Cutting Aluminum on a Bandsaw — Where do I get “Tallow”?
tkarlmann
| Posted in Power Tools and Machinery on
I just viewed the vid by Gary Knox Bennett. He says to use “tallow” to coat the blade before cutting aluminum. He had this brown, oddly shaped, lump of stuff. What is tallow and where do I get it? https://www.finewoodworking.com/subscription/tool-videos/index.asp
Replies
I don't want to know where
I don't want to know where Gary got "tallow" :) his shop is just a few blocks from China town in Oakland as well as what used to be Pringle's meats which was a wholesale butcher (I bought a whole pig there once) Go to a saw sharpening shop and by some stick wax it is made for lubricating saw blades when cutting aluminum. That is what my chop saw instructions call for and the sell it at Standard Saw in Oakland CA where I get my saw blades sharpened. Good luck
Troy
So are we replacing one unknown substance for another? What is this mysterious "wax" you are referring to? If I don't know any better I know someone will try to sell me parafin wax for $$$$ by putting a label on it & calling it stick wax!
NOW, I wish I'd saved all the different types of waxes I used for my old-style cross-country skiis! Which color cross country ski wax would I use?
The "stick wax" that I bought from the saw sharpener seems to be a lot harder than parafin. I came wrapped in a cardboard tube and the stick weighed about 2 pounds I don't think I paid much more than 5 bucks for it (I tend to remember every dime I spend) So I don't think I was being taken advantage of.
Anyway it worked well when I used my miter saw to cut aluminium rain gutters.
Troy
Even parawax will work
There is food grade tallow and industrial grade tallow. It's the latter that is generally used as a lubricant.
But, as said, there are specific lubricants made for cutting lubricants.
"...there are specific lubricants made for cutting lubricants." That made me smile -- thanks Howie, it's been awhile!
"...there are specific lubricants made for cutting lubricants."
LOL.. It took this old man about 1/2 hour to figure what you really said in the first place! ,,, specific lubricants made for cutting lubricants,,, That was very funny!
Forest.. A true women to come up with that observation!
Let me change my response to:
"...there are specific lubricants made AS cutting lubricants."
Guess I have to stop drinking my martinis before lunch and responding to postings.
Using lube to cut aluminum is new to me. For example let's say I drill a hole on my DP. If I'm drilling into steel, I drag out my cutting oil and clean up the mess afterwards -- the stuff is great. ALL industrial machining I have seen use a continuous flow of cutting oil on the cutter.
However, afaik, to drill aluminum, the drill bit should be dry. Likewise when tapping. Using a lube to cut aluminum is news to me. So what is this stuff actually called?
I think the video specifically stated not to use parafin.
As hinted at by the other responses, tallow is essentially processed animal fat, and has a long history, as one might expect.
An alternative source would be reducing/rendering that troublesome chubby neighbor to a much smaller lump. Unfortunately it's a smelly process and has certain ethical/moral issues associated with doing so. ;-)
Personally, I think I'd lean more toward commercial cutting lubricants.
I think I'd start by
I think I'd start by rendering the author of the video clip and the responders who are replying with non-specific answers! LOL.
I know what's going to happen here: some guy like Duginske will start marketing a special "band-saw blade lubricant" at $10-$50 for a teensy, miniscule amount -- which would turn out to be -- you guessed it: "Tallow" -- for a 100x markup! O woe is me for the lack of specifics!
"I think I'd start by
"I think I'd start by rendering the author of the video clip and the responders who are replying with non-specific answers! LOL."
That might be a good idea, but you have to watch your feed rate to avoid the smell of burnt Barker, a terrible stench. ;-)
Olson Saw sells "Saw Blade Lubricant Stick", Item# AC70010 for $6.99, the description of which says it can be used with metal cutting.
Sir..
Aluminum needs some oil to cut unless you are running a very high end CNC MILL that has the feed speed set to the specific grade of aluminum AND they are not in a hurry to finish the task.. Any common oil will work, SORT OF, to help the shavings clear the slit being cut. Maybe some of that oil they have for cutting threads in aluminum with a common Tap and Die? I have broken a few taps in aluminum without using some sort of oil...
But then again, I never went to school for metallurgy.
When tapping aluminum, you can use fluids specifically sold for that purpose (ie: Alum-a-tap), or use WD-40. Why don't you just Google your question?
Oh, origianlly I was commenting on a video posted on this forum -- I even thought maybe the author would reply. I was looking for a follow up to that vid.
I may have erred on this -- it was a looong time ago that the dry-for-aluminum bits were set in my head. I'm going to try to reset them ...
Well I would not really want to use the same stuff for tapping as I would put on my bandsaw. I thought that only someone who has put lubes on their BS would reply.
Sure, I've used my cutting oil for aluminum, but do I want all that mess inside my BS? Sounds like a cleanup nightmare.
Ewe could melt a sheep ;-)
O U!
When I worked at a machine shop, they had all kinds of high tech lubricants, but they most often used Crisco when working with aluminum. The few times I have used aluminum in the woodshop, that is what I have used.
Rob Millard
http://www.americanfederalperiod.com
This forum post is now archived. Commenting has been disabled