Is this coolant OK for cutting titanium?

CNC Machines Nomad
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I am trying to do something close to Nomad Made: Custom Titanium Multi Tool , I will try making a “dam” with hot glue and fill it with fluid.

I am about to purchase the “synthetic coolant”, I found these options that might be correct

1: Mobil Mobilcut from McMaster Carr

2: TRIM Cutting & Grinding Fluids C115/1 Synthetic Fluid , from Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Cutting-Grinding-Fluids-C115-Synthetic/dp/B00R9M03X6/

3: TRIM Cutting & Grinding Fluids 9106/1 Synthetic Coolant, from Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Cutting-Grinding-9106-Synthetic-Coolant/dp/B00R9M0408/

4 (more expensive by $10): TRIM Cutting & Grinding Fluids C350/1 Premium Synthetic Metalworking Fluid, from Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Cutting-Grinding-C350-Synthetic-Metalworking/dp/B001VY1U0S/

Which one should I get?

Thanks in advance

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Which one should I get?

I’ve use C350 successfully. Good stuff.

I’ve been experimenting with soy based stuff. It’s better for the environment and also works well… but don’t let it get near plastics or rubber.

Kleen Cut 3405 is another favorite of mine.

Most cutting/grinding lubricant/fluids will work fine in a small machine like the Nomad.

I am trying to do something close to Nomad Made: Custom Titanium Multi Tool , I will try making a “dam” with hot glue and fill it with fluid.

I machine a pool in the middle of my spoiler. This keeps the mess confined. Step blocks, clamps and cams hold things in place.

mark

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the piece of titanium I got is the exact width of the spoiler board and much longer than the spoiler board

i think i should buy a bigger piece of wood but I literally own no saws.

The best I can do is probably cutting the titanium into a square first with a Dremel, and then put up a duct tape wall around the outside of the spoiler board. Anything wrong with this plan?

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@frank26080115 I live near you. I have saws and such. I can cut things for you.

Anything that creates a dam to keep the lubricant in will work fine. The higher the dam, the less the mess.

mark

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I was worried about the coolant eating the duct tape adhesive, will that happen?

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It will OK for the few hours. The job isn’t going to be to long; the adhesive should hold up that long.

mark

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The Coolant I used on the Grade 2 and Grade 5 Titanium was the water based Synthetic that we use in our production machines to cut the Aluminum Nomad frame parts.
So its not specifically for Titanium.

If your cutting metal that requires coolant, USE THE BLUE FIXTURING WAX!

DONT USE TAPE!

Some dish soap will work as a coolant, but please use the fixturing wax, the material can shift with tape and that will ruin your job.

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If your cutting metal that requires coolant, USE THE BLUE FIXTURING WAX!

… or use the sea of holes bed with a spoiler board custom cut underneath. Step blocks/clamps… or drill holes and screw to the sea-of-holes. :grinning:

mark

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Thanks guys

Are any place in the SF Bay Area where I can buy the fixturing wax?

It’s not that I don’t want to buy it from Carbide 3D, but the coolant is due to arrive tomorrow and I’m impatient.

EDIT: what if I just drill a few holes and use screws to secure it to the spoilboard?

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Yes-Screws are fine, and much better than tape for sure.

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Alright so I got it screwed down and I used some balsa wood to make the dam. Lube/coolant is the C350/1

2 more hours left

EDIT: apparently I MeshCAM overestimated the time required, or I made the stock thickness parameter larger that I should have, but it took only 1 hour

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Frank- How did the part come out?

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perfectly

the piece of spoilboard is now soaked with the lube

the pieces I cut had to be sharpened. I tried using a $20 electric knife sharpener, that didn’t go very far. I then used a metal file and it actually didn’t take too long.

I couldn’t actually get a knife edge, even with a whetstone, but I don’t really need it that sharp

perhaps next time I should use a ball end mill and actually just CAM the taper?

1 Like
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Good to hear it came out. I’ve noticed most knife makers use sanding belts to create the blade taper.
Or a 3M abrashive wheel and an angle fixture might be cleaner.

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how many projects will 1 pack of blue machining wax from Carbide3D work for?

and will it stick to a spoil board that’s been soaked in the lube?