Cutting lubrication

robcas631 · Jul 20, 2013

Working on my Grizz 7x12 lathe I have used a combination of lubricants at hand. At first I used straignt oil... it worked but no so good. Spraying W D40 with oil worked fine. So I though....ah mix some lamp oil with the oil. Well it works better, yet I feel there is a better way. If anyone knows a home brew or would recommend a good lubricant kindly let me know?

steamin · Jul 21, 2013

If you are looking for a home brew or something readily available. Go to your local grocery store and buy a can of Crisco cooking grease. No kidding, it works very well. I worked part time in a small job job during my senior year of high school, about 50 years ago. They had cans of the stuff all over the place to use on the lathes, mills, shaper and drill press. I use it on occasions when machining copper. It does not stain as traditional cutting oils do.
have fun,
Larry

gus · Jul 21, 2013

I use Tapmatic Tapping Oil sparingly with very small paint brush dobbing every now n then.
Even Grade 5 Fasteners could be cut with good finish with HSS cutters.

Just bought a bottle of Tapmatic Tapping Oil good Aluminium only and found one addictive that may be offensive to a small minority------------Lard Oil. In Trade School we were taught to use Lard when tapping mild steel.My minority classmate was happily using it w/o being told it was Lard!!! Anyway he thought it was some special mineral lube.

Tin Falcon · Jul 21, 2013

First of all rob if you have not done so get a copy of TC 9-524 Machine tool manual. A public domain document available on the net in pdf form.

Any good machining book will have a chart on the best /recomended lube for common metals and common operations.

If you are looking for a one size fits all /or most lube buy a bottle of water soluble oil from you industrial supply house. mix up a batch put in a squirt bottle and go to town. the downside is you may have to buy a gallon. but you can share that gallon and still likely have a lifetime supply.
Tin

enfieldbullet · Jul 21, 2013

straight lard is a great lubricant. been used in the old days. it's also cheap, readily available and biodegradable.

plus, it smells like bacon when you're cutting.

ChrisLister · Jul 21, 2013

sounds good the bacon smell

but how is lard oil called in Europe?

thankx

Mechanicboy · Jul 21, 2013

ChrisLister said:
sounds good the bacon smell

but how is lard oil called in Europe?

thankx

French: l'huile de lard
Nederland:spekolie

enfieldbullet · Jul 21, 2013

you can use normal baking lard, no need to be 'lard oil'

lard will melt at normal machining temperatures.

robcas631 · Jul 21, 2013

Thanks a lot Tin!

John Rus · Jul 22, 2013

Someone told me windex works well for a cutting fluid, can't remember what metal it was good for. Mabye aluminum.

John.

ConductorX · Jul 22, 2013

Lard is also labeled as Manteca (Spanish).

IMHO - Windex is good for cleaning the paint on your oily machine tools. I used it at NASA to clean the CNC machines and automatic welders. It has Ammonia so I don't know about using it for lubricant.

"G"

gus · Jul 22, 2013

enfieldbullet said:
straight lard is a great lubricant. been used in the old days. it's also cheap, readily available and biodegradable.

plus, it smells like bacon when you're cutting.

Hi Enfield,

Love eating bacon but only when travelling. My darling boss just won't buy it.Its bad for Gus's health but she turns a blind eye when we travel.

Tapmatic is expensive. Will look out for Lard Oil in the local Supermarket and use for tapping and turning and sssmellinnnnng. Ha ha.

Lard Oil sounds highly technical but not Barbi Oil which will be highly offensive. Deep or shallow frying my Sea Bass(Barramundi) with Barbi will be very good eating.Ha Ha;D

Mosey · Jul 23, 2013

There is a large industry of cutting oil products that have advantages over conventional materials, though I don't think they offer a whole lot for us hobby'ists. Check out MSC or Grainger or the like. I use and like Tap Magic Cutting Fluid, which is non-carcinogenic.
Mosey

tornitore45 · Jul 23, 2013

In Italy is called "Olio di Lardo"

I have experimented with making lard oil from grocery store lard.
The problem is that after melting it cools and it become lard again or very close to it.
Then after researching I learned that Lard Oil is obtained by pressing the Oil out of the pasty greasy substance.

Using plain Lard for cutting may be OK but Lard become rancid quicly and I assure you it does not smell like bacon.

My shop (garage) can be 100F in summer, so I though I could keep the lard in the spare fridge just on the other side of the door, until the wife find out and wen ballistic.

Forestgnome · Jul 23, 2013

I just use WD40 for aluminum, gear oil for steel. Gear oil is sulferized. I use water soluble on my bandsaw (Rustlick).

myrickman · Jul 23, 2013

I like a product called Anchorlube. It is a water soluble stearate and completely non toxic. It has the consistency of thin mayo is it stays put on the work. Works great on difficult stuff like stainless. A gallon is like 25 bucks and lasts forever. Also works great for tapping and threading. I get mine from MSC. http://www.anchorlube.com/anchorlube.html

cidrontmg · Jul 23, 2013

Lard in Portuguese is "Banha de porco". Several varieties, some are almost odorless, some are definitely smelling bacon. I heard McDonalds contains some 6-7% lard, the rest is vegetable oil, and the French fries seem tastier with some lard.

Beachside_Hank · Jul 23, 2013

Found this tip in an Old Pop Sci or Pop Mechanics, can't remember which:

CrashedAgain · Jul 25, 2013

For high speed machine work like drilling where the primary need is to cool the work, use a soluble oil which should be available from any machine tool supplier.
For heavy cutting or threading where the primary need is to make the tool cut easier and not tear the work, use a sulferized cutting fluid such as used by plumbers on power pipe threading machines. It is dark brown and messy. If you cannot find a supplier, talk to a nearby plumbing shop. The difference it makes has to be seen to be believed, power pipe threading machines simply will not work without it.
WD-40 is not a cutting fluid. Lard works but will eventually turn rancid and stink.

Forestgnome · Jul 25, 2013

CrashedAgain said:
WD-40 is not a cutting fluid. Lard works but will eventually turn rancid and stink.

Don't know why you say WD-40 is not a cutting fluid. It certainly is, as much as anything else is a cutting fluid. As you mention, cutting fluids serve various purposes depending on the application. WD-40 is a fluid, and in cutting aluminum serves to prevent chips from rewelding back onto the surface. Chip clearing with compressed air will provide a similar function, however will not prevent bue on the cutting tool the way WD-40 will.

Cutting lubrication

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