General lathe cutting fluid - What do you use ?

[urbanrifleman]

I have a gallon of that unopened in the shop. I'll go give it a smell later.

Sometimes I get the impression you have one of everything in your shop.

 

[LVLAaron]

Always be prepared.


Only thing I really need to have that I don't is a surface grinder.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Always be prepared.


Only thing I really need to have that I don't is a surface grinder.

Man i sold a nice Ko lee on here that woulda been a good one. It was real handy once a year to grind a remington lug for a guy that dont want to buy one. Lotta floor space

 

[Walt Krafft]

I prefer smelling bourbon to smelling cutting oils.

 

[WSnyder]

Only thing I really need to have that I don't is a surface grinder.

Not used a lot here but handy when you need it. Have a Harig with integral dust filter system. Also handy to have is a single lip grinder. I've an older Deckel. Could do without that one but every now and then....

 

[xr650rRider]

Would you consider the Rigid products to have a lower viscosity or a higher viscosity?

As compared to? Water? Don't have a Fann-VG at home but would guess it somewhere around 4-5 centipoise. Pumps well from oil can or carbonator pump. I added the Type F ATF and it might lower viscosity a little but mainly it turns it red. Somewhere in one of the books on chambering, supposedly that was what Dave Kiff recommended. Seems to work well. There is no magic elixir that is going to make a bad thread cut a good thread cut. Water would have the best heat transfer coefficient but has a nasty habit of wanting to change into a gas at high temp. To get around it, you add some additives that are still environmentally friendly (if you send it down the drain) and turn the flow way up.

********** Looked up the MSDS
actual viscosity is around 40 centipoise/40 centiStokes for both. Water at normal conditions would be 1 cp. Type F ATF is around same value. When either heats up, the viscosity drops to around 7 cp or lower.

 

[urbanrifleman]

The best thing I have tested so far is Ridgid EXTREME with 20 percent STP oil treatment.

Cuts like butter. Sticks like glue. No smoke. No stink.

 

[sdean]

My local feed store has a pump. I bet diesel isnt too far off and would leave more oil behind

I use diesel. Kerosene is magic. Best tool cleaner there is and will run a jet or diesel engine.

 

[std7mag]

I use diesel. Kerosene is magic. Best tool cleaner there is and will run a jet or diesel engine.

And your oil furnace in a pinch!

At work we run some blue stuff mixed with water in my CNC machine. I think the name is Sim Tool.
I do most of the threading in our shop.

All our other machines use an "inexpensive" semi synthetic coolant mixed with water.