Re: machining copper

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: Edward Wingate <ewing7-at-rochester.rr-dot-com> 

Tesla list wrote:
 >
 > Original poster: Jim Lux <jimlux-at-earthlink-dot-net>
 >
 > I just received an interesting and useful piece of machining lore.
 >
 > When machining copper (which is difficult to machine):
 >
 > sharp tools
 > Fast speeds
 > condensed milk as a lubricant <<< this was the new thing...

Jim,

Not really new and a part of "machining lore" as you say. Old stuff.

Just like using "Crisco" shortening for tapping. Some of the old school
toolmakers I trained with swore by it.

There are a number of modern cutting/tapping fluids that work much
better than any of the old school favorites. "Tap Magic" is just one of
them and works great on just about any metal known to man, including
copper. In a pinch, plain old WD-40 works well on the softer metals too.
Just like many other things, cutting fluid chemistry has come a long way
in just the past 10 years.

Ed Wingate RATCB