Coolants and cutting oils

[Rik ShawParticipant @rikshaw]

I'll be treating myself to a new and bigger lathe and mill shortly. Where I managed OK with the odd brush full of cutting oil with my now sold mini lathe I am pondering what to use with the new machines. The lathe will be 9×20 (that's BIG for me) and in an ideal world I would just go for suds. But, my small shed is uninsulated and it is a constant battle to keep rust at bay. Up to now the old lathe was safe as it was usually plastered in cutting oil.

So initially, I am planning to dispense suds "on demand" in a fairy liquid squirty bottle just to see how I get on. If it works OK and I don't get rust I'd invest in a suds pump or make one.

Only thing I am not keen on re: suds is that many years ago when I earned a crust in a tool room the stuff used to stink. You could tell a bloke who worked in a machine shop by his oily niff. Maybe things have improved these days and the mistic no longer whiffs……..or does it?

Also, is it possible to get thin cutting oil that can be dispensed from a suds type pump.

I have ruled out the idea of mist cooling as I don't much like the idea of breathing that stuff in.

Any comments would be welcome including comparisons of different coolants in Winter or Summer (condensation in mind here).

I am sure this subject would have been discussed on more than one occasion here so I'll apologise in advance for raising the subject again.

Rik

[Rik ShawParticipant @rikshaw]

Keeping one’s tool cool

[Russell EberhardtParticipant @russelleberhardt48058]

Personally I use a soluble oil for cutting steel, bought a litre at a time by taking a bottle along to a local machine shop.

Dilute it 20:1 with water. You can apply it with a brush, a wash bottle, or a pump (a windscreen washer pump works well). No problem with rust as the water evapourates from any left on the machine leaving a coating of oil. It can cause staining of the machine surface if left under slides, toolposts, etc. but I find a quick wipedown with kitchen paper does the job.

Use paraffin (called petrole here!) for aluminium.

Russell.

[Raymond AndersonParticipant @raymondanderson34407]

Rik,

Go with soluble oil, as you should have no problem with rust . I have used Castrol Hysol for many years now, It also keeps fresh in the sump for quite some time. You can also get tablets to throw into the coolant tank they give off a nice mint smell. The ones I use are made by ARANAKI although I don't need to use them often as the Hysol is long lasting {I use maybe 2 or three per year.}

Regards,

Raymond.

[1Participant @1]

On my machines I use pumped "Mystic" when the job demands and I have no problem with corrosion through it in my uninsulated and unheated garage. I have got some staining on the surfaces but there seems to be no other adverse affect.

I have been using the same tankful, occcasionally topped up, for a couple of years and it hasn't yet developed any nasty niff. I have got some Warco Neatcut cutting oil standing by for when the suds come to the end of their life but have seen no reason to change yet.

Jim

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