Agree Neil L
For casual use Soluble oil is a pain. I only use it when I have to on my mill never on the lathe although both machines have it on demand. Its the cleaning up I don't like, as I don't use the machines every day. I don't like the way it stains the table under the vice on the mill, forcing me to remove the vice and any other fixture and clean up after the job is finished. I prefer to spray on neat cutting oil for most jobs. Soluble oil also tends to wash out the way oil on the slides. It also damages the paint on older machines.
On The mill when using high speed steel end mills and tooling taking heavier cuts there is little alternative to flood coolant if you want your tools to last.
One day when I feel like getting really dirty and stinky I will clean out the sump in the base of the machine, requiring you to remove a plate at floor level and reach in in a similar manner to a farm vet you know where…. to drag out the grunge at the bottom with a wet vacuum and rags.
Note: The last time I did this cleaning job I felt really off colour for several days after, I got a bad cough, and wondered at the time if it was caused by a bug in the mill sump.
neat oil is more expensive and not quite as good as water based in heat removal.
Regards
John
Edited By John McNamara on 30/05/2014 14:11:52