Best all around cutting fluid

[bikebuilder]

What's evryone's favorites for steels... just an all around fluid? I've got tap magic or some such nonsense, and the stuff stinks like hell, especially if it gets too hot. Do C. Fluids have differing smoking temps?

bb

 

[jim rozen]

For steel?

A 50/50 mix of kerosene and lard oil.

Jim

 

[superalloy]

bb, try some of the semi-solid stick lubes. I'm assuming this is for the hole saws/tubing set-up on the Nichols.

The stick products are easy to use in small quantities, easy to clean up, and don't go rancid or stink.

Matt

 

[custom59]

That depends on what kind of operation you're doing on steel. When heat buildup is a big problem, it needs to reduced by using something to flood it with, like your typical water/concentrate mix (valcool, water-soluable, ect.) Other operations involving high cutting pressures like tapping and reaming, lubrication is more important..... Coolants usually don't lubricate well, and lubricants usually don't cool well.

 

[donie]

Everthing from lard oil,Thread oil, Castrol moly D, to The 111 stuff can be mixed with Bees Wax to an applieable paste.
Bees Wax will go toward heat and carry cutting compounds to the cut.
Cutting with flood coolant is the by far the best but really messy.

 

[jims]

We ran a test on a repeat job using pure lard oil and a name brand cutting oil. We got 25 percent better production with the cutting oil. Tools and drills lasted longer. But in a home shop I don't think you would notice any difference.
jims

 

[allanjs]

bikebuilder,

I know what you mean about the smell. My son
calls it "Ass Magic" LOL.
All cutting fluids have there place. Just depends
on what operations your doing.
Al

 

[KenS]

Brownell's "Do-Drill" is maybe a little less sulfury/smelly. It's their proprietary blend for cutting chambers and threads as well as general use.
Sulfur is good in cutting oils.

 

[awake]

Jims, I would love to see more reports of this sort of test. Do any of the machining magazines do this kind of testing?

Because it is the easiest for me to get, I use pipe-cutting oil -- I can buy it cheaply, in 1 qt or 1 gallon or larger quantities, from my local old-fashioned hardware store. I don't mind the smell, but my wife does!