Lathe lube and cutting fluids...

[SKYWLKR]

what do ya'll recomend for a 10" X 24" lathe (way's and gears box/apron) and machining aluminum and copper?


maybe some steel later?

 

[unnerv]

I know on my fathers full size he uses synthetic gear oil for the gears and the ways. Don't know what weight though. For machining, tap magic and tap magic aluminum cutting fluids

 

[SKYWLKR]

UG.... I hate the smell of gear oil.... any thing else?

It sticks to me for days after I do a rear gear swap or tranny fluid change...

 

[unnerv]

dunno, I'm going over tonight to work on his lathe, since I only have a mini. I'll check with him.

 

[Chief_Wiggum]

Mmmmmm gear oil.....

I use tap magic as well. For copper 145 and brass I cut dry. Seems to work okay.

The tap magic smells bad too.

 

[Rothrandir]

i've been known to use wd40 on ocassion... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[whiskypapa3]

WD40 on small non ferrous parts, GoJo brushed on bigger parts. Back in the forties and fifties we used diesel oil, Ivory Snow and water (without the water you had pretty fair Napalm).

 

[tvodrd]

At work we use some sort of "way oil" with the lathe and "spindle oil" in the mill. For cutting, we use CoolToolII. All 3 are out of McMaster.

Larry