What's new
What's new

What do you use for bandsaw circulating cutting oil?

adammil1

Titanium
Joined
Mar 12, 2001
Location
New Haven, CT
I was just wondering what type of oil you guys use for the circulating fluid on a horizontal bandsaw. This is a bit of a tool gloat also because a week ago after work a beautiful little Johnson horizontal bansaw with circulating oil, and hydraulic feed was listed on Craigslist for $75! I couldn't believe it. Since my current bandsaw has a rewelded trunnion and fully never cut straight, the Craigslist machine is sitting in the back of my car until I can get back to my shop in Massachusetts next weekend, while I was picking it up the guys phone was ringing constantly with others like me who also wanted it. Oh well I got there first!:D It is the perfect size for a small shop. It must be the smallest Johnson ever made as every other Johnson saw I've seen is rather large. The only issue is that I had to leave the cutting oil behind as I couldn't take it with me. Looking thru enco, what should I get as a replacement oil?

On a side note if anyone wants a cheap horizontal wells bansaw perfect size for a small shop let me know. It is a good machine, but no hydraulic feed, coolant, and it cuts slightly crooked but proably would easily be fixed. Since 90% of the stuff I did was always cut to length and machine I always lived with this and than would cut away the crooked side.

Adam
 
Chris or anyone else, the way I use the saw these days until I move my shop it likely won't be used too often. Will the watersoluable oils grow bacteria, mold etc... in them? Or will waterbased cutting fluid be sufficient here?

I have always seen some sort of thick brown oil used for this purpose does anyone know what the name of that oil is so I can order it.

Thanks,

Adam
 
I don't remember the exact name (Gamma, maybe) of Mobile's STRAIGHT cutting oils, but they make some quality stuff if you really want to go the straight cutting (no water sol-dilution) way.

Jeff
 
I use Mobil soluble oil about a cup to a gallon, IIRC. Can't remember the number right now. I also add a cup or two of Lysol to prevent growth. It seems to work and I don't get any algae or visible bacteria growrh.

I converted my machine so that the fluid all drains down into a plastic tank. It used to just lie open in the bottom of the sheet metal framework. If I'm going to store the saw for a while when not using it, I will drain the tank into some empty plastic bottles that I can seal them.
 
I use Mobil soluble oil about a cup to a gallon, IIRC. Can't remember the number right now. I also add a cup or two of Lysol to prevent growth. It seems to work and I don't get any algae or visible bacteria growrh.


Not that the Lysol is a bad idea, but if you put 2 cups of oil to a gallon of water (which has worked well for me) you probably wouldn't need to add the Lysol. Better blade life also.

Jeff
 
For a part time usage saw I wouldn't run coolant. Much cleaner and it works just fine.
 
Interesting discussion so far. I am suprised I don't see more discussion on this.

The soluble oils, are those truly "oil" or are those more like the coolants that get mixed up as needed? As far as I knew oil and water didn't mix?

I think since I have the circulating fluid available I would like to use it but have something that can sit for long periods of time with occasional until I move my shop from my parents house, to my yet to be purchased one.

As for the mobil oils I was already planning on ordering from Enco so I was hoping to add this to the order. They didn't have the s122 Enco offers this mobilmet 404 which they say is for screw machines. Would a screw machine oil work? Most of the circulating oil systems I have seen in the past on bandsaws seem to have used some sort of oil similar to what I have seen in the screw machine shops, however the only thing I can think of that may be different with a saw oil from a machining oil for parts you would say turn on a lathe is I would think that an oil you would turn with you want to stick to the parts, where as you may not too sticky of an oil that would hold the chips between the blade teeth? Would a screw machine oil work for me?

They do have a "relton" synthetic bansaw fluid but what I didn't like was that it said "resistive" to rancidity. Really I want a fluid like an oil where I don't have to worry at all about rancidity, since in the next few years the saw may not see as much use as I would like. Is such a fluid out there? Has anyone used the relton stuff and does it ever go rancid?

Thanks,

Adam
 
Interesting discussion so far. I am suprised I don't see more discussion on this.

The soluble oils, are those truly "oil" or are those more like the coolants that get mixed up as needed? As far as I knew oil and water didn't mix?

Thanks,

Adam


They are truly oils. They add a type of "soap" to get it to mix with water. It does sound like you want a straight cutting oil. A screw machine oil should work fine. I believe Mobil Gamma is one candidate.

Jeff
 
I use water soluble flood coolant. It is called "Saw-zit". It works great and doesn't allow for growth, etc. I bought a 5 gallon of concentrate years ago and I still have a bunch left over. I have been running it in my Doall for many years and it can go weeks without use and even has a rust inhibitor.
Not expensive either. I bought it from KBC Tools.

Definately worth looking into!

Grant
 
At work, we use Band-Aid (or is Ade??), the blades last long and it takes a while before you start to smell anything (month or more). The saw cuts 304 & 316 stainless everyday. Not sure how good any of this water dilluted stuff will work if your shop is unheated.

Rich C.
 
The Gamma oil mite be better since its going to be sitting some. Ive personally tried some of the syn. fluids out there with mixed results. Synthetic is great for misting, Straight oil or water sol oil is better for heavier machining in my opinoin.
 
I use the old coolant out of my cylindrical grinder. No scientific studies on how well it works, but my blades last a long time, and I've been doing it for ten years. I don't see much point in using new coolant in a saw. No odor problems with really old coolant. My coolant brand is Blazer. Never have had any problems with it going rancid.

With the current costs of any oils and cutting fluids- recycling coolant from another machine makes sense.
 
Usually Astro Cut A but if my local guy doesn't have it at the time, I'll use Astro Cut B (both are meant to be cut with water).
Hyd-Mech DM-10
 
I think if you do much cutting, particularly aluminum, you will want coolant, either soluble or not. I get clean cuts, that blade doesn't clog, the teeth wear uniformly so there is no drifting to one side, and this is with a cheap JET saw. I thought about straight oils, but I am concerned about the mess caused by drag out.

Tom
 








 
Back
Top