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Posted: 4/1/2020 2:49:53 AM EDT
[#1]
If you have an air compressor get a spray mist setup.
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Posted: 4/1/2020 2:49:55 AM EDT
[#2]
Unless you're drilling some seriously tough material you're doing it wrong... and over-complicating the solution.
Get rid of the spray can, don't use WD-40, it's not a cutting fluid. Get a proper cutting fluid then use a small brush lightly coated with fluid (not enough to drip off the brush) to smear a thin film on the bit when you start a hole and each time you withdraw the bit to clear chips. Oil doesn't really do much to actively cool the bit/material. It lubricates the bit which decreases friction and enables faster clearing of chips. Both of those keep the bit/material cooler from the start. If you need true active cooling then you need a system for flood coolant using a water-soluble oil solution like found on many modern machine tools. |
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Posted: 4/1/2020 3:23:40 AM EDT
[#3]
Last time, I set a system up, I had far more luck using a fish tank pump than I did the 12v pump. You might have to look for one that will fit your application, I no longer know what is out there, I have been using a misting system these days I picked up from LMS
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Posted: 4/1/2020 3:42:42 AM EDT
[#4]
Quote HistoryQuoted: If you have an air compressor get a spray mist setup. |
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Posted: 4/1/2020 4:10:49 AM EDT
[#5]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Unless you're drilling some seriously tough material you're doing it wrong... and over-complicating the solution. Get rid of the spray can, don't use WD-40, it's not a cutting fluid. Get a proper cutting fluid then use a small brush lightly coated with fluid (not enough to drip off the brush) to smear a thin film on the bit when you start a hole and each time you withdraw the bit to clear chips. Oil doesn't really do much to actively cool the bit/material. It lubricates the bit which decreases friction and enables faster clearing of chips. Both of those keep the bit/material cooler from the start. If you need true active cooling then you need a system for flood coolant using a water-soluble oil solution like found on many modern machine tools. I'm cutting aluminum. I read on other parts of arfcom that WD-40 with a little ATF was the best cutting fluid for aluminum. Was I lied to? |
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Posted: 4/1/2020 5:32:58 PM EDT
[#6]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I'm cutting aluminum. I read on other parts of arfcom that WD-40 with a little ATF was the best cutting fluid for aluminum. Was I lied to? Where? GD? ATF certainly has some lubricating properties but the WD-40 isn't gaining you anything over the ATF. If you're resis9to acquiring an actual cutting fluid then use the ATF via the method I suggested for less mess. |
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Posted: 4/1/2020 7:05:09 PM EDT
[#7]
Quote HistoryQuoted: If you have an air compressor get a spray mist setup. This. Or you can get a coolant tank, pump and hoses from Tormach. They aren't specifically made for what you are doing, but they will work. I think for doing holes it would be a hell of a lot less messy if you got some squeeze bottles from McMaster, and some aluminum cutting fluid. You could run hose to the drain holes in the table down to buckets or bottles to reclaim the fluid, but there probably won't be much to recover. |
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Posted: 4/1/2020 7:13:46 PM EDT
[#8]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I'm cutting aluminum. I read on other parts of arfcom that WD-40 with a little ATF was the best cutting fluid for aluminum. Was I lied to? Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Unless you're drilling some seriously tough material you're doing it wrong... and over-complicating the solution. Get rid of the spray can, don't use WD-40, it's not a cutting fluid. Get a proper cutting fluid then use a small brush lightly coated with fluid (not enough to drip off the brush) to smear a thin film on the bit when you start a hole and each time you withdraw the bit to clear chips. Oil doesn't really do much to actively cool the bit/material. It lubricates the bit which decreases friction and enables faster clearing of chips. Both of those keep the bit/material cooler from the start. If you need true active cooling then you need a system for flood coolant using a water-soluble oil solution like found on many modern machine tools. I'm cutting aluminum. I read on other parts of arfcom that WD-40 with a little ATF was the best cutting fluid for aluminum. Was I lied to? We use ATF on drill presses, end mill and lathe. We also have a Grizzly horizontal bandsaw that uses cutting fluid. It has a small pump and a filtering system. |
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Posted: 4/1/2020 9:49:25 PM EDT
[#9]
We used to use kerosene as a cutting fluid for aluminum, is that not kosher anymore? Can of it with a brush for the lathe, drill press, and mill.
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Posted: 4/1/2020 10:41:13 PM EDT
[#10]
When cutting aluminum only, I use a mix of kerosene and lard that has been blended, works just as good on aluminum as anything else. WD is not a cutting fluid, it is a water displacement solvent with very little lubrication properties.
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Posted: 4/2/2020 10:54:14 AM EDT
[#11]
A Little Giant pump would be a better choice. Separation chamber in the tank is always a good idea to keep chips away from the pump.
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Posted: 4/2/2020 5:55:47 PM EDT
[#12]
Quote HistoryQuoted: We used to use kerosene as a cutting fluid for aluminum, is that not kosher anymore? Can of it with a brush for the lathe, drill press, and mill. |
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Posted: 4/3/2020 10:27:36 PM EDT
[#13]
Quote HistoryQuoted: We used to use kerosene as a cutting fluid for aluminum, is that not kosher anymore? Can of it with a brush for the lathe, drill press, and mill. |
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Posted: 4/5/2020 7:55:09 PM EDT
[#14]
I use kerosene in my spray mister for everything. It works fine and my cutters stay sharp.
