steamandsteel
Aluminum
- Joined
- Oct 21, 2017
- Location
- Wichita, KS
So I ran out of my usual go-to, ATF, and had to rummage around for a suitable drilling oil.
IIRC, ATF works well because it's very light and meant to fit into very tight tolerances (between transmission components). Had plenty of motor oil, but heavier weights, and not exactly cutting oil. I figured some old 2-stroke oil (the type you'd mix with gas) just might work.
Well, for some reason it seemed to work better than the ATF. The bit stayed cooler, and sharper for longer. I also was not being fumigated by a cloud of smoke, like I was when I was using the ATF.
What makes an oil good for cutting? I was surprised by these results.
IIRC, ATF works well because it's very light and meant to fit into very tight tolerances (between transmission components). Had plenty of motor oil, but heavier weights, and not exactly cutting oil. I figured some old 2-stroke oil (the type you'd mix with gas) just might work.
Well, for some reason it seemed to work better than the ATF. The bit stayed cooler, and sharper for longer. I also was not being fumigated by a cloud of smoke, like I was when I was using the ATF.
What makes an oil good for cutting? I was surprised by these results.