Thread taps and dies

[burnrider]

Gordon,
What are preferred tap/cutting lubes?
- specific waxes
- Rapid Tap
- RT for aluminum
- household products

etc

 

[burnrider]

I remember a machinist handbook years ago to 'milk' as a cutting medium. Had to be a farmer machinist.

 

[ScrapMetal]

I remember a machinist handbook years ago to 'milk' as a cutting medium. Had to be a farmer machinist.

I can see that maybe working with whole milk at least. With all the fats being used as a lubricant.

-Ron

 

[8ntsane]

Home cutting/ tapping fluids

Well, I use diesel fuel for tapping, and if in a pinch Ive even tried cooking oil as well.
I have used bacon fat for tapping, and works not bad. But the smell will have you running into the house looking for something to munch on

 

[Redirish]

Hey Paul, I tried using beef tallow to flux cast bullet alloy but got hungry smelling the cooking tallow. Had to quit, mind kept wandering to food.:lmao:

 

[Abom79]

Gordon,
What are preferred tap/cutting lubes?
- specific waxes
- Rapid Tap
- RT for aluminum
- household products

etc

The old school sulfer based dark cutting oil will work on just about anything you need, even aluminum. I keep a barrel of it in the shop and its all I ever use. It doesnt hurt to have a can of aluminum cutting oil on hand though. Kerosene also works well for aluminum. I also have a few bottles of Moly-Dee when I have to tap some tougher materials like stainless. Stick wax is handy for when you dont want to make a mess, or trying to machine areas thats hard to get to with an oil can.
You can buy dark cutting oil at most of your hardware stores like Ace. For the home-shop guys, just buy a gallon of it and it should last a long time.

 

[Abom79]

I've got a feeling you're more than just a "hobby" machinist LOL :high5:

Gordon

I do machine work for a living. I have my own shop, but also been working full time for another company for 2 1/2 years now.

 

[brucer]

kerosene works pretty good on aluminum, cold roll and hot roll...

The best tapping lubricant i've used in 25 yrs is called EZ-foamy..

 

[brucer]

You'll find very few machinists in most European countries working more than 40 hours a week (in Denmark 37 hour weeks and over 5 weeks of fully paid vacation) and still managing comfortably. In Denmark a company wouldn't even be allowed to let employees work overtime often as the unions would say that an unemployed person should be hired instead. At the moment our percentage of unemployment is running at 6% and that is considered high.

For those that have time this might be interesting. I'm not saying we're better, just often think differently

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCvsrJ1QF60

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTGKUwMegZ4

I think America needs to follow suit, It would put more people to work. I also think people would be more productive in work and life. It would get a bunch off of welfare also..