lower temps but once in awhile you just gotta fry a pork chop or something at a higher level. So, what are they saying these days? Also, as an add-on...what is the deal these days with coconut fat?

why is tuna in oil a thing?

facetious — Fri, 20 Jul 2012 23:36:36 -0800

Ive ben wondering about this since i was little. At the store you can get tuna packed in water, or tuna packed in oil. what's tuna in oil got that water doesn't? i would think that tuna in oil won't work if you don't want the oil, and if you do, you have many better oil options that the the oil in that can, that most likely just got sluiced out the top of a tanker truck or held for months belowdecks in unwashed tankards on a tuna boat.

Avocado oil

pakora1 — Sun, 15 Jul 2012 17:45:34 -0800

100% pure avocado oil Hi,

I am looking to buy 100% pure Avocado oil online. Can anyone recommend good pure sources/shop online for this? (This is not for cooking, more as a moisturizer. Trying to keep away from chemicals within other moisturizers as such)

Thank you

What is this painting I am thinking of

murfed13 — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 13:56:12 -0800

Help me find this painting I think I saw at the the Met. I don't know anything about art so please excuse my anemic description. I'm looking for the artist and title of an oil painting (I think?) that I saw at the Met around 2 years ago. The painting featured a woman on a rock with waves crashing behind her. I think she was either making fishing net or there was a net on the rock. She had dark hair.

Are we talking Road Warrior or Children of Men here?

OrangeDrink — Sun, 24 Jun 2012 15:22:25 -0800

Are we as environmentally screwed as I think we are? After reading a lot of scientific literature about global warming and peak oil, I'm pretty sure we're well on fucked. I've seen estimates ranging from simply slowed down growth to the complete and utter collapse of the 1st world. I think it's likely we'll lose half of the human population in the next 100 years.

I'm having a difficult time separating hysteria and deniers from scientific consensus. Is there an agreed upon prediction of how the future is going to pan out in the next hundred years? Or is the future still fairly unknown?

I hope this isn't chat filter - I'm just trying to nail down the best scientific guesses of what's going to happen to us.

Chicken Chunks At Home?

The Whelk — Mon, 28 May 2012 16:37:52 -0800

How can I re-create chip shop style chicken chunks at home? Specifically I am trying to re-create the kind of fried chicken chunks made at NYC's A Salt And Battery, in general I am trying to get that moist, crunchy, batter-just-pulls-away taste and texture found in fry joints. I have a very wide and deep pan I use for chip frying and I am pretty experienced in quick frying, shallow frying, etc. I've always just done the chicken up in flour and fried in an inch of veggie oil and its close but not quite there. I suspect I am missing a few steps and refinements. What am I missing?

An inappropriate choice of lubricant

cardboard — Tue, 08 May 2012 08:48:35 -0800

I put two-stroke oil into my four-stroke lawn mower engine. How bad is that? I mistakenly used two-stroke (2T) oil (unmixed with gas) to fill the oil reservoir on the lawn mower. It ran fine, and started easier than usual, I'd say. How immediately should I replace the oil with the conventional 30-wt oil actually specified by the engine? Is there a big viscosity difference that will damage the engine if I leave the two-stroke oil in it?

Where can I get a bottle of Moroccan Oil in NYC?

greta simone — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 07:52:25 -0800

Where can I find Morrocan Oil in lower Manhattan or North Brooklyn? I'm looking for this specific product (not the cream or hair mask, just the straight up oil) in a brick-and-mortar store convenient to the Union Square-ish area.

None of the Sephoras carry it, I haven't seen it in any of the numerous Duane Reades/CVSs/Rite Aids I have checked, and the drugstore on the north side of 14th btw 5th and 6th where I used to get it doesn't carry it anymore. I know I can get it on Amazon, but I would like to pick some up today or tomorrow if I can.

Also, I know there are alternative similar products but I am not interested in those.

How can I successfully land an internship as an engineering student?

This Is Reality — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 17:15:51 -0800

I'm an engineering student that's been applying for internships since the start of the year but with no offers. Can any MeFi members give me any advice on landing one and how to keep my motivation? I'm a third-year Chemical Engineering student in Canada with a huge interest in having a career in the oil and gas industry. Ideally, I was looking for a 16-month internship in oil but since the initial round of offers I've been applying for summer, 8 and 12 month work term positions as well. That being said, I've been applying to anything chemical engineering related and I've been having no success. My marks aren't terrible (B+ average) and my relevant experiences seem sufficient enough to land me some interviews, but I can never cross the line between being an applicant and the intern they want. I've been using the university's careers website, monster.ca and indeed.ca for job postings.

I've been shortlisted for every position I've been interviewed for but never chosen. Now, people including friends and classmates around me are getting internships and engineering summer jobs, and frankly I'm feeling absolutely depressed and worthless. Since I'm an out of town student, I've delayed my housing to the point that I'm going to have to find a temporary place for the summer and am probably going to have to live with strangers in the school year. I really wanted a year-long or at least a summer internship because I have no connections to the industry I want to work in and I see this as a way of getting my foot in the door.

I've had numerous mock interviews (they said I was good), resume checks (apparently my CLs and resumes are good to excellent) and phoned a few of the places I applied for to check in but it seems that no matter how much work I put in to it, I just end up disappointed. Now companies are closing up shop for student positions and I'm afraid that I just screwed myself over by trying so hard to get one for the next school year.

Can anyone who's been in my position, has done an internship or is an engineer in the oil and gas industry give me any advice on how I should proceed?