Dear LubesnGreases,

Turning Up the Heat (July, page 34) is a great article. It is written at a level that anyone should be able to understand, which is extremely important with a subject of this importance (lubricants for the food industry).

The point the article makes about all lubes that have the NSF logo not being food grade was terrific. It is my belief that some lube companies purposely try to deceive customers by using the NSF logo on their containers. At one time, there was a 14-oz. grease tube on the market labeled as FDA Food Grade H2 Approved, which was nothing but deception.

I have often wondered who would be at fault if some health problems accrued from using that grease. The end user for not knowing what H2 meant? Or the lube company?

Alan Walton

The Hershey Co. Memphis, Tenn.

Feedback for Columnists

Dear LubesnGreases,

Thanks to Steve Swedberg for another informative column (Got Gas, August, page 6), but I think it might be helpful to clarify two points.

One is that it is difficult to have an engine available that readily switches between diesel fuel and natural gas fuel, as the first operates by compression ignition while the second requires spark plugs of some sort. So the architecture between the two is quite different. However there are engines that operate primarily as diesel (compression) for ignition of the fuel and then have natural gas fed in as part of the mix. One could adjust this blend operation or ratio based on cost issues between the two fuels.

Second is that forklifts operate on propane (not natural gas) when a gaseous fuel is beneficial – and have been doing so for many years.

John Fischer

Palatine, Ill.

Tom Glenns column about national accounts in the August issue (The Big Keep Getting Bigger, page 14) implies that the Virginia Department of Transportation is a national account because they buy all their lubricants from one major.

While it is true that VDOT buys primarily Mobil lubricants, the actual lubricant purchases are made from ExxonMobil distributors: Carter Machinery Co., PAPCO and Tilley Chemical Co.

Ed Myers, PE, CLS

ExxonMobil Lubricants

& Specialties Richmond, Va.

In Digest Form …

Dear LubesnGreases,

Your August edition: Chemistry gone mad!

Where do lubricants come from? I admired James Kovandas statement that the PAG molecule is designed and not refined. On the other hand, maybe oil should just fall apart – biodegradability. But then, Steve Swedberg points out that the earth just makes oil … either out of dinosaurs or in a process like the water cycle. With 500 substances used as grease thickeners, it is no wonder that 200,000 Chinese discussions on lubricants narrowed down to which oil should I use?

But we cant give up. The origin of lubricants is not an impossible topic. Jack Goodhue said it best, Illigitimi non Carborundum.

Keep up the good work!

Rod White

Springdale, Ark.

… or Digital Form

Dear LubesnGreases,

Your online web version has continued to get better and better. In particular it is much easier to print out .pdfs of specific pages versus before. I think LNG is fantastic.

Dan Wolfe

Lewis Center, Ohio

Thanks, Dan!

LubesnGreases began using an improved service for our digital edition in May, and were planning more enhancements. Readers are invited to visit www.LNGpublishing.com and click on Subscriptions to sign up for the print edition, the free digital edition, or both. – The Editors