22
Folks keep using the wrong coolant for aluminum
I've noticed a lot of guys in smaller shops running 6061 aluminum with the same general purpose coolant they use for steel. It works okay at first but after a few weeks you get that nasty white residue buildup and the finish starts going downhill. I switched to a semi-synthetic stuff made for non-ferrous metals about 6 months ago and my tool life jumped by almost 40% on the same feeds and speeds. Anyone else run into this issue or am I the only one who had to learn the hard way?
3 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In3 Comments
sage5229d ago
Right on... that white gunk is nasty stuff. Took me way too long to figure out the difference too.
5
finley_lopez981mo ago
Jumped on that bandwagon myself a couple years back and yeah, the difference is night and day. That white gunk is basically the coolant eating your aluminum and leaving corrosion behind, so a dedicated fluid stops that mess completely. Saved me a ton on inserts and rework ever since I switched.
3