Cutting fluid recommendation

[caskwith]

Can anyone recommend a reasonably priced water soluble cutting fluid. I mostly work on aluminium but occasionally steel as well. Up to know I have been using Rocol Clean Cut which has worked out ok but it is awfully expensive (I got a one off good deal which is why I have it now). I like the fact it is soluble since it cleans off parts easy and works well on plastics too, doesn't leave any staining on the lathe either and smells pretty good. I use it neat for tapping/drilling and cut it about 50/50 with water for lathe turning as this helps it easily come out of a lab rinse bottle that I like.
So something similar that doesn't break the bank would be great.

Cheers

[Jonny]

Been using the Miller Oils stuff for 13 years, water soluable meant for general machining. Was £11.50/5ltrs and ended up £17/5ltrs last year don't break the bank and available in 5 litre cans. This stuff anything above 15% good for drilling and tapping, 30% just a waste compared with a proper neat cutting oil and ok on titaniums and various steel grades.
Many name changes ending up Multicool http://www.millersoils.co.uk/industrial/emulsifiable-metalworking-fluid.asp
http://www.millersoils.co.uk/searchresults.asp?psearch=millcool

Place I get it from ex Hughes and Holmes now changed to Listers and only do their brand and not as good at £19/5ltrs.

Not too keen on this Listers I am forever topping up approx. 2ltrs a week, even the oil residue seems to evaporate which you would expect from the water.
Out of it now so will be changing to an EP Castrol or back to something else from Millers since most of my work is 6082 aluminium.

I am half tempted to try this but cheap motor oil isn't cheap either then add on soap purchase whilst waters free its getting it right and the hassle. http://www.ehow.co.uk/how_6860630_make-cutting-oil.html

Worth a read don't buy mineral based cutting oils, always water soluable.
https://www.emlab.com/s/sampling/env-report-10-2006.html

[John Rudd]

I've been using Castrol CoolEdge,since I got it for free.....but my supply has dried up( no pun intended ) so now I'm down to using the stuff from Chronos which aint cheap at around £8/ litre......

[AdeV]

http://www.lubetechshop.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=25_51&products_id=249

Price works out at around £4.25/litre - yeah, having to buy 25 litres can be a bit of a bind, but my CNC mill tends to launch it all over the workshop, so I've already used a decent amount of my 25 l barrel... I use it at around 10% concentration, and it lasts literally forever in the sump - I put the first load in about 2 1/2 years ago, and whilst it's probably been recycled once due to spillage, I've never had to drain, clean, and refill. I suspect I will soon due to fine swarf getting through the grilles...

[Jonny]

Sorry used to be this I got from Hughes and Holmes, last paid £13.50/5ltrs now look at price http://www.morrislubricantsonline.co.uk/supercut-1000-unison-edge-soluble-cutting-fluid.html

10-12ltrs is enough for 12 month period for me.

[caskwith]

Ok I don't need 25ltr lol. A litre or two will last me more than a year, possibly two depending how many metal working projects I take on, and I only apply by hand so I don't need to fill a sump. Rocol cleancut is £20 for 300ml so even buying castrol cooledge will be a big saving.

[krv3000]

well i don't use any

[AdeV]

well i don't use any

I generally cut dry on the lathe - but I mainly use carbide inserts & seem to get away with it. If I'm cutting icky steel, I'll use a blob of neat cutting oil every now & then; also when parting off.

I can't cut dry on the mill, I just snap cutters. So I use flood with soluble on the CNC machine, and flood with neat cutting oil on the manual.

[mechman48]

I tend to use ally or brass whenever I can ( not a lot these days    ) so cut dry most of the time, if drilling or parting off ally' I use WD40 spray, ( Aldi often have cans on offer cheaper than elsewhere, usual disclaimer) for steel I use a mix of Cetus 9 mix of 25% to 75% water ( from previous work) using a squeezy lab bottle, sometimes use neat cutting oil on small items of stainless.

George