Cutting fluid

[MarineScott]

What are you using for cutting fluid? Do you use a homemade mix, or an over the counter brand? I would use it mainly for cutting threads, or drilling.

 

[dr_clyde]

Union Butterfield makes an excellent drilling and tapping fluid. It’s fairly thick so it sticks to the tap, doesn’t have a bad smell, and it works well.

 

[Jswain]

Rapid tap and it does seem to work well but I havent tried any other brands other then the usual wd40/fluid film/motor oil etc.

 

[GeoBruin]

Someone here turned me on to the Oatey dark thread cutting oil. I've used it for drilling mild steel and cutting pipe threads. It's on the thicker side as well so it stays where you put it, and it seems to cut well enough but the absolute best part is the smell. I can't even describe it but especially when it's hot, you get this mild, musky, tangy smell that I wish I could bottle.

 

[Dennis Leigh Henry]

Not liking the heavy cutting oil by Ridgid…. ? That’s what I’ve used for years except for aluminum, where Tap Magic rules….


Sent from my iPhone using Garage Journal

 

[macgee]

I've recently been using BoeLube (Boeing) since this winter, the blue paste and white solid and have been really happy with it.

Cant stand using Tap Magic, it quickly smokes under normal heat and gives off caustic smell, Prefer Rapid Tap and is better but still gives off some smoke and fumey, I'll use it occasionally. With BoeLube my tapping, drilling and milling operations run way cooler and cleaner, my cuts seem to have improved. The white solid stick is the best cooler but a pain (for me) to use/apply. Now no more mess of dripping fluid and no smoking. WD40 is pretty useless except it works well with cutting aluminum, only reason why I keep it in the shop.

BoeLube more for industrial and aerospace users but can be found pretty cheap on Amazon.

I had some vintage Moly Dee and some Trichloroethylene thread cutting fluid that an old Machinist gave to me and that stuff was totally amazing but has been fully banned years ago. I think they create three arm children if you're around it too long,

 

[nadogail]

I have been using Tap Something for years, ever since I took a can from work about 15 years ago. Since then I have bought a new bottle every few years. I am not brand loyal for cutting fluid, I tend to be swayed by price and the recommendation of the store where I buy it.

 

[Dan V.]

Years ago I worked in industrial sales to tool and die, mold makers, and other metal workers. We sold a cutting lubricant that the customers loved - at the time I think it was $85-/gal. It was vegetable oil with some blue dye that the boss added. Bought by the drum, added the dye, and transferred to one gallon jugs. It cost him about $2- a gallon to produce.

 

[oldwino]

Tap Magic here for aluminum and not sure about the stuff I use on mild steel and stainless. Was given a five gallon bucket long ago and still have a bunch. Thick stuff, smokes a ton but works well

 

[plinker]

Ultra lube works good, quite tacky. Great for threading but ok for drilling, depends on the situation as to what I'll use.
https://www.harryepstein.com/ultra-lube-metal-cutting-lubricant.html

I have used Rustlik concentrate in the past & still have some, good for drilling.

 

[darkzero]

I use Tap Magic EP-Xtra for machining steels. Dark sulfurized cutting fluid for tapping steels.

AlumTap (original chlorinated formula) for aluminum, copper, & brass. I have a small bottle of Relton A9 that I use for tapping aluminum when I need something thicker than the AlumTap. I used to use Tap Magic Aluminum but I can't stand the smell anymore. It makes me feel sick now but never used to before.

My favorite is BoeLube90 that I use on titanium & plastics but is good for just about anything. The stuff is expensive now so I don't use it on everything anymore. I also have Boelube paste wax sticks that I use for the bandsaw.

I use Trim MicroSol 690XT coolant but I don't use flood coolant, I just spray it on with a spray bottle when needed.

ITW Rocol SafeTap (gel) for hard to tap stuff.

I also have Anchorlube but I rarely use it. Mostly cause I forget & I don't like the consistency.

That about covers everything I have. I have enough cutting fluids to last me a lifetime & don't need to buy anymore.

 

[BlakeTheCarGuy]

CRC Cutting Oil. The only place around here that has it is Rural King.

 

[dutchgray]

I mostly use WD40 for hand tapping and a normal dark cutting oil for drilling, power tapping etc. There are not as many products you can easily find here in the UK.

 

[Dave455]

It seems as though every engineers tool supplier has something different.

I’ve probably used a lot of them over the years, but for hand tapping or drilling holes at home, I generally use the CT-90 that MSC sell here in the U.K. It’s relatively inexpensive, but works just fine!

 

[Ign]

Union Butterfield makes an excellent drilling and tapping fluid. It’s fairly thick so it sticks to the tap, doesn’t have a bad smell, and it works well.

This. The UB stuff is awesome. Although I mostly use a small can of Tap Magic or basic Mobil thread cutting oil 'cause I'm cheap.

SpillMasters and acid brushes for the win (and no more expensive accidents)

 

[matt_i]

I used to use Cool Tool 2 but it would go into a weird congealed state if left a long time plus also staining and the plastic bottles were prone to fracturing at the bottom, leaking all of the fluid out...so...

Since then the "Magic Tap" aka Tap Magic has been getting it done. It appears the 4oz metal can is done-for and they have plastic dropper bottles now.

I have some Castrol Moly Dee around if I think the material is going to be extremely difficult to tap. That horse doesn't come out of the barn very often.

 

[dr_clyde]

I used to use Cool Tool 2 but it would go into a weird congealed state if left a long time plus also staining and the plastic bottles were prone to fracturing at the bottom, leaking all of the fluid out...so...

Since then the "Magic Tap" aka Tap Magic has been getting it done. It appears the 4oz metal can is done-for and they have plastic dropper bottles now.

