Power Hacksaw cutting oil

I thought there were several discussions on this subject. Unfortunately either I'm not using the proper search words, or the threads are so old I can't retrieve them. I finally got my old Racine power hacksaw up and running last week. I'm looking for a good long lasting cutting oil/coolant to use in the machine. Originally I thought I might try it as a dry cut saw since Racine did make those as well. However a little research reveals the dry cut versions ran at either 70 or 100 spm while the wet saws run at 100 and 140 spm

I've been leaning towards a water soluble oil, but have limited experience with any of the brands available.
Over the years we used several different brands at work, and honestly I don't remember any of them. On top of that I don't recall one being superior over the others. I'm looking for something that has a relatively long life and won't smell up the shop.

Slightly off topic I was talking to another shop owner on the subject a few weeks ago. We didn't get into any brands, but he mentioned something I hadn't heard of before. One of his vendors was telling him that several customers were mixing the water soluble cutting oils with windshield washer solvent to minimize the smell over time. Has anyone done this or heard of the practice? The idea sounded intriguing, but I can't help but think the combination would minimize the effectiveness of the oil, and might be hard on the machine.

We run our Racine dry. If you feel you need coolant Trin E206 is used in every machine inour shop and has not gotten stinky. Have a centerlass grinder that get used once evry 3 month and no smell.

I use Trim E206 as well. It can sit for a long time and be fine. Works good, not bad on skin. I like the smell too.

If purchasing in 5 gallon buckets I prefer the Trim SC520 and purchase it through Zoro. I am not sure if it is still available but ESSO used to make a soluble oil product called Kutwell 40. Check with your local Lube Oil distributors and ask is they have any brands that still make a soluble oil. I have bought the stuff in a Shell Product also. If I remember right commercial soluble oil if less than half the cost of the fancy smelling stuff and works as well.

Walter

If you want a trouble free water soluble coolant, Trim-sol is hard to beat.

But being an "oldtimer", ... I still advocate heavy "red" cutting oil.

projectnut said:

I thought there were several discussions on this subject. Unfortunately either I'm not using the proper search words, or the threads are so old I can't retrieve them. I finally got my old Racine power hacksaw up and running last week. I'm looking for a good long lasting cutting oil/coolant to use in the machine. Originally I thought I might try it as a dry cut saw since Racine did make those as well. However a little research reveals the dry cut versions ran at either 70 or 100 spm while the wet saws run at 100 and 140 spm

I've been leaning towards a water soluble oil, but have limited experience with any of the brands available.
Over the years we used several different brands at work, and honestly I don't remember any of them. On top of that I don't recall one being superior over the others. I'm looking for something that has a relatively long life and won't smell up the shop.

Slightly off topic I was talking to another shop owner on the subject a few weeks ago. We didn't get into any brands, but he mentioned something I hadn't heard of before. One of his vendors was telling him that several customers were mixing the water soluble cutting oils with windshield washer solvent to minimize the smell over time. Has anyone done this or heard of the practice? The idea sounded intriguing, but I can't help but think the combination would minimize the effectiveness of the oil, and might be hard on the machine.

Click to expand...

Using a 10" Marvel reciprocating saw, and cutting such as mild steel, 4140, and stainlesses to 8" diameter, we found that a mix of one part cutting oil (Houghto-Cut) and one part kerosene seemed to be the best choice.

cheers

Carla

projectnut said:

but he mentioned something I hadn't heard of before. One of his vendors was telling him that several customers were mixing the water soluble cutting oils with windshield washer solvent to minimize the smell over time. Has anyone done this or heard of the practice? The idea sounded intriguing, but I can't help but think the combination would minimize the effectiveness of the oil, and might be hard on the machine.

Click to expand...

Congrats on getting your Racine running; I have one also and although I do not use it a lot (I am a non-pro) I rejoice every time I do end up using it (It's so much better than the options I had before)

Windshield washer fluid is 50/50 water and methanol (wood alcohol, although I guess the modern stuff is made from some petroleum-based process); the methanol should definitely function as at least somewhat of a biocide against microbes. The methanol will have a diluting effect and a solvent effect, but as long as you're not over-diluting more than you would with the same volume of straight water, it seems like it couldn't matter too much for the worse in this application. The methanol will evaporate, though, and if its fumes accumulate in a spot with the right air-fume ratio, the fumes could be combustible.

I've always wondered about the nontoxic RV antifreeze (propylene glycol) as something to run as part of a cutting fluid mix for my Racine (since the shop is unheated); I guess it can oxidize into acidic components, although I do not know now how rapidly or dramatically. For now, and for the amount I use the Racine, dry seems OK, but I will be interested what you come up with and how it works.

Smoothbore said:

If you want a trouble free water soluble coolant, Trim-sol is hard to beat.

But being an "oldtimer", ... I still advocate heavy "red" cutting oil.

Click to expand...

You beat me to it. In that application, I'd be using hi sulphur cutting oil, or Trim Sol if I felt I needed a water soluble coolant. The cutting oil is gonna smell like a machine shop, but it won't go rancid.

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I did use the saw a bit today. Mainly just to test it out and see that it cuts straight and stops when it's supposed to. I'm still up in the air as to what type of coolant to use. I like the Idea of the water soluble Trim-Sol mainly because I don't have experience with petroleum cutting oils/coolants for saws.

It's going to be a while before I fill it with anything. The first order of business is to find a semi permanent spot so I don't have to keep moving it around and possibly sloshing coolant all over the place. I say semi permanent in that over the years the shop has probably been rearranged half a dozen times when new machines are introduced. At least this time unless I do a major remodeling I think this is one of the last machines I'll have room for.

As for how much it will get used, I really can't say yet. I do have both a vertical and horizontal bandsaw that get used on a daily basis. The power hacksaw was more of a nostalgic buy. We had one in the shop where I worked and I used it several times a day. This one just crossed my path and the price was so reasonable I couldn't turn it down.

kd1yt, I would be cautious about using RV/Marine antifreeze in the coolant tank. It does get mushy in cold weather and will actually get to a near solid at extremely cold temperatures. It's used in RV's and boats because it's non toxic and doesn't expand like water when/if it does freeze. We use it in our RV and at -20* temps it's more like a slurpy than a liquid. Since it doesn't expand when it freezes it won't break the faucets or pipes.