This One is for MythBusters

[Species8472]

Yesterday our wiring guy told me a story. He claims that onion juice is the best cutting fluid for stainless steel. He says an old farmer recommended it to him and it works great. He was using a 2.5" piloted hole saw on .25" thick 303. First using a little WD40. The pilot drill made it through but when the saw touched down it ran the teeth off it in less then 1/16" depth. He got a new hole saw and drilled through an onion and squeezed some juice on the part and cut through the plate with ease. I googled it and found only one reference to lard and onion sandwich used for cutting fluid.


Anyone ever heard of using onion juice or lard or both for such a purpose?

[txcncman]

Never heard of it. But considering the cost of onions and how much juice they actually contain, I am not about to switch.

[Geof]

My shop has 18 machines with 80 gallon coolant tanks.....I would need an entire onion farm.


I have heard of using lard for tapping but squished onion for a hole saw is new to me.

[bobsch]

I can just see a shop with every machinist crying their eyes out.

[fizzissist]

Onion juice is fine for 303, but for 304 you need to switch to stewed tomatoes.
For 316, Lipton Chicken Soup (strain out the noodles) works well, with an occasional brush of tomato sauce.
For 400 series, especially 430F, I run Hormel Chili, w/ Tabasco, 1:1.

For the exotics, run Coors...the low boiling point of the alcohol takes the heat off very efficiently.

Jello Pudding diluted with Roses Lime Juice in a spray mist is the best ticket for machining plastics.

For tapping copper, use heavy cream.

(...there. that should keep ya busy. ... and btw, one of the above is actually true)

[Geof]

...For tapping copper, use heavy cream.

(...there. that should keep ya busy. ... and btw, one of the above is actually true)

Lard, heavy cream, what's the difference?

[WATERJET71]

My shop has 18 machines with 80 gallon coolant tanks.....I would need an entire onion farm.


I have heard of using lard for tapping but squished onion for a hole saw is new to me.

YEs I was going to say that. LARD the best cutting not only for taping But for fly cutting .. Just one thing MAke sure you eat before you star using it. You get really Hungry NO Joke. that's what we used to use back in the days.

[fizzissist]

Lard, heavy cream, what's the difference?

Can't use lard if you're machining kosher.

[LUCKY13]

Alcohol really should work pretty good, and leave no mess. I would guess a mist would be best. Probably not a good thing to have alcohol puddled up on a spark producing cut.


Jess

[5axisguy]

That story actually reminded me of a little story,, FYI, when cutting onions while cooking at home and your hands smell,, rub them under running water while rubbing a stainless steel sink,, the smell is gone for good instantly.