"DoN. Nichols" wrote in message
...


Well ... WD-40 is a nice cutting fluid for aluminum, but I would
not use it on steel. For that -- I would use the high sulfur threading
oil sold for pipe threading -- painted on with an acid brush. For
stronger machines, I've used SulFlo (a variant with powdered sulfur in
sufficient quantities so it makes a nice paint-on paste. But you want
good ventilation with the high sulfur stuff. :-)

I am mostly working with aluminum.


Exactly. Not really an oil, but it does carry chips away nicely
when cutting aluminum with a slitting saw blade.

Filters.

Exactly



The flooding process works very well for carrying chips away from the
cutting tool though, which definitely has benefits.

Chips -- and heat. Probably not a problem with the limited
motor size of a Taig or a Sherline, but larger tools can benefit from
that -- including not having to wait for a workpiece in the lathe to
cool down before you can accurately measure the diameter. :-)


Depends. A small cutter turning at max RPM gets pretty darn hot if you do
not cool it, but carrying away chips is paramount when cutting aluminum as
they are work hardened and will damage your work piece if not your cutter.