Holesaw lube for cutting aluminum, wax or oil?

Looking for advice on cutting gauge holes in an aluminum panel. The panel is 3/16" thick aluminum. I'll use a drill press, but how fast would you run a 3" holesaw, and whats a good cutting lubricant? I've heard of wax being used and just a good cutting fluid. Any tips on the best way? My smaller holesaw has to last at least long enough to do 4 holes. Thanks ....

 

From what I was tought, very slow speed with cutting fluid.

 

I concur with the above......I have used wax on my cutting bits when porting aluminum intakes and heads..............cutting holes a good cutting oil and speed is the key.....Hopefully you can put it in a drill press and clamp your work piece down...if not be careful....I have taken a ride or two drilling holes with my powerfull hand drill..........Littleman

 

We use lubricating wax on our hole saws at work when we cut stainless steel. I think its called stick-kut

 

try finding a product called edge lube...its wax/teflon based..works awesome..I don't use oil anymore..a good cutting fluid would work as well..and as others have said, slow speeds...

 

Yeah I got it screwed to a board and I'll clamp it down tight on the drillpress. Thanks for the tips!

 

Kerosene works well when cutting aluminum, with a holesaw keep the speed down and feed it lightly and with a good quality holesaw you shouldn't have any problems.

 

This is something I learned while working in a boatyard . I was drilling a large instrument hole in a bulkhead of a new boat and the center bit broke causing the hole saw to walk across the brand new fiberglass . I had to reshoot the gelcoat and decided there had to be a better way . The solution was to drill out a piece of plywood with the hole saw and clamp it over the area to be drilled . Then start drilling . If the bit breaks , which can happen on large holes , the holesaw is contained in the plywood guide . This method would help in any situation but especially in an in-place install where you can't use a drill press

 

I went to a tech school years ago that told us to use kerosene as a lube and fast rpm speed to cut aluminum.

 

64 DODGE440 nailed it.

 

I have untold experience drilling aluminum-have used many cutting aids and found WD-40 to work best--keep it wet. Cheap and smells good too. Slow with the saw. Rod

 

I use A T F - handles the heat and maintains lub - it protects your trany !

 

As you can tell from the replies, either oil or wax will work, just keep the blade coated and sharp. Also make sure you use ear protection with aluminum. It is why I keep saying. "huh" a lot to my wife.

 

At work we use talow, which is just "pig fat" for drilling, cutting and grinding on aluminium. Weird i know but it really works a treat. Not sure were they get it from though it just comes in an alfoil tub with no name on it.

 

use a bar of soap.It sounds loopy,but it works.I cut 5in holes in .750 aluminum plate and have had the same saw for a long time.

Ben

 

I've used some of the commercial wax lubricant products, and have never really been happy with them for machining or drilling. It seems like most of it always ends up where you don't want it and very little makes it where you do want it. One thing I do like the wax products for is cutting metal with a circular saw.

Holesaws, I like cutting oil or WD-40 as mentioned before.

 

Ijust use plain old lard at about half the rpm for steel. Clear the saw often, don't let the cuttings build up.

 

I have been a machinist for 35+ years and Caseyjones hit it on the head,WD40 is the best cutting fluid ever for alluminum

 

WD40 works great, keeps the Al from sticking to the holesaw, also works great when chopsawing, drilling, etc, to keep- the Al from sticking and balling up.

 

also use WD -40 cheap easy spray it

 

Grab some windex and try it before the wd-40, spray a nice amount and see how it works, then wipe it off and try the wd-40. Report your findings please.

 

Thanks for the tip...I will give that a try next time !!..............Littleman

 

have used windex on plastic and acrylic, and so on,,,,,,, gonna try it on alum...

 

I cut, bang, and weld aluminum all day long and use Do-All Wax for drilling and WD-40 for cutting. We run Do-All oil through our router when cutting panels

Im going to try the Windex. sounds interesting

 

What a great idea!

 

Don't want to contradict anyone but, plain old water cools and cleans the saw. Then there is no residue to clean if you happen to want to weld around the hole!! Have done this many times in the last 37yrs.

 

My back yard mechanics trick drilling aluminum with a hole saw is a water/dishwashing detergent mixture. Water cools, cleans the blade and work, the detergent mixture provides the lube. Mixture should be soapy to the touch but not sticky, cleans right up. Use the old detergent bottle for applicator.

 

I have found ATF fluid to be one of the best cutting oils and to drill at a slow speed.

 

Crisco.........................

 

Always used WD-40..but I'll try the Windex. I have used Windex on plastic..and Lexan..