Thread-cutting oil

Out of interest I use what is known as Dutch tallow for machining stainless and gives a nice finish. It was originally used at work for lead wiping.

Tallow was one of the original lubricants for cutting tools.

Just have to save some the next time I cook lamb. (also remember my mum cooking chips in it)

Forgive the slight deviation, but while we're at it I'd be interested to know people's preferred method for dispensing their neat cutting/tapping oil when machining, as long as it is a method that ensures I won't spill the oil on the floor.

I've used a jam jar with a hole drilled in the lid for a dipping brush, just an upturned jam jar lid, a bottle top, an aerosol can, and a plastic bottle with a nozzle dispenser. However, all have one thing in common: regardless of how stable and out of harm's way the receptacle is, I'm forever knocking it on to the floor, resulting, sometimes, in an unholy mess that takes longer to clean up than the whole machining task. Usually, the accident happens when I'm cleaning away swarf at the end.

After two such spillages in one day, I'm seriously thinking of putting my oil in a square metal pot and "locking" it down with a mag base. The trouble is I can still envisage the oil falling on the floor, only this time taking the mag base with it.

Edited By Bill Phinn on 25/03/2022 02:25:32

Standard oil can that you use for lubricating bearings etc. Or a plastic squeeze bottle (tomato sauce, etc)

I use the dark cutting oil of the type plumbers us for threading pipe. It is especially good on gummy steels.

I know that bacon grease works very well but any left on the machine or the chip pan will go rancid.

Cleaning out holes by manually blowing: use a length of thin polythene tube - and protect your eyes! I use this for holes drilled into brick or concrete, as well as metal.

'

DMP -

Through-tapping leaving unsightly holes: one approach if the design allows it to use a screw or stud with turned end that ends flush. Or if enough spare depth make a little grub-screw from a bit of studding of the same material, wind it in with a touch of locking-compound then when cured, carefully trim and draw-file to finish. It may leave a thin circle but still neater than a grime-trapping 'ole.

'

The metalwork shop in my school was back in "suds" days and the pillar-drill had a supply of that dispensed from a washing-up liquid bottle. I've also used a pump-action oil-can to dispense cutting-fluid on my own bench-drill - though over-enthusiastic pumping can be a bit messy!.

I have been using a Blaser oil from Switzerland. It is clear, has almost no smell and is very good for tapping holes and metal cutting in general. I have been using it in my hone, and getting very good stone life, but without that sulphur oil smell in the shop. It is great for drilling holes as well. Work has been using it for over 18 months now with very good results from it as well.

Neil

Edited By Neil Lickfold on 25/03/2022 15:00:34

Edited By Neil Lickfold on 25/03/2022 15:02:43

Blaser is a wel known known company supplying all kinds of cutting (Blasocut) and milling (Blsomill) oils and emulsions worldwide. I remember the Blasocuts from my work. What type of Blaser oil should be used for tapping by hand.

Above I read about the “Dutch tallow”. I know, not much is blamed to the Dutch on this forum but this needed some research from my side. What I understand now is that it should be called “ditch tallow”. No blame for this mistake because the letters i and u are neighbours (at least on my keyboard). 😉

I did some editing on the above text but it appeared not to come through.
It should be: Blaser is a well known Swiss company. And Blasomill.

Blaser make excellent shotguns too. Dave W

It’s all in the game.

Slightly off topic.

"" Forgive the slight deviation, but while we're at it I'd be interested to know people's preferred method for dispensing their neat cutting/tapping oil when machining, as long as it is a method that ensures I won't spill the oil on the floor"" .

Use a Pump type oil can with a "Pipe Cleaner" shoved in the spout with just a little bit of the tip stuck out to us as a rechargeable brush or to drip the oil from it.

You do not need to take your eyes off the job to thrash around to find the spill proof pot and splash fluid everywhere on the return stroke.

This has been my preffered method of applying cutting "Neat" fluid and kerosene mix for many years now.

