ANQOTD: Coolant or oil?

Depends on what you are maching. I use kerosene on aluminum all the time all you need is just a little to keep the tool from sticking. Coolant is nice in enclosed machines but is very messy on open lathes and knee mills. Spray mist works well for lots of applications and isn't nearly so messy. I use an acid brush to apply cutting oils on small parts and it works well. Charlie

Depends on what you are maching. I use kerosene on aluminum all the time all you need is just a little to keep the tool from sticking. Coolant is nice in enclosed machines but is very messy on open lathes and knee mills. Spray mist works well for lots of applications and isn't nearly so messy. I use an acid brush to apply cutting oils on small parts and it works well. Charlie

"Bogone" a écrit dans le message de news: snipped-for-privacy@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...

Thank you Charlie for the kerosene tip with aluminium For iron spray are very expensive. Is there another way? Like some drops of oil mixture?

Hey Jean-Luc,

If the boat has not sailed yet, ask the shipper to send along a gallon or so of un-diluted "water-soluble" cutting oil. You mix this with plain water in about a 50:1 ratio, and apply the diluted as needed only. Most lathe and milling work should not require coolant, although that is totally a subjective decision per job. The mixture can be applied in "squirts" from an old shampoo bottle or even a cheap oil can, or from an old empty kitchen-cleaner spray bottle, spraying directly to the cutter as you go.

Take care.

Brian Lawson, Bothwell, Ontario.

"Gil HASH" wrote in news:436d981a $0$7843$ snipped-for-privacy@news.wanadoo.fr:

You can just apply cutting oil to the tool and/or work with an acid brush. Do a Google search on "cutting oil" and you should be able to find something that you can get delivered to your location. Mobil comes to mind as being available world-wide. It's as good as anything.

I would stay away from water soluble coolant for a manual machine with no enclosure or coolant pump.

A coolant system is more of a luxury than a necessity for the hobbyist. Like others have mentioned, I got along fine with a few squirt bottles for the last forty years. Bugs

"Gil HASH" wrote in news:436d981a$0$7843$ snipped-for-privacy@news.wanadoo.fr:

A spray mist system is easily made from scrap parts, provided you have an air compressor. You need 2 small valves, some small copper tubing, a bucket or can, and a T or Y fitting for the copper tubing. (You don't even need the fitting if you are good with a file, and can braze/solder.)

You can get 1 gal concentrates of soluble oil for use with it.

As others have said, you can also use a squirt bottle from the kitchen/bathroom.

Hey Gil,

No problem. Glad we could help. Even I was amazed at all that you got.

Drop in again anytime with any WTFIHTA, AWWWC sort of stuff.

Take care.

Brian Lawson, Botrhwell, Ontario.

Oh...ps to myself.. WTFIHTA, AWWWC means What The F Is He Talking About, And Why Would We Care.

Good ;-)

You can with a small investment rig a drip system.

You need a holder for something like a pint milk jug or soda bottle, a length of small diameter plastic tubing and a vale to control the flow. Magnetic holder to keep the end of the tube over the cutter.

Drip about one drop a second , depending on what you are cutting.

This makes a real mess on a manual lathe.

I use a 20 oz soda bottle with a small hole drilled in the lid. For some reason, there are always more than enough of them laying around the shop. :)