If you buy the type of mister with a metal gooseneck and an independent coolant valve you can cut your air flow back so that your compressor doesn't run all the time and also cut back your coolant flow so that you don't have puddles in the table or chip tray, but your cutters will stay cool to the touch. |
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Posted: 4/7/2020 11:23:14 PM EDT
[#15]
Tom Lipton, he runs the machine shop at UC Berkeley, uses WD 40 as a cutting fluid on non ferrous metals. Oxtools on YouTube. Brilliant guy with awesome videos on old school machining techniques.
What the OP needs is mist coolant. |
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Posted: 5/29/2020 9:23:00 PM EDT
[#16]
As others stated, WD-40 is the problem. I use my used engine oil for cutting fluid. I use a flux brush to put a dab on the cutter before it touches metal, then as soon as the bit or cutter finishes the hole/cut, I dab a little more on. My drill bits and cutting tools last a lifetime because engine oil is one of the best fluids for machining. Not EPA approved, but cheap (free) and effective.
If you do go the water based cutting fluid route, the fish tank pump works great. I use that on another machine that uses water based lubricants. As others stated, use a different lube for Aluminum, either store bought or the kerosene/atf homemade mix. Google other recipes for AL. |
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Posted: 5/30/2020 3:56:26 AM EDT
[#17]
Quote HistoryQuoted: As others stated, WD-40 is the problem. I use my used engine oil for cutting fluid. I use a flux brush to put a dab on the cutter before it touches metal, then as soon as the bit or cutter finishes the hole/cut, I dab a little more on. My drill bits and cutting tools last a lifetime because engine oil is one of the best fluids for machining. Not EPA approved, but cheap (free) and effective. If you do go the water based cutting fluid route, the fish tank pump works great. I use that on another machine that uses water based lubricants. As others stated, use a different lube for Aluminum, either store bought or the kerosene/atf homemade mix. Google other recipes for AL. |
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Posted: 6/1/2020 9:52:56 AM EDT
[#18]
Quote HistoryQuoted: No it's not. WD40 for aluminum is machining 101. I grew up machining, worked in a shop through college, been through several shops, and now work for a very large shop with a combined years of machinist experience totalling hundreds of years. Not a single bit of WD-40 ever used as cutting fluid anywhere I've ever been. |
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Posted: 6/2/2020 6:02:45 PM EDT
[#19]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I grew up machining, worked in a shop through college, been through several shops, and now work for a very large shop with a combined years of machinist experience totalling hundreds of years. Not a single bit of WD-40 ever used as cutting fluid anywhere I've ever been. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: No it's not. WD40 for aluminum is machining 101. I grew up machining, worked in a shop through college, been through several shops, and now work for a very large shop with a combined years of machinist experience totalling hundreds of years. Not a single bit of WD-40 ever used as cutting fluid anywhere I've ever been. I'm not saying it's the only fluid to use, kerosene works great too and I'm sure others do as well. I am saying the op using WD40 to machine aluminum is not his problem. |
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Posted: 6/18/2020 2:26:27 PM EDT
[#20]
Quote HistoryQuoted: If you have an air compressor get a spray mist setup. Yup, I switched to misting and I haven't looked back. If you buy the mister type with a metal gooseneck and an independent fluid valve you can cut the liquid flow way back so that you don't have a sloppy mess yet your cutting tools stay cool to the touch. The mist evaporating from the tool actually removes more heat than a fully liquid flood. I initially added a return line from my tray back to the reservoir but now I adjust the flow so that there's hardly ever any fluid to return. I use kerosene as a coolant for everything like the old timers did and its working fine for me. |
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Posted: 6/19/2020 3:22:12 PM EDT
[#21]
Quote HistoryQuoted: The mist evaporating from the tool actually removes more heat than a fully liquid flood. Is there any scientific data to support that claim? Bc that violates the scientific principles I am familiar with. |
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Posted: 6/21/2020 10:26:55 AM EDT
[#22]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Is there any scientific data to support that claim? Bc that violates the scientific principles I am familiar with. I wouldn’t bet much money on the cutter running cooler than flood coolant but there is something to the latent heat/heat of vaporization/whatever. So many KJ/Kmol required for that phase transition. I’m guessing it runs a little hotter but carries off enough heat to keep things happy. |
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Posted: 6/22/2020 8:53:25 AM EDT
[#23]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I wouldn’t bet much money on the cutter running cooler than flood coolant but there is something to the latent heat/heat of vaporization/whatever. So many KJ/Kmol required for that phase transition. I’m guessing it runs a little hotter but carries off enough heat to keep things happy. I would agree with that... Still happy, but not cooler. |
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Posted: 6/25/2020 7:15:12 PM EDT
[#24]
I've had both and my tools run cooler with the mister, but you do whatever you think is right.
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Posted: 6/26/2020 11:33:31 AM EDT
[#25]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I've had both and my tools run cooler with the mister, but you do whatever you think is right. Is this a perceived difference or measured difference in tool temperature? |
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Posted: 7/18/2020 11:04:41 PM EDT
[#26]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Kerosene works good for aluminum as does wd40. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: We used to use kerosene as a cutting fluid for aluminum, is that not kosher anymore? Can of it with a brush for the lathe, drill press, and mill. 
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Posted: 8/28/2020 10:02:49 AM EDT
[#27]
Quote HistoryQuoted: No it's not. WD40 for aluminum is machining 101. It’s what I was taught to use, and still use depending on the machine. The misters are ideal for higher usage on a drill press though. |
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