Thread cutting & drilling lubricant

[Jack345]

Getting ready to purchase thread cutting tap & die lubricant. Been using "Tap Magic" but noted Amazon is selling a bees wax oil paste. see link below and would like some advise to if the paste is better than cutting lubricant . Thanks

https://www.amazon.com/Lubri-Cut-Tub-lubri-cut/dp/B07VP21C68?crid=339S79MTEVDTM&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.WHui85UZEBFUYN9N3ZqDee7OCMtO7KRn0976JexcJhGG9f-JrHDs7qyKkfM_GyGDaOoXxhcfpo68aS17J5ixIqtH85NkUtkVGNGZWoMCWikF-DuZoSdqOvEVwyP7IlMhBtAYY4ZUWjUdVLXj7uRD2cJKSeLrrYw6UM8Zm6hiUbJw4tWhILT7iZA0hqaNw8DkpsBmqv23n3N1sgXXQ0I_2tG9JZKmJFRI5hRWbsjtf5dJpLWdCPiJ0zzTzgy8qMEzmKAiD7uFyv7KtzSTweKFrvnMMVcmDwxliIDvjHiLvl8.RGZQQvjOLm7IfIMLMdcCGvP6Z4de2zdA-pqx8FVf-mY&dib_tag=se&keywords=Industrial%2BPro%2BCutting%2BFluid&qid=1791252688&rdc=1&s=hi&sprefix=industrial%2Bpro%2Bcutting%2Bfluid%2Ctools%2C237&sr=1-26&th=1

 

[GermantownGreen]

Getting ready to purchase thread cutting tap & die lubricant. Been using "Tap Magic" but noted Amazon is selling a bees wax oil paste. see link below and would like some advise to if the paste is better than cutting lubricant . Thanks

https://www.amazon.com/Lubri-Cut-Tub-lubri-cut/dp/B07VP21C68?crid=339S79MTEVDTM&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.WHui85UZEBFUYN9N3ZqDee7OCMtO7KRn0976JexcJhGG9f-JrHDs7qyKkfM_GyGDaOoXxhcfpo68aS17J5ixIqtH85NkUtkVGNGZWoMCWikF-DuZoSdqOvEVwyP7IlMhBtAYY4ZUWjUdVLXj7uRD2cJKSeLrrYw6UM8Zm6hiUbJw4tWhILT7iZA0hqaNw8DkpsBmqv23n3N1sgXXQ0I_2tG9JZKmJFRI5hRWbsjtf5dJpLWdCPiJ0zzTzgy8qMEzmKAiD7uFyv7KtzSTweKFrvnMMVcmDwxliIDvjHiLvl8.RGZQQvjOLm7IfIMLMdcCGvP6Z4de2zdA-pqx8FVf-mY&dib_tag=se&keywords=Industrial%2BPro%2BCutting%2BFluid&qid=1791252688&rdc=1&s=hi&sprefix=industrial%2Bpro%2Bcutting%2Bfluid%2Ctools%2C237&sr=1-26&th=1

Look up. Rodman tool and die, in California.
Great cutting oil
We have their bits and grinding blades. Awesome . GG Wes

 

[John Garner]

Animal fats -- lard, beef tallow, sheep tallow, and goat tallow have all been used -- work well (and mixing in graphite powder makes 'em work even better, but at the cost of severe messiness). Animal fats have been used as cutting lube for centuries, although rarely used in commercial shops today. Still fairly common amongst those who do their own machining . . . probably most commonly in the form of "bacon dripping" from breakfast.

Crisco and similar canned shortenings also work pretty well.

 

[Ray,IN]

I agree, Tap Magic is great stuff; however bees wax is a tried and true tapping lubricant. For drilling, motor oil is great.
IMO the most difficult metal to machine, drill, tap is copper. Tap Magic works better on copper.

 

[Watthour]

Much of that depends upon the material. Cast iron can machine well with lard oil, kerosene, and light synthetics. Tool steel is usually a candidate for soluble oils, synthetics, or heavy petroleum, varying by steel grade and tooling. Nickel, chrome, and molybdenum steels seem to like synthetics for standard production tooling.

If tapping by hand, you have a lot more latitude, and can feel the cut instead of waiting for a tap to break in a live spindle. For a few holes in tougher materials, Anchor Lube is hard to beat.

 

[JWA]

I use ATF saved from fluid changes for drilling and turning operations, works well for me.

 

[Tony in SD]

Grandpa and a neighbor favored used motor oil.

 

[Absent Minded Farmer]

Still using Keystone 101 cutting & cooling oil. Was still being made under another name, last I looked. Don't recall who.

Can probably find an old, full Keystone can at a machine shop auction. That's where I got a couple of mine.

Mike

 

[bmack95hd]

I’ve always used Relton products. I really like the paste in the tub but also have a drizzle can near by.

 

[Stan Coryell]

I have never used bee's wax. Tap Magic or Boelube.

https://www.mscdirect.com/product/details/61232591

 

[drsportster]

Anchor Lube lard based okay for food plants use

 

[Ol 54']

Retired from Lockheed Aircraft and worked on the SR-71 for years and we used Bees Wax for cutting, tapping, drilling, you name it for some of the hardest metals to this day.. ( Slow speed/ a lot of pressure.) Boelube come on later!

 

[Stan Coryell]

Anchor Lube lard based okay for food plants use

For NSF:

We had this stuff, Safety Tap, or something like that. It was absolutely useless.

 

[Stan Coryell]

Retired from Lockheed Aircraft and worked on the SR-71 for years and we used Bees Wax for cutting, tapping, drilling, you name it for some of the hardest metals to this day.. ( Slow speed/ a lot of pressure.) Boelube come on later!

Boe Lube is the same. High Feeds and Low speeds.