I am just getting into some metalworking projects, and will be doing a
substantial amount of drilling into steel (using a Delta drill press).
I heard that it is best to use "cutting oil" to facilitate the cut and
to prolong the life of the bits. However, a quick search on the web
shows that prices start at about $14 per gallon. Are there any
alternatives which will do the trick, but not be as costly? How about
motor oil?
please advise,
thanks.

On 20 Apr 2005 14:12:15 -0700, wrote:
I am just getting into some metalworking projects, and will be doing a
substantial amount of drilling into steel (using a Delta drill press).
I heard that it is best to use "cutting oil" to facilitate the cut and
to prolong the life of the bits. However, a quick search on the web
shows that prices start at about $14 per gallon. Are there any
alternatives which will do the trick, but not be as costly?

A gallon of cutting oil will last you a good long time.

How about
motor oil?

Not as good, and not much cheaper.

In article .com,
says...

shows that prices start at about $14 per gallon. Are there any
alternatives which will do the trick, but not be as costly? How about
motor oil?

Do NOT use motor oil. That would be worse than nothing.

Go to home desperate and purchase the smallest quantity of
cutting oil that they sell for cutting pipe threads. You
want the plumbing deparment.

Jim


--
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please reply to:
JRR(zero) at pkmfgvm4 (dot) vnet (dot) ibm (dot) com
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Fry up some bacon, eat it, pour off the grease and mix about half and half
with medium spirits (paint thinner, diesel, kerosene, etc.). And the best
part is, if you use an "odorless" spirit, you'll smell bacon grease each and
every time you cut! Yummm!

Tim

--
"California is the breakfast state: fruits, nuts and flakes."
Website: http://webpages.charter.net/dawill/tmoranwms

wrote in message
oups.com...
I am just getting into some metalworking projects, and will be doing a
substantial amount of drilling into steel (using a Delta drill press).
I heard that it is best to use "cutting oil" to facilitate the cut and
to prolong the life of the bits. However, a quick search on the web
shows that prices start at about $14 per gallon. Are there any
alternatives which will do the trick, but not be as costly? How about
motor oil?
please advise,
thanks.

wrote:
I am just getting into some metalworking projects, and will be doing a
substantial amount of drilling into steel (using a Delta drill press).
I heard that it is best to use "cutting oil" to facilitate the cut and
to prolong the life of the bits. However, a quick search on the web
shows that prices start at about $14 per gallon. Are there any
alternatives which will do the trick, but not be as costly? How about
motor oil?

I have a small Delta, and when I need coolant I put it near the sink (in a
makeshift plastic dam) and run a small line with water to the cutting area.
Probably a really bad idea, but for my needs it works rather well.

Jon

Greetings and salutations...

On 20 Apr 2005 14:12:15 -0700, wrote:

I am just getting into some metalworking projects, and will be doing a
substantial amount of drilling into steel (using a Delta drill press).
I heard that it is best to use "cutting oil" to facilitate the cut and
to prolong the life of the bits. However, a quick search on the web
shows that prices start at about $14 per gallon. Are there any
alternatives which will do the trick, but not be as costly? How about
motor oil?
please advise,
thanks.

More or less on topic...A friend of mine and I were driving
through some a slightly more rural area North of my house a bit ago.
We drove by a homestead where the house was seriously damaged by
a recent fire.
She started laughing shortly thereafter, not because of
any attitude about the folks there, but, my automatic comment of
"Thank GOD the shop is ok!".
Regards
Dave Mundt