Why Not To Use Coolant(article)

[FLUTE HEAD]

Just wanted to post this article to get some feed back on this issue. Any comments? click here

[WayneHill]

I have an allergy to coolant. I get dermatitis from it. Just had a major rash last month that sent me to the doctor. He put me on a steroid medicine and ointment to heal the outbreak.

Oh, the coolant works fine on the material. It's not any good on the operators.

Coolants are poison to me.

[Mcgyver]

Robert Bastow was an accomplished craftsman, so I've got to respect his opinion, still I find I get a better finish with coolant and live with, or minimize the negatives he speaks of.

I guess I'm completely ass backwards as the only area i don’t use coolant is my surface grinder as its not set for it and a machinist friend of mine says his wife complains his breath smells like coolant after he's been running a grinder. the high speed of the wheel acts like an atomizer i guess. I just take it slow, light cuts and where a disposable mask to keep out the dust

I wonder what it is you are allergic to – i.e. would a different formula work or are all they all pretty much the same?

[sendkeys]

i seen alot of posts like this not just about coolant always might be true. but i find most time it's people who aren't upto date. That post itself was posted 5 years ago. All you have to do is compare the products from now to 5 years ago and see a big change. Also He said he nevers uses it. When is the last time he stopped? 10 years ago? alot has changed :P new stuff every day.

[Nonoriginal]

No doubt its some nasty -ish! Gotta do what you gotta do I suppose...

[gibbsman]

Coolant is a very important variable in many machining applications. It can help with tool life, surface finish, chip removal etc. It is not always necessary but should not be eliminated altogether.

[Mat-C]

Cutting fluid does two things: cools and lubricates. Which is most important depends what you are cutting, how fast you are cutting, and what you are cutting with.

Call me crazy, but I just mix up some mayonnaise (full fat stuff of course) with some extra water and use small quantities of that dispensed through a syringe-tube (I use mayonnaise because it has oil and emulsifier already). Works great for the steel and tapping work I've been doing recently, and it smells good too.

If left open it dries out in a day or two, but I am fairly sure it's non-toxic

Disclaimer: use at your own discretion, wipe off your tools and materials before they rust, sell your shares in high quality cutting fluid manufacturers now that this news it out, etc etc

[Halfnutz]

I have a simple home made flood system but I rarely use it. I find water based lube in a squirt bottle works fine for me. Since I completely clean and vacume and wipe dry every bit of my machines and then wipe them down with a water disbursing oil every night the flood system is too much for most stuff, but oiccasionally it gets used. I would never use a water based fluid and leave the machine soaked with it, that just seems in bad taste. I have always cleaned all my tools completely every day after use, its just a good habit some old boss screamed into me, and I'm glad he did.

[Mcgyver]

Mat-C, wasn't coolant traditionally animal/vegetable fat based stuff? maybe with a syringe it just dries up but I thought one of the main reasons for getting away from it is that it goes rancid and stinks, probably more of an issue with a coolant tank

Halfnutz - I do the same thing and am wondering what water displacing oil is - special heavier than water oil, or just wd40 or? I'm guilty of leaving the machines dirty, with a home shop and family ya grab a bit of time out there when ya can, ie don't bother cleaning a machine between major jobs.

[Halfnutz]

Yes, McG, just WD-40 or penetrating oil, any light petroleum based oil will displace water, some of the mineral oils or lithium grease will hold water. I geusse just stay away from vegetable or mineral type oils or heavy grease type stuff that can trap water. Its a pain to clean up, especially when you know your gonna just make another mess tomorrow, but its a habit I have.

The new emulsifiable oils are a far cry from the old types. Ive never had the new stuff go bad.

[Scott_bob]

Air and a tiny bit of oil... The best I have ever used:

http://www.newtechcuttingtools.com/page46-50.htm

Non-toxic, low mist, no water = no rust...

[miljnor]

The artical stated that every machine tool was rusted badly, that used coolant. I buy nothing but used and have taken every machine apart that i have bought. and The coolants in use now seem to have a rust prentitive nature (at least the gummy nasty smelling stuff hidden in the forgoten depths of the used machine market). usually the parts that rust are the part exposed to nothing but the air (and the evaporoting water coming out of the coolant).

The stuff I use at the shop seems to stay in good condition as long as you keep the mixture up to snuff. But as of yet its remains too messy for the home shop do to lack of enclosure.


Also when hauling butt on an aluminum job you got to use some sort of flood otherwise its get pretty damn melty. (is that a word? )