Civil Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Oil can be used for cutting steels, mild steels, stainless steels and high car-
bon steels like silver steel. For cutting aluminium, the best lubricant is paraf-
fin. It prevents the aluminium from sticking to the milling cutter.
Brass and cast iron are best cut without lubricant unless you need to wash
a lot of swarf away. When milling cast iron, if the milling machine is fitted with
a soluble oil tank, the cast iron dust will have an affinity for the soluble oil, and
if the milling machine is then used on aluminium the free carbon in the cast
iron can contaminate the aluminium with black streaks.
I normally apply cutting oil by hand with a small brush using the oil in a cat
or dog feeding bowl.
