Oil or not

[6mmsubsonic]

Should I use a cutting oil when threading? I've seen many videos about threading barrels and it is mixed. Is it personal preference or types of metal or the type of cutter that is used?

 

[benmychree]

Depends on the material, yes for steel no for brass, yes for aluminum, I use TapMagic.

 

[pontiac428]

Whether the barrel is chromoly or 416, you'll see better finish and tolerances using oil. I'm surprised the community isn't haranguing people for touching a barrel without cutting oil. Dry machining is okay sometimes, but when you really care about your dims and finish, you run oil or coolant. In a sport where precision matters, people tend to be wrapped up in details and call each other out on procedure. Maybe there's just so many guys out there with Grizzly "gunsmith" lathes that are now "gunsmiths", you're bound to see anything on youtube nowadays.

 

[hman]

Even aluminum is generally happier with some kind of oil ... kerosene and D40 work well with aluminum.

 

[6mmsubsonic]

Whether the barrel is chromoly or 416, you'll see better finish and tolerances using oil. I'm surprised the community isn't haranguing people for touching a barrel without cutting oil. Dry machining is okay sometimes, but when you really care about your dims and finish, you run oil or coolant. In a sport where precision matters, people tend to be wrapped up in details and call each other out on procedure. Maybe there's just so many guys out there with Grizzly "gunsmith" lathes that are now "gunsmiths", you're bound to see anything on youtube nowadays.

My initial thought is yes, I need oil but kept seeing some not using it. Thank you

 

[tq60]

We cut dry when lazy, slow or does not matter.

Exact oil may matter, use whatever is handy.

Aluminum responds well to anything that keeps chips from sticking.

Dawn works very well and is cheap.

Bonus is your machine gets cleaned, need to spray oil mist (10 to 1 solvent to oil mix) on everything shiny to avoid rust.

Sent from my SM-G781V using Tapatalk

 

[wrat]

Taps cut fine holes without lube.
They just don't cut AS MANY holes without lube.
I don't like to buy taps, so I use lube.

 

[pontiac428]

My initial thought is yes, I need oil but kept seeing some not using it. Thank you

Since you're smithing, here's one for you. Threading and chamber cutting are high-pressure applications, so in order to truly "do it right", in quotes because anytime you talk about barrels on the internet you get some fantastically absurd advice - up to you to know or find out the difference, but the proper oil would be a sulfated EP oil for these processes on barrel steels.

I am not a credible source because I use Mobilmet 426, which has no sulfur or odor and leaves no stains, therefore the purists would lambast me for ever daring ream a chamber with such pishhoney.

 

[Earl]

I chamber about 15 barrels a year, all are 416 stainless. I use mostly hss (Warner inserts and tantung cutting bits). Bob Pastor's vipers venom works really well for threading and chambering. It is a high sulphur oil that doesnt smell bad and doesnt strip the paint off of the lathe.

 

[SLK001]

I use OAKLEY dark cutting oil when cutting threads in metals other than aluminum and brass. It has both the SULPHUR and the CHLORINE that limits chip welding to the cutting tool (and thus crappy threads).