Tread Cutting Oil

[DavHank]

The grade of aluminum makes a big difference so what works in one case, may not in another. Cheaper alloys of aluminum are harder to machine. When I was working as a machinist, we demanded 6061 aluminum for all our fabrications that required machining since the softer aluminums (while much cheaper) were harder to cut - we called it bubblegum aluminum. When you are tapping or threading with a die, soft aluminum will ball up on the cutting edge effectively making it act like a dull tool. Kerosene works pretty well, and some liquid soaps or detergent. On our machining centers, we used flood coolant mostly which was water and soluble oil with an anti-weld component. There is also a product called Tap Magic (one version just for aluminum) which worked great on softer aluminum. http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/images/smilies/new/confused2.gif

 

[Toyboy]

Depends what your doing. Hand tapping holes you can use most anything mentioned above.

If your going to be using a machine for tapping a whole bunch of holes you need the proper coolant.

 

[picker77]

Lots of things will work, I keep a gallon can of WD-40 on hand and keep a 1-qt horse type spray bottle filled with it, been using it for cutting oil on my drill press and band saw for many years. Works great, plus it's useful for lots of other things. Bought by the gallon, WD-40 is very cheap.

 

[Willl]

Even water.

 

[Bison]

Diesel fuel is all i ever use, works great for drilling, tapping and machining Aluminimun,

 

[Danno1]

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I've used any oil I can lay my hands on at one time or another. But for aluminum, you can't beat A9.


.

 

[s78wingrider]

Thanks Everyone! And what's A9 Aaron

 

[Soundguy]

Information for A9 ALUMINUM CUTTING FLUID(PETROLEUM OIL PARAFINIE, 64742581) as manufactured by RELTON

 

[rjmack]

sulflo works quite well also.

btw, wd40 is a solvent, not a lubricant. if you are determined to use that because it's cheap, then maybe you would be better off to use diesel... it's basically the same thing and cheaper yet.:thumbsup:

 

[Soundguy]

remember.. lots of things lubricate.

naptha can be a lube too.. or a fuel.. or a solvent...

lots of diesel lubed IP's too.

soundguy