Cutting Fluid - What do you use?

[AndrewT]

Many vegetable oils have "extreme pressure" properties.

Extreme pressure lubricant is what is needed for cutting metals.

WD40 does not get near extreme, it's not even recommended as a lubricant.

 

[AJ Wykes]

I used WD40 for tapping holes in heat sinks, but the smell would stick around for days and my wife would complain when I brought the sinks inside the house. It didn't matter what I did to clean the WD40 off the sinks and my hands, the smell was there, or worse the smell of chemical cleaning products. So I switched to Singer sewing machine oil which has little if no smell at all. I don't know about its properties but it seems to work just as well as WD40, the bottle has a nice long nozzle, and I'm allowed to do wiring in front of the TV again.
AJ

 

[tomchr]

I use Relton A-9. That stuff's amazing.

An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.

~Tom

 

[barackuda]

I work at a machine shop.We use Rocol Ultracut 250 in 1:30 watoer to oil ratio.Works on all metal cuting.

Danny

 

[Jsixis]

soapy water for aluminum

 

[nigelwright7557]

I use WD40.

 

[boobtube]

And remember, slow down when cutting and use good pressure. Too many people have too fast drill speed. Slower and good pressure gets it done as quickly and generates less heat.

 

[nigelwright7557]

I used to use used engine oil until I was told it can cause cancer !

 

[johnmarkp]

I use bees wax for small stuff and tapping. Maybe not the greatest, but easy to clean up.

 

[vinylkid58]

I used to use used engine oil until I was told it can cause cancer !

WD40 is almost as bad, and shouldn't be used indoors at all.

A-9 is awesome for tapping aluminum.

jeff

 

[AndrewT]

What is A-9?

 

[AVWERK]

Specifically made for aluminum. I use the same stuff. These are fluids that break down the molecular structure and make it easier to machine.
If you put this fluid in a bearing for example, the bearing would quickly be ruined.

Regards
David

 

[SY]

These are fluids that break down the molecular structure

No, they don't. They're high pressure lubricants, not chemically active.

 

[AVWERK]

You're right, poor choice of words.
The cutting process is done at the molecular level and certain fluids are better at cooling the process and keeping tool tip temps down
Fluid for steel doesn't work as well on alum.
Must be a higher flash point thing

 

[SY]

Absolutely true, you have to select fluid depending on the material to be cut. There's also a difference in pH and wettability between, say, fluids for aluminum and fluids for steel.

 

[Stuey]

What is A-9?

See post #23.

 

[Stuey]

Inox MX3 is pretty good; unlike WD40 it has a pleasant smell. IMO a better product. Unfortunately probably limited to Australia.

Inox Supreme Lubricants - Inox Lubricants

 

[audio king]

In my shop we work mostly with aluminum. A9 is a great product.
Lately though,I've been using Walter Alucut. Comes in a grease-gun style tube,
and is about the consistency of wax. We just rub the end of the tube on our bandsaw blades,drill-bits and taps. Marvelous stuff! Obviously not intended for high production machining,which uses flood cooling anyway,but is great for short runs or one-offs.Easy clean up too.

 

[davym]

1 GAL LPS TAPMATIC® AQUACUT CUTTING FLUID

 

[cliffforrest]

"Cutting Fluid - What do you use?"

Judging by what I end up cleaning up, mostly my blood