Reamer lube recomendations?

[aussiedave]

Rocol RTD works very well . But it doesn't do the paint on the splashback of my lathe much good .I will have to repaint it one day with better quality paint.

 

[shortgrass]

The method of applying the lub/coolant will make a difference. Are you using a muzzle flush system, flooding from the chamber side, or 'squirting' onto the reamer and into the chamber with a hand pump oiler?

 

[AckleymanII]

I used to use dark sulphur cutting oil of various makes. I pre bore the chambers, then ream.

When I started using this product, I could not even feel the reamer cutting while holding the reamer with a floating Reamer pusher:


https://www.zoro.com/tap-magic-cutting-oil-1-gal-squeeze-bottle-70128t/i/G3325987/

Zoro has sales with 20% off and free shipping over $50.

They also sell the product in pint and quart bottles on ebay.

This stuff is real thick, will stick to a 300 RPM part during a turning process like no other! This is the best lube I have ever used for turning down a barrel, bar none.

For chambering, I warm the fluid up. I heat a bowl of water in the micro wave for 12 minutes, put the container of X tra thick in the water for a couple of minutes.



I squirt the bore full, then coat the reamer, and taking large plunges, I can not feel the reamer actually cutting, it feels like I am running the reamer in mid air! I have never seen a cutting fluid reduce friction like the tap magic Xtra thick. The extra step of warming it up for chambering is key, easy and quick.

I also have used Moly D, but it does not reduce the friction like the Xtra thick. Xtra thick was designed for the machining of the most difficult to machine alloy's, and certainly does not smoke or stink like the high sulphur cutting oils.

 

[Preacher]

I used to use dark sulphur cutting oil of various makes. I pre bore the chambers, then ream.

When I started using this product, I could not even feel the reamer cutting while holding the reamer with a floating Reamer p
https://www.zoro.com/tap-magic-cutting-oil-1-gal-squeeze-bottle-70128t/i/G3325987/

Zoro has sales with 20% off and free shipping over $50.

They also sell the product in pint and quart bottles on ebay.

This stuff is real thick, will stick to a 300 RPM part during a turning process like no other! This is the best lube I have ever used for turning down a barrel, bar none.

For chambering, I warm the fluid up. I heat a bowl of water in the micro wave for 12 minutes, put the container of X tra thick in the water for a couple of minutes. I squirt the bore full, then coat the reamer, and taking large plunges, I can not feel the reamer actually cutting, it feels like I am running the reamer in mid air! I have never seen a cutting fluid reduce friction like the tap magic Xtra thick. The extra step of warming it up for chambering is key, easy and quick.

I also have used Moly D, but it does not reduce the friction like the Xtra thick. Xtra thick was designed for the machining of the most difficult to machine alloy's, and certainly does not smoke or stink like the high sulphur cutting oils.

That stuff works great unless it's cold in the shop. Good idea of warming it up a little..

 

[AckleymanII]

Yeppers! Just a hot bowl of water does the trick!

 

[shortgrass]

I used to use dark sulphur cutting oil of various makes. I pre bore the chambers, then ream.

When I started using this product, I could not even feel the reamer cutting while holding the reamer with a floating Reamer pusher:


https://www.zoro.com/tap-magic-cutting-oil-1-gal-squeeze-bottle-70128t/i/G3325987/

Zoro has sales with 20% off and free shipping over $50.

They also sell the product in pint and quart bottles on ebay.

This stuff is real thick, will stick to a 300 RPM part during a turning process like no other! This is the best lube I have ever used for turning down a barrel, bar none.

For chambering, I warm the fluid up. I heat a bowl of water in the micro wave for 12 minutes, put the container of X tra thick in the water for a couple of minutes.



I squirt the bore full, then coat the reamer, and taking large plunges, I can not feel the reamer actually cutting, it feels like I am running the reamer in mid air! I have never seen a cutting fluid reduce friction like the tap magic Xtra thick. The extra step of warming it up for chambering is key, easy and quick.

I also have used Moly D, but it does not reduce the friction like the Xtra thick. Xtra thick was designed for the machining of the most difficult to machine alloy's, and certainly does not smoke or stink like the high sulphur cutting oils.

