What's new
What's new

2-Stroke Oil for Drilling?

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.
 
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.


Do you also use ATF for way oil? :skep:

There are different grades of oil for good reasons.
 
Do you also use ATF for way oil? :skep:
There are different grades of oil for good reasons.
Oddly enough my Cincinnati grinders use what is basically ATF as a way lube.
Always thought that design weird.

If it works it works and the lower smoke perhaps a plus.
WD-40 is not a cutting oil but aluminum loves it.
Which smells better a 2-stoke castor oil or Tap-magic?
One of these will give better life, the other nicer to be around.
Bob
 
In a pinch- Ridgid Dark is probably the best cutting oil available to the homeowner on a saturday evening. It should be on the shelves at Home Depot, any respectable plumbing/piping store and in any oil well supply shop (not sure those exist in NH), for about $20/gal.
 
I think a high sulfur content is supposed to make cutting fluid oil good. In a pinch I have used the dark high sulfur pipe threading oil from big box stores and it seems to work okay.
 
I have a drum of Vacuoline 1405 which is supposed to be used in machines where the hydraulic oil is also used to lubricate the ways, such as my surface grinder. They also make 1409 which I believe is a thicker variant
 
That may or may not be what's in my Harig as way lube.
Harig another full flow system.
The advantage to true way oil is it won't drip off the ends of the ways onto the floor.
Disadvantage is that the table will "pump up" using some way oils if the table is stopped for any amount of time so you need warm up passes for size.
Agree on Rigid dark and it makes a great squirt can on the bandsaw in harder steels.
Opinions are going to vary so widely here and loves or stories welcomed by me.
How about that wax stuff you poke the tool in? Good or bad?
Bob
 
Last edited:
1405 / 1409 Vaculine (tm) is essentially Vactra way lube with a special tackifier (historically Oleic Acid) This has been covered well.

At some point Vactra had the tackifier removed, and a number of machines in the paper industry started failing. The answer was thve Vaculine line 1405 / 1409. The only caveat is that it's tough on zinc so not suitable for some bronze bearings or zinc plated hydraulic lnes.
 
Some oils are very toxic when they smoke.

Why not get with the times, and try vaping oil ?
Some even have THC.
 








 
Back
Top