I need lube!

[CNCadmin]

What is a good water base lube I can use for milling metal?

[dcrace]

I use Castrol "clearedge" semi-synthetic water soluble. Lasts in sump without going rancid, works great on all metals without staining, also when kept at the correct concentration (check with refractometer) doesn't get everything "gummy" like some others.
Although a bit pricey for 5 gal., $110.00, it will make almost 90 gal. of coolant. Good luck.

[CNCadmin]

Anything else I can use, I want to keep the smell down.

[HuFlungDung]

There are lots of different semi-synthetic water soluble coolants out there. I don't know as any of them are all that stinky when fresh.

I use Doall's Kool All 940 and have been fairly pleased with it. It doesn't smell too strong, even in mist.

Machine oils and oily cutting fluids mix with the coolant and, after a while, anything, and I mean anything will grow a bacterial slime skin. So, disinfecting of the coolant sump or tank is essential every time you change coolant. If you are lucky, you might be able to use a coolant for a month before it gets stinky, providing you have some kind of a skimmer operating to remove most of the oil from the surface.

[wms]

I too use Castrol Clearedge 6519 with very good luck. Sump life lasts between 4 and 6 months.

I've tried about everything and always come back to this.

It's not cheap but nothing good is. By the way I buy 6 drums at a whack, puts a real dent in the beer money. (about $800.00 a drum.)

None of the semi-synthetic mixes last forever, especially if you cut disimular metals.

If you want something to last forever try Castol Syntilo 9954.
I have one sump with 9954 in it and it has been in there for over 4 years, and still going strong.
All I've ever done to it is recharge it with a diluted mix to top off the tank.
The only pitfall to Syntilo 9954 is that it "pulls" all the plasticizers out of any acrylic parts (ie: sight glasses or windows) you might have and they will spider crack.

Two things I've found that will extend the life of any coolant are:
1) Never add straight water to the tank. (always use a diluted mix of water and coolant to top off the tank)

2) A $5.00 fish tank air pump in the tank will stop 90% of the bacteria growth and this is the smell we all hate on Monday morning (that is you guys who get weekends off).

There's my 2 cents (and worth ever penny, NOT)

[CNCadmin]

Would'nt a black light kill bacteria growth too?

[Zephrant]

A typical "Black Light" is not strong enough to kill anything. A UV sterilizer from an aquarium place would be strong enough to kill anything passing though it, but many times they are made of acrylic or other plastics.

Mounting a UV light over the sump is a possibility, but many things are broken down by UV, so you might destroy the coolant.

Zeph

[GOMEZ107]

The place were I work use Cimstar Qual Star LF from Milacron,also we use de-ionized water to mix it.
The name of the "water people" is Ionics try to contact them at1-800-992-8371.Hope its helpps.



Gomez107.

[Marty]

I worked for a small company, we cut 1/16" brass and sterling silver plate. We used 1 part simple green to 2 parts water. Seemed to work just fine, although i if i remember correctly it would stain the brass a little if not washed off within an hour or two.

[smabhyan]

Try Blasocut 2000 from Blaser SwissLube.
Worth for Money Paid.
However it is not cheap.

smabhyan

[Klox]

Southern Supplies SS27, good quality, bio degradeble, inhibits bacteria growth & DOES NOT SMELL!

Klox

[EvilScooby]

I'll second the Blasocut. We use it on everything from
aluminum to stainless steel, with the proper concentration of course.