Your favorite home made drilling, thread cutting lubricant.

[/pine]

Ever notice that most of the dedicated "tapping fluids" like 'RapidTap' and generics etc., etc... say they are "effective on" cast iron and softer metals but never seem to mention steel or mild steel even...?

 

[Sawyer Rob]

"Tap Magic" works so good, I have no desire to make my own...

SR

 

[ericm979]

I've been using synthetic two stroke oil as I have a bunch left.

 

[4get gto]

"Bacon fat is my favorite"

Bacon flavored cutting oil. How much more fun will working in the shop get!

 

[Budweiser John]

Lennox cutting fluid for drilling and tapping, good ole black sulphuric laced oil for powered pipe and bolt threading on my Ridgid 300 machine.
B. John

 

[prs]

I use Mitee brand store bought in equipment shop and Brownels Do Drill for firearms work. Not that store bought is better, but it has that wonderful sulfur stench.....

 

[Tractor Seabee]

I have found it is better to use stuff made for the job rather than making something to save a few bucks. drills and taps are not cheap to replace.

Ron

 

[CMV]

For thread cutting - esp doing single point on a lathe - I like to mix some anti-seize compound in with thread cutting oil. A baby food jar and acid brush is a huge amount considering how little is used. Works very well using a tap by hand too. For home made, lard with anti-seize compound would be good.

There are so many good cutting oils and tapping fluids out there, you use very little, and they aren't crazy expensive to begin with - not a real good reason to not just have some on hand. But if one were to realize at last minute there's none left, some lard with a little anti-seize will do very well.

For a general purpose cutting oil this stuff for $7/can @ HF is great. Very convenient in the aerosol can, sticky so it really clings to work, and works well for most uses other than exotics. 12 Oz. Thread Cutting Lubricant You will definitely see much increased life from your drills using this vs burning away on steel with no oil. Unless you just really enjoy sharpening drills, I consider a can of this a 'must have'.

Exception is aluminum. Plain old WD-40 is fantastic for drilling, threading, tapping, turning, or parting AL

 

[bigdeano]

When I was in machining school long ago, the only thing that would work for single pointing threads in the lathe was white lead. The steel they had was so terrible and we were desperate to get a good grade. I still wonder how much of that stuff I breathed in.

 

[Mace Canute]

I have found it is better to use stuff made for the job rather than making something to save a few bucks. drills and taps are not cheap to replace.

Ron

I agree. For the little bit of metalworking fluid that I use I have no desire to make my own.