Edited By Don Brymer on 07/10/2009 09:42:59

For those who, like me, use WD40 - bear in mind that when the solvent part of the product evaporates, the remaining chemicals are like GLUE! It is possible to gum your slideway or even seize your chuck etc. if you don't oil everything that WD wet before leaving the machine unattended.

While fresh, WD40 can free-up something that may be gummed up with light rust or something, it does NOT leave OIL behind. It is designed to spray onto atomic weapon circuit boards and leave a corrosion-resistant layer behind. It needed regular re-sprays too!

I use a product called Alusol from Castrol because there was a recomendation somewhere else on here. Although it is normally used on aluminium the instructions state that it is suitable for other metals.

I use a much stronger mix than recomended but the appearence is like milk diluted with water meaning that it is possible to see through it to see the work as it's being machined.

So far there has been no problems with rusty marks on the bed where the saddle has been, a problem I have had in the past using conventional soluble oils.

An oily film is left behind that seems to stop rust forming on completed steel items.

It is available is small quanities from a supplier on the Internet.

Brian H You won't go wrong with Castrol [ as long as it's formulated for the material ] There are a couple of ones that are more suited to multi-metal operations than ALUSOL. Hysol X is exceptional. and caters for a very wide range of metals [ inc Aluminium ] Never any rusting of bed ways actually protects the way by lubrication.

I can't speak for any other make, but there is never any rusting with Castrol. Possibly the rust stains some others have noted [ none Castrol AFAIK] are due to over dilution.

If the ALUSOL works fine for you then stick to it . I only mentioned the HYSOL X as info for you or others.

Does anybody have any experience, good or bad with these cutting fluids please.

MAXCUT No.5 Chlorine Free Neat Tapping & Cutting Fluid

from Arc Eurotrade and

Multispec Cutting & Tapping Fluid (Ref: MT5)

from Chronos.

TURNING

Mostly dry cutting, but a slight trickle of soluble oil onto the tool, (gravity fed from shelf above lathe) or hand dribbled Neatcut, for parting off.

For Tapping (and Dieing) Rocol RTD, or bacon fat, smeared on by hand.

MILLING

Again, mostly dry, but Slitting Saws seem to benefit from Neatcut oil.

Howard

Posted by Howard Lewis on 28/07/2017 15:19:10r bacon fat, smeared on by hand.

Howard

Bacon fat Howard!!!!! I'm a vegetarian!

Nige,

I've used the Arc product and Dormer Supercut (**LINK**) but got fed up with the high price and bought some of this oil off ebay **LINK**.

Twice the price for 5 times the quantity and seems to do the job for me.

HTH

Jon

Thank you Jon, the NEAT CUTTING stuff from eBay looks good

Hi David Clark, Glad to see that yo are still around !,Keep hanging in there !!

Sorry Brian!

But the oldsters used tallow as a cutting lubricant, and for candles! And seems a pity to waste it!

Howard

It depends what you what to achieve. A crude rule of thumb is that for cooling, but not much lubrication, use soluble oil diluted with water. For lubrication, but not much cooling, use a neat cutting oil. These often have EP additives for operations like gear shaping where speeds are low, but cutting pressures can be high.

All the fluids mentioned seem to be aimed at tapping rather than flood coolant for general machining.

I often machine dry, but when I do need coolant I use soluble oils because I need the cooling function, and I always use flood coolant. Dribbling coolant onto the work really doesn't achieve anything. I used to use Biokool14 from Hallett Oils, but now use Hysol XF. And to forestall the expert comments, both sit in my tanks for many months at a time without causing smells.

With regards to the fluids mentioned I usually hand tap dry. For more difficult hand tapping (stainless steel or taps over 1" diameter) I use a Rocol grease like tapping goo. It works very well but can be a PITA to clean up, which is why I use only when necessary. Machine tapping on the vertical mill is done dry, on the repetition lathe I use flood coolant, simply because it is there.

Andrew

Soluble oil is OK for band saw and surface grinder but would not use on my mills or lathes which have sumps and coolant pumps, for these I use sulpherised cutting oil and mix it with kerro [or paraffin for the Brits] works very well for all types of cutting. It has been in the machines for a number of years with an occasional top up no rust problems. Any grit contaminants settles to the bottom of the sumps so does not get recirculated.

I noted one user with a Harrison lathe did not like the oil allover the tray, I do not find this a problem on my Harrison it keeps every thing blathered in oil which discourages rust, I do use a lot of rags though.

Cheers Garth

Hi i delved back into the Cinese market and bouught one of these:

It seems to work ok and have removed pressure guage and replaced with 10mm . I am aware a mate uses a oil cutting flued that when you add it to water turns milky white . I am trying to find out what he uses . I searched and came across this old thread.

Try searching for Soluble Cutting Oil or SUDS. This example is on ebay at the moment.

Never tried it myself. I don't like the idea of splashing water about my tools in case it causes rust. I expect someone will tell us if that's just foolish prejudice!

Dave