Drilling, Taping and Machining with Coconut Oil
21 - 37 of 37 Posts
Joined
·
24,202 Posts
Been in the trade going on 50 years now and there are many things available for cutting oil. First I had heard of coconut oil.
Also you don't need to be spending 40 bucks a gallon either. Your best bet is a gallon of Rigid pipe thread cutting oil. Black in color, contains a large concentration of sulphur which helps better separate the metal and prevents chip adhesion to the cutting tools and the sulphur is also a lubricant in high pressure situations such as generated when cutting metals. It is also corrosive and depending on what material you are machining you may not want to use it. When you do use it apply it the same way. With a brush out of a container of choice.
Dilute this oil 50% with tri-chlorethane and again brush it on. Works very well. After using sulphur based cutting fluids be sure and clean up the parts and try to eliminate any remaining oils on the parts. Stress corrosion cracking has been known to occur with the use of sulphur base cutting oils. Using it in the manufacture most vehicle parts won't be a problem.
Also you don't need to be spending 40 bucks a gallon either. Your best bet is a gallon of Rigid pipe thread cutting oil. Black in color, contains a large concentration of sulphur which helps better separate the metal and prevents chip adhesion to the cutting tools and the sulphur is also a lubricant in high pressure situations such as generated when cutting metals. It is also corrosive and depending on what material you are machining you may not want to use it. When you do use it apply it the same way. With a brush out of a container of choice.
Dilute this oil 50% with tri-chlorethane and again brush it on. Works very well. After using sulphur based cutting fluids be sure and clean up the parts and try to eliminate any remaining oils on the parts. Stress corrosion cracking has been known to occur with the use of sulphur base cutting oils. Using it in the manufacture most vehicle parts won't be a problem.
Joined
·
762 Posts
This has been known for years. Do a search here Practical Machinist - Largest Manufacturing Technology Forum on the Web and read about it. Also see this abstract: http://www.inderscience.com/search/index.php?action=record&rec_id=33069&prevQuery=&ps=10&m=or
Joined
·
9,182 Posts
50 years in the trade. That's a good while to devote your life to something. Where have you worked over the years? Retired yet or planning to?
Joined
·
24,202 Posts
the whole idea is to get rid of the sulfur based oils and use something that is more friendly to the environment, easy to clean off, non-toxic, cheap and still works just as well.
coconut oil is water soluble and just washes off with soap and water. you can pour it down the drain, rub your face or eyes, let the dog lick it, use bare hands or whatever and not have to worry.
Joined
·
1,989 Posts
Yea Pro/E!!
coconut oil sure would smell better than the oil we use in the machine shop for sophmore design!
coconut oil sure would smell better than the oil we use in the machine shop for sophmore design!
Definitely retired. Started as an apprentice at the copper mines. Worked for General Electric Co. in their Apparatus Repair Div.both in Us and overseas some. Worked in the power generation industry retiring early. Worked in Saudi Arabia right after Desert Storm for their in country power generation co. Had my own business (machine shop,welding,etc.) As an aside had an Rv repair place. Still have the Machine shop with a few machines for my use,store the motor home there and play there doing all my projects. :2thumbsup: Not enough time to do everything. Stay busy trying.
Joined
·
9,182 Posts
Quite a history in the trade. That must have been interesting working in Saudi. Have fun with those projects and enjoy retirement!
Since it became fashionable, (Cleaning your teeth with it if you can believe....) this oil is very expensive in so called health shops, especially 'organic' grades. It can be found in Asian supermarkets at much lower cost.
At last a workshop material that's Good for your skin, and doesn't kill you off by inches as you use it!
At last a workshop material that's Good for your skin, and doesn't kill you off by inches as you use it!
Rising this thread from the dead. I also saw a machine shop that used coconut oil, and considering you're in Colorado I bet it was the same one. The Physics Trade Teaching Lab at CU?
Anyways, yeah, I've been using coconut oil for drilling since seeing it, works well.
Anyways, yeah, I've been using coconut oil for drilling since seeing it, works well.
Joined
·
1 Posts
Coconut oil
This is really very good. I will go ahead and will give this a try. Please post more information like this.
This is really very good. I will go ahead and will give this a try. Please post more information like this.
I use coconut oil in my beard just about every day. It is a lot cheaper than the fancy beard creams and is just about the same thing. I found this post and it make great sense. I will give it a shot this weekend as I have some metal work to do and just use regular old veggie oil now. Thanks.
I had to drill a bunch of holes in some 1/8" metal last weekend and using coconut oil for the process made a big difference. I tried it both dry and with the coconut oil and there was a significant improvement with drill bit life with the oil. It worked well as it would melt during the drilling and then solidify afterwards. Made cleanup much easier as it did not run everywhere. These parts will be painted so not having oil all over everything was a big plus.
Joined
·
1 Posts
Same here, same shop, same coconut, same Sid. The best place to learh the trade (I am electrical engineer, was in grad school at CU and everyone in our group had to learn to use the trades shop).
But now I got a HAAS Toolroom CNC, and I am considering using coconut oil instead of regular coolant. I am not sure about two things - if the coconut will damage rubber seals (if any?). And also if it will clog the coolant pipes after some time. I really don't think I need to deal with coolant because we do small scale prototyping, aluminum/copper, slow machining, and I worry about coolant mist covering my lab that is full of electronics (sure, I can get mist filter, but that is also expensive).
Joined
·
1 Posts
21 - 37 of 37 Posts
Join the discussion
