caveman cutting fluids?

S

sixleggedinsect

Joined
Dec 14, 2006
Messages
13
howdy. im working with hand tools and a drill press, drilling and tapping small holes in titanium and annealed 1095.

i dont feel like spending more money on shipping just to get a dab of cutting fluid in the mail. what else would work, that i have lying aroudn the house? choose from: 10w30, 5w30, atf, canola, olive oil, detergent, etc.

i have no idea what cutting fluids are comprised of, im afraid.

what for drilling? reaming? for hand tapping?

thanks,
anthony
 
Have you tried Palmolive Dish Soap ?? The green is supposed to have been made differently and it helps with drilling.
 
I've used marvel mystery oil many times with my hand taps. Don't know, it might be too thick to use with a drill press though.
 
Good old fashioned transmission fluid. Ford or chevy, doesnt matter. Works like a charm and a bonus is it a great gun cleaning an preservation oil.
Bigk6
 
thanks for the replies, folks. two questions:

when you say 'tranny fluid', do you mean ATF? or gear oil? (and if gear oil, does it matter what weight?)

and second- what shoudl i use when reaming? i have never reamed a hole before, and have no idea what is normally used.

thanks!
 
In Sweden we have something named T-röd (T-red). It is a form of alcohol. We use it in our outdoor kitchen when we cook. It is perfect for drilling, milling, cutting, handtapping, and so on in aluminum. This T-red makes that drills and other cutting tools always are “clean” from material. (It do not work on steel). I have not tried it on Titan - but I think it will work also on titan.

1 liter costs about 3,5 USD and you have that liter for a looong time. I use the “thing” nurses use to give you an “injection” when you are sick. It is perfect for that purpose.
You must have something like T-red in US. The liquid you burn in your outdoor kitchen…? If you have it – try it.

Thomas
 
At work we use a wax lube, called "edge", works great on aluminum and steel for grinding, dritting, cutting, tapping etc.
Some of the guys also use WD-40 and the like. Which isnt actually a lubricant, i forget what its calle,d but it actually removes all oils, degreaser?
 
A lot of things will work as cutting or tapping fluid.

But for the real primitive, caveman experience you're seeking :) try bacon grease .... it just so happens that some of the best commercial cutting fluids use pork fat, and many machinists years ago (before OSHA) used it regularly.
 
WD-40 is a light lubricant, in addition to it's degreasing properties. It's a mixture of solvent and mineral oil (up to 25% by weight of 'petroleum base oil' as listed in the product's MSDS; link below). The solvent degreases, and also thins the mineral oil for the sake of penetration. Then the solvent evaporates, leaving some of the mineral oil behind. I'm assuming it should be maintained wet to be more effective for heat dissipation, if used as a cutting fluid.

http://www.wd40company.com/files/pdf/msds-wd494716385.pdf
 
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