I have some Castrol Moly Dee around if I think the material is going to be extremely difficult to tap. That horse doesn't come out of the barn very often.

The old Moly Dee formula before the good stuff was taken out of it? That stuff is getting hard to find these days...

 

[seber]

Rapid tap for most things. When it gets to tough cutting I switch to lard oil. messy but works on anything.

 

[Rabid Badger]

Tap Magic for steel and WD40 for aluminum.

 

[Wyoming09]

Another +1 for Union Butterfield. Seems to stay where you put it.

 

[Sumboodie]

A knife?

How can one cut a fluid?

 

[darkzero]

A knife?

How can one cut a fluid?

 

[jeepinerdeep]

I switched from Rapid Tap to CRC Cutting and Tapping fluid a few yrs ago. Been happy.

 

[Jlarson]

We use tap magic and rapid tap paste on small bits and taps, since we do a lot of larger holes with mag drills too we often use ATF or bar oil in a metal oiler for that since we can get jugs of those cheap. Bar oil is nice for vertical holes cause it will cling to the bit or cutter.

 

[Bradc1989]

I love tap magic. will Improve surface finish and smells good too. At work I use a little squeeze bottle of my own concoction, 1 part shell omala 78 gear oil, 2 parts total light varnishing oil. The varnishing oil has a consistency of water but leaves an amazing surface finish and the gear oil is to make it a little stickier and it also leave a great surface finish, doesn’t smell so great though

 

[Coach James]

Tap Magic and some Tru Value branded stuff I picked up when I was doing a job and realized I left the Magic at home.

 

[mrjaw14]

Where are you guys buying this? ive thought about tap magic from Amazon but don’t know about having a fluid shipped

 

[darkzero]

Where are you guys buying this? ive thought about tap magic from Amazon but don’t know about having a fluid shipped

I've bought a small bottle of TapMagic from Amazon & it arrived without leaking. I've purchased gallons of other cutting fluids & oils online before & they all arrived without leaking. Now I just go to my local MSC.

 

[Steve_P]

I'm not a machinist, but for the drill press I use the Oatey pipe lube mentioned earlier. Someone mentioned the smell... what's funny is that ~10 yrs ago I had a coworker over that needed some help drilling some large holes; I had the Oatey lube in an un-labled squirt can, and just from the smell he knew what it was. He said they used that a lot in a machine shop he worked in. For hand tapping, I like Tap Magic. I also have some Moly Dee, but it must be 40+ yrs old, from my dad; whatever solvent was originally in it is probably gone but I guess I can add something else to it. Ok, I just checked and it's still alive. I only looked quick but it's pre CRC, in a Winthrow? marked can , L.A., CA. Guess I need to use that up.

I have a few other choices, one a green paste, another is a stick, but I can't remember what they are.

 

[Coach James]

Where are you guys buying this? ive thought about tap magic from Amazon but don’t know about having a fluid shipped

Our local Tru value and Ace both carry different brands of cutting fluid.

Coach

 

[2ndGearRubber]

I use mainly tap magic and boelube. Boelube is best applied to the bit itself as it is a paste/wax like substance. Tap magic I keep in an oiler can. Smelly and smokey but it works. For non flat drilling like laying on your back or vertical surfaces I have some CRC cutting oil in a aerosol can. Messy and wasteful, but its better than nothing if you need it.

 

[redragoon]

I've used Tap Magic which works as expected, but I always need more for drilling. Sometimes I use air tool oil if I have nothing else.

I had heard of an old trick to use bar soap (Irish Spring I think) to coat drill bits and taps. Supposedly the soap sticks to the bit better and helps cut without flowing off the work. I have not tried it, but have heard that it works great.

 

[rlitman]

When I emptied an aerosol can of Fluid Film a while back, I cut it open to use what was left inside. Since then, I've discovered that its great for hand tapping. I'll dip a tap in the stuff and go.

 

[bwringer]

I use the Tap Magic formula that works with any metal, since it's just occasional use and might be anything.

Kinda stinky, but works well. Better than WD-40 or motor oil.

 

[Kscardsfan]

Been partial to the CRC fluid myself, but main out of convenience and price. As many people keep saying Tap Magic on this thread I might have to get some to try out.

 

[Kscardsfan]

I've used Tap Magic which works as expected, but I always need more for drilling. Sometimes I use air tool oil if I have nothing else.

I had heard of an old trick to use bar soap (Irish Spring I think) to coat drill bits and taps. Supposedly the soap sticks to the bit better and helps cut without flowing off the work. I have not tried it, but have heard that it works great.

I’ve used soap for years on wood screws and drill bits, but never on metal products. Might be worth an experiment.

 

[Gunfixr]

The tap magic from the late 80s early 90s was unbelievably awesome, but I understand it's been banned, go figure.
For drilling, rigid pipe thread cutting oil is good. Works ok for tapping, but the union Butterfield tapping fluid is way better.
On aluminum, a 50/50 mix of pipe threading oil and kerosene (or wd 40) is good, for both drilling or tapping. The ub tapping fluid is fine for tapping, or alumatap.
Straight kerosene is good on aluminum also, for either, but the added oil helps it hold longer.

Almost anything oil is ok for steels, better than dry.

Wd 40 has a pretty good pecentage of kerosene in it.

 

[senlow]

I typically use Tap Magic for drilling and tapping. I use Oemeta Hytap when I need a heavier fluid.

 

[Seppala]

Francis Whitaker was one of my blacksmith teachers. He used water when drilling mild steel or wrought iron. It works and it is cheap.

 

[MacMcMacmac]

As a bit of trivia, one of my coworkers who used to do a lot of Inconel said the only thing they used that worked was raw iodine. That probably wasn't much fun when someone forgot and tried to clear out a stringer by pulling on it.