I buy Tap Magic w/EP Extra in 5gal. buckets,,,,,, which lasts awhile. I , also mix it 50%-50% with dark threading oil and use it in my muzzle flush system for chambering. For the method you are using to chamber an oil would be preferred. Flooding would probably be best with oil, too, as whatever you're flooding probably isn't reaching the throat/neck/shoulder of the reamer,,, it's just 'rinsing' the cuttings away when you withdraw the reamer . Oil 'hangs in there'. Muzzle flushing is where synthetic or water soluble oils might be used, if you choose the right stuff.

 

[AckleymanII]

thanks Shortgrass. I am pre boring the chamber to within .020-.030 of finished dimension, reamer chips are very tiny, and there is plenty of room for the fluid. I can feel a big difference in regards to how the reamers are cutting with less friction with this Xtra thick.

It is just takes a tad bit of time to warm the stuff up.

 

[shortgrass]

The chambering method I was taught in gunsmithing school, many years ago, is/was quit similar to the way you do it. Dial it in, drill, pre-bore,,,, although not as deep as you are, and finish chamber by making .050" (or less) passes. .050" pass doesn't accumulate many cuttings, but enough they need to be removed and more oil (or Tap Magic) applied. There's heat in cutting. If cuttings are allowed build up, more heat is generated from the friction of the chips rubbing the inside of the 'hole'. Too much heat will ruin the tool,,,,, and the barrel. Thus, the muzzle flush. Cuttings are cleared continuously and lubrication is supplied constantly making a "low heat" condition. Higher RPMs can be turned (because of the low friction condition) which allows the tool to 'work' at its optimum (proper SFM). More 'holes' (chambers) per sharpening, as tool life increases significantly. For those who work in production machining, just look at what can be done with 'oil hole drills' or coolant through the bar/holder insert holders. If I was just cutting chambers for myself I'd not bother with a muzzle flush, I'd just 'peck away' @ .050" per pass using plenty of oil (or Tap Magic) and clear cuttings as needed so I'd not 'carry a chip' and scar the chamber wall.

 

[AckleymanII]

Thanks for the explanation. I don't cut many chambers per year. When you pre bore to within .020-.030 chips are rarely as large as a match head till you reach the shoulder. The viscosity intensifier in this X tra thick is beyond belief. I will take plunge cuts on the first pass up to .750 deep without withdrawing and cleaning up, and .500 deep on follow up cuts till I am within .100 of my target number. Lube and chips are NEVER warm to the touch, and I am cutting regular barrels at 70 rpm.

On Pac Nor and Lothar Walthar barrels, I will run 290 rpm, clean out more frequently. I don't think that I will ever wear out a reamer, no kidding.

I really like the Moly D in how it reduces friction and you don't have to warm the stuff up like you do the xtra thick tap magic, but I don't think it has the machining qualities of the Xtra thick.

Chambers are so slick I have to ruff them up with 320 wet sand.

I only mention all of this for the guys that do not have a muzzle flush system. When you are reaming and if you actually feel the reamer and steel cutting, like you might imagine the feel of sharpening a knife with a steel, you may want to try another lube. There are several products that work very well to reduce friction. Products that have a very high flash point and are used to machine very difficult to machine alloys' is where you want to start looking.

Tradition and habit are hard to break, this is why most will never pre bore a chamber and will try nothing other than high sulphur based cutting oils. It is just a hobby for the vast majority of us. Trying something different from time to time just keeps the creative juices going. I have tried everything from Browning gun oil to the oil from the oil changes from my diesel pickup, STP, and 30 Wt motor oil. Burnt motor oil with transmission fluid in it actually works pretty good.

 

[Rustystud]

For the last 20 years I have used a flush system with Rustlic 255R cut 5:1. Getting read to switch over to UltraCut Pro mixed 10:1 with distilled water. Capture and re-use my coolant. Hope this batch does as well and last for 20 years. Expensive but well worth the price. I have reamers with thousands of chambers cut with no regrinds.

 

[AckleymanII]

Great post, and good luck for the next 20 years!

 

[swd]

Keith I ordered a gallon of Xtra thick to try. A friend does a lot of revolver cylinders out of 17-4 and he want's to try it too. Sounds perfect for that. The damn state of Komifornia won't let me ship it here so I had to ship it to his shop in Nevada. Guess I can only use it in his shop