What's the proper cutting fluid

Hydraulic fluid is even worse for you than motor oil. I was a millwright and I don't think they ever made a hydraulics that didn't leak.

There is a huge differences in cutting oil, our Ridgid pipe threader had a hand pump for oil, when it packed it in, we tried to using Crown cutting oil spray cans, then Rapid-Tap, better but, it still tore threads. With a new pump, same oil, same dies, we had good threads again We were using Ridgid dark, but they make some even better for stainless.

I've known machinists and millwrights who had industrial dermatitis, and had to get out of the trades. Their hands cracked and bleed all the time. Around oil, you wear those thin nitrile groves just like wearing safety glasses.
 
I have watched quietly now I am going to blow your minds --- I hardly ever use any. Tool life is just fine. I do not need to take deep cuts, .020 max and mostly .010. I have all the time in the world to get a job done. All it takes is patience.

"Billy G"
 
Here one you
Go to your kitchen and get can of lard this one of best ones to use.
I have not try lard but is sounds good the use 100 years ago.

Dave


Downwindtracker2 said:
Hydraulic fluid is even worse for you than motor oil. I was a millwright and I don't think they ever made a hydraulics that didn't leak.

There is a huge differences in cutting oil, our Ridgid pipe threader had a hand pump for oil, when it packed it in, we tried to using Crown cutting oil spray cans, then Rapid-Tap, better but, it still tore threads. With a new pump, same oil, same dies, we had good threads again We were using Ridgid dark, but they make some even better for stainless.

I've known machinists and millwrights who had industrial dermatitis, and had to get out of the trades. Their hands cracked and bleed all the time. Around oil, you wear those thin nitrile groves just like wearing safety glasses.
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Smithdoor said:
Here one you
Go to your kitchen and get can of lard this one of best ones to use.
I have not try lard but is sounds good the use 100 years ago.

Dave
Click to expand...

I use neatsfoot oil. It's lard from the lower legs and feet (but not hooves) of cattle. It has a lower melting point than the usual lard and so is liquid at room temperature. You can get it at a tack shop. Note that neatsfoot oil compound is neatsfoot oil diluted with petroleum oil.
 
Smithdoor said:
I use this back in 70's work great Transformer oil now we know to increase the flash point they add PCB.
I only found this till the 90's cutting oil also had PCB to increase the flash point and yes this is also found in motor oil, trans fluid and just any other oil we have used.
I did think it was a carcinogen till I had colon cancer 5 years ago

Dave
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Looks like I'll stop using UMO for now in situations where it will smoke, thank you for giving a reason not to use it :)

Should be fine for tapping though, right? When your not breathing in vapors?
 
The only time I use cutting oil on the lathe is when I'm deep drilling, tapping, or reaming. Then I use a tapping fluid appropriate for the material I'm working in, normally dark cutting oil for steel, and Tap-Magic Aluminum for aluminium. Some times for a really nice turned finish on aluminum, I'll hit it with some WD-40 from the spray can.

When milling aluminum I use WD-40 in my spray mist, again for tapping and reaming I use the Tap-Magic. I normally work steel dry with an air nozzle directed at the cutter. For deep drilling, tapping, and reaming in steel I use a dark cutting oil. The easily work hardenable tool steels like A2, D2, A6, S7 and the like are always worked dry except for tapping.

I think I've tried every product and oil on the market, the only thing that actually worked better for me was the old tri-clor Tap-Magic formula (for steel only, it reacts with aluminum), but like anything that actually worked good, the government banned it.
 
JimDawson said:
I think I've tried every product and oil on the market, the only thing that actually worked better for me was the old tri-clor Tap-Magic formula (for steel only, it reacts with aluminum), but like anything that actually worked good, the government banned it.
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They banned it for the Trich 1-1-1, it was a bad carcinogen and literally made people go crazy.
 
Bill Gruby said:
I have watched quietly now I am going to blow your minds --- I hardly ever use any. Tool life is just fine. I do not need to take deep cuts, .020 max and mostly .010. I have all the time in the world to get a job done. All it takes is patience.

"Billy G"
Click to expand...

Yes I agree with you Billy G!!Way back when I first learned to use a lathe in high school we never used coolant. Then I went to college to learn to be an Electrical Mechanical Engineering Technician the "One Armed Man" our instructor, simply said cooling fluid is for the impatient. He said a true machinist did not need cooling oil. If you did it right no oil was needed. And if the material we where working was to hot to handle when you where finished you got a failing grade. He had to be able to remove the work piece from the lathe as soon as you where finished and be able to hold it in his hand. He said there was no excuse for blue chips and hot parts!!! If you produced either you where in Big Doodoo! BLUE chips you may as well have packed up and gone home because it would be a week before you where allowed on a lathe again!
 
Bacon Grease and mineral oil mix, it can be used for most metals that require lubrication.
i use it to tap,turn, drill, & mill everything from aluminum to stainless to bronze.
cheap and effective and it smells like fryin' bacon everytime i use it for milling, drilling or turning:drool:
 
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