What cutting fluid are you guys using?

[douglasco]

We were looking at comminac and cut-max for our star screw machine. I was just curious what everyone else is running?

[PixMan]

This question gets asked only slightly less than the "what motor oil do you use" on any automotive forum. What you choose depends upon:

a) materials to be cut
b) do you use high-pressure coolant systems?
c) does smell matter to you?
d) what suppliers do you have and how's the support, shipping and stocking levels?
d) how important is cost vs. performance?

The cost/performance matrix is the most difficult to quantify. You have to have a lot of cutting time in one material and with one type of tool to know if the cutting oil is truly prolonging tool life or not. If using HP systems, you may have to use a thinner oil to push it through small coolant-fed tools without aeration. If machining medical parts, you may have to use vegetable-based oils to comply with some customer/FDA demand.

There's no one answer to suit everyone, but there are a lot of threads about this subject. Search is your friend.

[CNC-Hammer]

The last time I used cutting oil on a Citizen it was Esso ES-2 I believe, minimal odour, good surface finish and decent tool life.

[cogsman1]

Here are a few we see.
CASTROL “ILOCUT” # 5713 (*****RED***)

FUCHS “RENOCUT” # 6515

HOUGHTON “Cutmax # 206” (not for copper or aluminum, Dark color)

Blazers Vascomill #22 (or #10) (vegetable oil, flash point higher)(#10 for sm. oriface)

Blazer’s Uni #20 (or #10) (Mineral Oil)(#10 for sm. Orifice)

Hangsterfer’s # PC 45 (Copper, ) Hangsterfers PC 28

Motorex Swisscut Ortho NF-X 10 (6AL4V, )