Metal drilling lube

[7oaks]

Hi All

Now I have my pillar drill and Heller bits, will practice some drilling at the weekend.

Do I need lube or some other type of cooling liquid to squirt on, for drilling mild steel plate less than 10mm?

Thanks

 

[My Old Landy]

I use Rocal RTD but there are many for steel. Others will have their favourite!

 

[MCKDAVID]

not absolutely essential, does make it easier on the bits though. I've the oil / water mix coolant for the chop saw, and I just mix up a batch in a tin with a brush for the daft wee jobs. When I'm doing a fair bit of thicker stuff, I knocked up a wee coolant system, from a garden sprayer, some hose, a valve, magnets and a flex arm from ebay. Then a catch tank underneath to catch the coolant. It's only used occasionally for thicker stuff, as my current pillar drill isn't really top notch, but it works well enough, but the coolant definitely make the bits run cooler / better and don't have to sharpen them so often.

 

[JMS1972]

What they said!

I use Rocol RTD for bigger drill bit and tapping.

As it's a a bit claggy and blocks up the flutes of smaller drills a bit of white - water (soluble coolant) in a squirty bottle does for smaller stuff.

Bottles like this work well on mill, drill and lathe.

Non-Spray Squirt Squeeze Bottle 250/500/1000ml LDPE Clear Plastic Lab Safety | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Non-Spray Squirt Squeeze Bottle 250/500/1000ml LDPE Clear Plastic Lab Safety at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products!

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[Munkul]

I use tygris metalworking fluid, it works well, but it's only because I bought 5 litres of the stuff and need to use it up!

The best lube I've ever used is HMT speedlube, it's SO worth it, it's amazing how it makes your tools cut cleaner and better than any other lube. An aerosol can of it will last a DIY'er forever, you don't even need a leaky oil can for it.

 

[fizzy]

For aluminium and brass use WD40.
For steel I use soluble cutting fluid in a trigger spray bottle. I also have CT90 but reserve that for tapping as it isn't cheap.
Using soluble fluid the bit never gets hot - makes a mess though.

 

[123hotchef]

I am a cheap skate I was using water, veg oil and washing up liquid it works well and is freeish! dont tell the mrs.
I just saved my old brake fluid to try rather then give it to my mate to heat his garage

 

[Arc Tourist]

.............................

Bottles like this work well on mill, drill and lathe.

Non-Spray Squirt Squeeze Bottle 250/500/1000ml LDPE Clear Plastic Lab Safety | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Non-Spray Squirt Squeeze Bottle 250/500/1000ml LDPE Clear Plastic Lab Safety at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products!

www.ebay.co.uk

Wow, £7.98 for a plastic bottle. There are many similar plastic dispensers that can work a treat. Long ago, when my Wife use to colour her hair, and I would reuse the plastic bottles for oils; they work great and cost nothing. Other useful dispensers can also be repurposed, like the glue bottle in the photo.

 

[fizzy]

I store my soluble oil ready mixed in old fabric softener bottles. Much easier than messing about with a 5L or 25L container.

 

[highseas]

I use tygris metalworking fluid, it works well, but it's only because I bought 5 litres of the stuff and need to use it up!

The best lube I've ever used is HMT speedlube, it's SO worth it, it's amazing how it makes your tools cut cleaner and better than any other lube. An aerosol can of it will last a DIY'er forever, you don't even need a leaky oil can for it.

I use the same stuff (thou in smaller bottles) and find it brilliant! I was given a tin of the hmt stuff last vat free day too but. It got round to using it

 

[Hitch]

The squeezy bottle CT90 just about covers all my needs.
The slightly thinner aerosol version is good for smaller bits and when doing a quick spin of something on the lathe.

 

[brightspark]

i use rocol rtd paste i also dilute it with turps and have some in a squeezee bottle and just a dab on where drilling .also use it when cutting metal with a hand saw . it cuts quicker with less friction and makes the blades last longer

 

[MetalMonkey]

Another vote for Rocol, and for aluminium a squirt of WD40.

 

[Arc Tourist]

For threading aluminium, I use Lacquer Thinner. It cuts perfectly formed threads especially good for tiny holes and leaves no residue. I learned this from a machinist working for Lockheed Aircraft Company.

 

[striker]

Ct90 for steels wd40 for aluminium

 

[Ubique]

Molyslip MWF - we were provided with it as a PSA approved drilling & thread cutting lubricant, used it ever since.
I use Isopropyl Alcohol for aluminium tapping, Volvo approved / mandated for a belt tensioner rework campaign, again, used it ever since.

 

[Maker]

HMT speedlube

Christ I've just missed the P googling that!

 

[Prajna]

I asked a friend to pick me up some TIN drill bits with 0.5mm sizes and some cutting fluid. They came back from Biera Tools with a set of Dormer TIN HSS drills 1.0 - 6.0mm in 0.1mm increments and 250ml of Dormer cutting fluid. The cutting fluid was €15.06, according to the price sticker. I hate to think what the drill set cost but ain't nobody gonna be using them but me!

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Bottles like this work well on mill, drill and lathe.

Cheaper here for three. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/185017129435

 

[morssdn]

I use the Rocol bottle and find it’s essential for holesaws especially the bigger ones.