As for "Bacon Grease" it's not acceptable as the salt used to cure the bacon is corrosive and when it goes rancid it Stinks. 

Eric

Edited By oldvelo on 25/03/2022 19:00:31

Edited By oldvelo on 25/03/2022 19:03:20

Nigel Graham2

Thank you for your advice on blocking up through threaded/ drilled holes. May do that eventually but have to wait for time being- priority is to get HH s t& c grinding jig up and running, earning it's keep!

John ("Dirty Metal Basher" ) knickname received from one of the tabletop layout brigade who don't like getting their hands dirty.

Edited By DMB on 25/03/2022 19:11:28

Edited By DMB on 25/03/2022 19:16:13

I am using the Vascomill CSF35 Neat cutting oil. It is what I am also using in my Delapena hone as well. It's kind on hands for me. When turning or milling I have a small 12mm paint brush that I brush a very light coating onto the surface. With the taps I paint on the oil to the tap itself, and put a drop into the hole to be tapped. When centre drilling or drilling I use the paint brush and just paint the oil onto the drill or the centre drill. It's really good stuff.

Neil

Is it available in ME amounts or do you have to buy a 20lts drum if you can't bring a small amount home from work?

In NZ it is sold in 500ml bottles as the smallest amount. A 1litre bottle with postage in NZ is $25 from the agents in ChristChurch. https://www.toolingsolutions.co.nz/ Here is the NZ agents. Just email or call them for NZ people. I have no connection to this company. Just a happy user of the Blaser oil. In my shop on the lathe and mill I have used lass than 500ml since I have started using it.

I don't seem to suffer corrosion on threads cut using bacon fat. But I clean the job and the Tap or Die afterwards.

So maybe cleanlines is next to Godliness.

My stock has been in a small stainless steel pot, for several years, and does not seem to gone rancid and stink, yet!

By now, the poit and my big tin of Rocoo RTD are both about half used.

Howard

Thanks for the tip, Eric.

Angel's Breath.

MEW Issue 72 (March/April 2001), Page 58, by J. R. Lait, Lincoln.

He said Angel's Breath is ideal for drill and tapping 25BA holes in extremely tough armour plate type alloy.

DMB (above) described it as Guy Lautrard's formula.

It works very well, but you must use genuine turpentine - sometimes called Artist's Turpentine. Smell is pleasant too, and doesn't become rancid.

I don't consider myself to be a "machinist". Rather I am someone learning by experimenting to see what works. Or does not work as the case may be. What follows then, is as a result of my experimenting and may not be applicable to others.

For steel I use Neatcut which I obtained from Warco some years ago. I did some experimental deep & high rate cutting using tools made from old files: these produced lots of smoke, but the tools did work. However, as a matter of course, I do prefer light cuts so much less smoke.

I also have some Rocol fluid dilutable 1:1 with water. It makes a mess, and leaves a green sticky mess behind. As a result I now only use it for parting off, mainly because it will fill the cut.

For aluminium I use a concoction of oily dregs & paraffin. Proportions, I have no idea but I suspect probably 1:1. It does give a reasonable finish to the ali although I suspect pure paraffin would be just as good.

To apply the fluids I use a small paintbrush dipped into a small container of whatever fluid I'm using. Sometimes, such as parting off, I use a small plastic bottle supplied, I think, by Millers. These have a flexible spout with a sealing end and can inject the fluid into a hole up say 50mm deep. Unfortunately, the Rocal fluid causes the sealing end to seize up and block, so I have had to make a new tube out of brass. Ok, I've lost the flexibility, but at least I can still get the fluid into the cut.

Just to expand slightly: I use Trefolex for threading, and ordinary (presumably) engine oil dregs both on my hacksaw blades (makes hacksawing much easier) and on the drilling machine which does make for easier drilling albeit with a little bit of smoke.

One snag with the Trefolex is that the oily liquid in which the solid compounds are presumably suspended has separated out such that I now have to dip well down to get the solids. Is there any way of recombining the two parts?

Cheers,

Peter G. Shaw