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Old timer at the shop told me to stop using coolant on aluminum and he was right
After 3 days of fighting with gummy threads on a 6061 part, I tried his trick of just a light mist of WD-40 and the finish came out mirror clean, no more sticky buildup.
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masonbell2mo ago
Funny thing is the old school guys figured this out years ago because coolant actually breaks down the waxy coating on 6061 and makes it grab the tool more. The WD-40 works as a lubricant without letting the aluminum weld itself back to the insert. Also helps keep chips from sticking in the flutes on a drill or tap.
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samwalker2mo agoTop Commenter
Oh man, I'm with you 100%. I swear by WD-40 for aluminum too, it makes such a difference with chip evacuation on a drill press.
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elizabethg181mo ago
My grandpa had this ancient Bridgeport in his garage that he swore by 3-in-1 oil for everything. He'd yell at me for even looking at the coolant jug. One time I forgot to bring oil to a job site and used cooking spray from the break room. Worked fine but the whole shop smelled like a diner for a week. Boss was not amused but can't argue with results.
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