Thermal drill lubricant?

Pete F · Jan 13, 2017

Can anyone who uses thermal drilling advise what they're using for a lubricant on the drills? I've been using Tapmatic lubes (both aluminium and conventional) on the respective materials, but suspect they're not the ideal choice. It would also appear that just a tiny amount of lube is the required amount, and more isn't better.

I know Flowdrill offer lubricant, but I was hoping to find an alternative in normal cutting oils, conventional oils, EP grease, etc etc. I was considering trying something like this S84 | EP 3.5 Heavy Duty Tapping Compound | For Sale Sydney Brisbane Melbourne Perth | Buy Workshop Equipment & Machinery online at machineryhouse.com.au

On a second point, is there any value in drilling small pilot holes with a standard drill before following with a thermal drill? It seems the initial part is what takes the most effort and I wonder if the holes can be made to start and flow easier with a pilot. That could also locate the thermal drill as a secondary function. I haven't ever tried with a pilot, and don't want to start destroying thermal drills if having an existing hole will just cause the thermal drill to grab.

Thanks.

TeachMePlease · Jan 14, 2017

Ok, so, I'm mainly posting so that I can follow this thread and learn something.

But: Color me an idiot if this is a totally stupid question... My understanding of flowdrills is that they use the heat from friction to make the material deform plastically, and then form, rather than cut their way through. Why would you want a lubricant to decrease the friction?

Pete F · Jan 14, 2017

Good question and you're right. However what I believe the lubricant does in this case is to reduce the possibility of galling on the drill. It's solid TC, and you don't want that sucker galling up or it will shatter. The first one I tried shattered, literally in the first few seconds of use, hence why I'm reluctant to start messing about with pilot holes unless I know it's unlikely to happen again. I was just standing there gobsmacked, said some rude words, and agreed that it didn't go too well. I am using cheap, what you guys would call "import" drills, but they still don't give them away in boxes of smarties.

The information I can get on the whole thermal drilling malarky is that the lubricant increases the drill life. How and why I have no clue I'm afraid.

magneticanomaly · Jan 14, 2017

I will offer the SWAG that your SFM was too low, so you had insufficient heat to fully soften the material...that is why your drill stuck and broke.

Pete F · Jan 16, 2017

Nobody uses thermal drills?

David J. · Jan 16, 2017

Well. I've got a plasma cutter...it makes holes and uses heat....
Dave

Milland · Jan 16, 2017

You may want to repost your question, adding "Flowdrill" to the title, as I think most US folks know them that way, not as "thermal" drills.

On the lubricant aspect, if Flowdrill recommends a lube then I'd try some, but I'd want a good mist collector on hand to take away any burned hydrocarbons that are generated - don't want to breath them.

Pete F · Jan 16, 2017

If somebody who is using a Flowdrill doesn't also know it's a thermal drill I probably don't want to hear their opinion anyway

The question wasn't whether or not to use lubricant, it was ... well this;

I know Flowdrill offer lubricant, but I was hoping to find an alternative in normal cutting oils, conventional oils, EP grease, etc etc.

Milland · Jan 16, 2017

Pete F said:
If somebody who is using a Flowdrill doesn't also know it's a thermal drill I probably don't want to hear their opinion anyway

The question wasn't whether or not to use lubricant, it was ... well this;

The main point of my message was not breathing the crap that's generated when burning a hydrocarbon, but if one wants to ignore that for pedant's purposes then have at it.

Pete F · Jan 16, 2017

Milland said:
The main point of my message was not breathing the crap that's generated when burning a hydrocarbon, but if one wants to ignore that for pedant's purposes then have at it.

Ok, well thank you very much for your amazing suggestions Captain Obvious :rolleyes5:

Milland · Jan 16, 2017

Pete F said:
Ok, well thank you very much for your amazing suggestions Captain Obvious

Not worth my time...

surplusjohn · Jan 16, 2017

A pilot hole will give you a more even finished boss. I had a production job where two stampings were pierced with a flow drill. Welding them together. The boss was then threaded to b take a stud

Pete F · Jan 16, 2017

Cool thanks for that. Thats a good secondary use I've never tried. Do you normally use any lubricants on your Flow Drill, or run them dry?

surplusjohn · Jan 17, 2017

We always used the lube from flow drill. I was always curious what it was.

L98FIERO · Apr 12, 2019

OK, I know this is old, but has anyone found out what the lube is or should be? Again, Flowdrill suggests using a/their lube but what is it? Is there a substitute?

adama · Apr 13, 2019

Could probably try some of the high temp lubes from the glass industry. Most are not oil but based around high pressure solid lubricants stable at high heat.

Wlodek · Apr 13, 2019

The material used on thermal drilling should not be called "lubricant". Any lubricant will just burn and make things worse. As Pete F suggested above the aim is to prevent galling and the sticking and alloying of the work metal with the thermal drill carbide alloy. Most of those "lubricant" consist of zinc compounds. I was using a paste made out of zinc sulfate (ZnSO4) in water sometimes with the addition of zinc stearate. This seem to work quite well. I tried as well zinc sulfide (Zns) dissolved in acetone or a fine powder suspension in water. Zinc sulfide does not dissolve in water, but this way it creates a paste that can be applied to the drill.

L98FIERO · Apr 14, 2019

Thanks for the ideas. With the temperatures involved, isn't the Zinc vaporised and cause a problem as it does in welding. I don't need to do thousands of holes but if it was needed, could it cause a problem? I've ordered a supply from FORMDRILL but haven't received it yet, I was thinking along the lines of molybdenum disulphide, it is an extreme pressure lubricant and it is use in dry lube films.

Milland · Apr 14, 2019

L98FIERO said:
Thanks for the ideas. With the temperatures involved, isn't the Zinc vaporised and cause a problem as it does in welding. I don't need to do thousands of holes but if it was needed, could it cause a problem?

At the risk of repeating myself from earlier in this thread, anything you can do to reduce the particulates and gasses you're breathing while working is good. Either a fan blowing the smoke away from you, or an exhaust duct pulling the fumes to outside your building will help. If no other option exists, a high efficiency filtered, properly sealing face mask is better than nothing.

Thermal drill lubricant?

Titanium

Diamond

Titanium

Titanium

Titanium

Cast Iron

Diamond

Titanium

Diamond

Titanium

Diamond

Diamond

Titanium

Diamond

Plastic

Diamond

Aluminum

Plastic

Diamond

Similar threads