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Lubrication for Drilling

AtlantaSteve

Active Member
In the past, my drilling has always been pretty simple, and there wasn't much need for lubricant. Everything worked like it was supposed to without lubrication.

But as I'm getting more into it, and my drilling is becoming a lot more intense, I've found that drilling without lubrication just isn't working. The problem is, I've never needed lubrication for my drilling before, so I don't know what kind to use.

Tonight I just used whatever I had laying around, but I'm sure there are better, more appropriate lubricants designed for the job.

Any thoughts? What lubricants do you use when you drill?

Seriously, I used WD40 tonight. That can't be right. What should I be using.
 
Buy a good cutting oil. Any hardware store should have it. You will be shocked at the difference.
 
Cutting oil is great, but when in a jam, i use some 10w whatever and have had good results. If the bits sharp that helps. Dont let it get red hot or its toast. And if it starts to squeal, its time for a new/ sharper one.
 
Rapeseed oil was the traditional heavy duty cutting oil, but it doesn't seem so easy to find nowadays. Good thing is, canola oil is made from the rapeseed plant and it seems to work just as well, but it makes everything gummy and sticky when it dries, so it's fun to clean up.
 
What little I know about machine shop work I learned OJT from my uncles. I drilled a zillion holes on a Bridgeport and almost always had mist running on the product. The mist was a water soluble oil that did lubricate, but more important it kept the drill bit cool. For tapping aluminum we used a fluid that was made for that purpose and I can still remember the smell. The oil that we used for steel smelled worse, and I remember the name of that stuff; Molly-dee. fd
 
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