This stuff works for me. **LINK** Not bad value for 5l. I usually cut it 50/50 with paraffin.

Rod

Originally cheapness. I used to buy little tins of Cutmax from Reeves and diluting it with what was then cheap paraffin made financial sense with no loss of effectiveness. I've stuck with the habit but since paraffin is usually recommended for use with light alloys the cocktail seems to make a good general purpose cutting fluid. I've always been reluctant to use soluble oil because my lathe does not get continuous use even though water is an immeasurably better coolant. As I say, it works for me.

Cheers,

Rod

Hi Nick, I use this **Link** which, as Rod has mentioned above, I dilute with paraffin for the same reasons although I generally dilute 1:1 with paraffin for aluminium but use neat for steels. I keep a small pot of it usually located on the lathe cross slide and just dab a bit on with an old 1/2" paintbrush as and when needed.

Regards Martin.

I used to use neatcut in 1l bottles from Reeves, now I use the one from Machine Mart which isn't quite as pleasant, but being cheaper I can throw it about with gay abandon.

Neil

If you are using cans with brushes in drop a large magnet in a small ziplock bag in the bottom.

It will make it stick the the machine and stop any casual knocks and stop it tipping over and spilling.

The reason for the ziplock bag is when it wants cleaning wipe as much off as possible with a rag and then turn the bag inside out, All the crap is now inside the bag to be thrown away and you have a clean magnet to put into a new bag.

Stick this on the tips page if you want Neil ?

I don't think that these oils are really suitable for what might be called high speeds smoky machiners and are at their best smokeless I suppose people could fill there suds tank with it for that.

The price doesn't bug me as poor as I am Neil. It's cheap anyway. I just find little is needed in practice. Some pound shops sell wooden handled kiddies paste etc brushes around 10mm dia. I find a well drained brush of that is usually more than enough for one cut and way too much if the brush drips.

All I put on the lathe is slideway oil. I wanted a more viscus grade of that after using the one on ebay for some time now so had to sort out another supplier. Alexoil. Not sure how good it is yet and didn't fancy the sticky versions. Their Rustfee seems to be pretty good for preventing rust on things that have been completely degreased. I put 1L in a pump up garden spray bottle.

John

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Edited By Ajohnw on 07/01/2016 15:54:50

Off Topic. Who's spell checker aluminium doesn't underline for me as the spell checker on my machine is Brit English. Aluminum does. However if I right click to correct an error the forum just comes up with paste for some reason or the other. This is the only site this happens on.  or should this be that

On Topic

The oil works on this material too.

John

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Edited By Ajohnw on 07/01/2016 18:01:28

I make my own tapping fluid.

3 parts trike to one part automatic transmission fluid or just plain hydraulic oil.

The tap winds it's way in on it's own with this stuff. 

Edited By John Stevenson on 07/01/2016 19:38:34

Having been told by some one who would be extremely old now if still alive that sperm whale oil is best for taps and dies I've bought a bottle of jojoba oil. Going on it's properties it might make a very good rather low speed cutting oil.

It's mentioned here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sperm_oil

I bought organic of course.

Any good – TBD but the hand soap we use is excellent on aluminium. Not so keen on tap and die stuff that can be bought but it may work more effectively on some materials.

Taps and dies pulling themselves in Tut Tut bad practice. They will back cut threads already cut and "forward" cut these if people press too hard.

John

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Trike? What is that?