Now that I retired I have a little more time and I'm getting back to cutting my own brass. Its been 20+ years since I did it with a K&M. Actually two K&M's. One for the first cut and a second for the final cut to get to .00088 for PPC BR shooting. Now I have a Neilson's Pumpkin and just finished wading through the "how to" in order to adjust depth and neck cut thickness. Its a lot easier this time since I'm shooting a .268 neck and I can make the cut in one pass. Before I launch I wanted to see if there was a general consensus on cutting fluid. Tony suggested a mix of Mobil one and STP, RCBS case lube, Hornady one shot plus others. Don Neilson suggest one quart 20W-50 synthetic to 15 ounces of STP. Dan Lilja uses a cutting fluid like Cool Tool. Couldn't find much on the search feature specific to cutting fluid/oil on the forum so I though I'd ask. I have the tooling set up on an end mill at about 500 fps. The Pumpkin is held level with a drill vice and a locking handle to hold it. Allows pretty easy centering of the case to the cutter. Thanks, Bill.
Brass turning cutting fluid
- Thread starter Wm Cook
- Start date
vtmarmot
P Magoon, Livin' Free NH
Am I doing it wrong?
I hate to sound uninformed, but I was not aware that the use of cutting fluid for turning necks was widespread.
I am turning using a K&M tool and an electric screw driver, which is very low speed. I use the proper expander mandrel and I lube the turning mandrel with imperial sizing wax every second or third case. Am I perhaps damaging my brass? I do things at a slow enough pace that nothing gets too warm.
I hate to sound uninformed, but I was not aware that the use of cutting fluid for turning necks was widespread.
I am turning using a K&M tool and an electric screw driver, which is very low speed. I use the proper expander mandrel and I lube the turning mandrel with imperial sizing wax every second or third case. Am I perhaps damaging my brass? I do things at a slow enough pace that nothing gets too warm.
R
retired
Guest
your cutting. lube is a good idea.
i use a drop of FP-10
i use a drop of FP-10
R
retired
Guest
I put one drop on the neck,
then touch the neck to the pilot.
Cut
Clean with compressed air also cools.
then touch the neck to the pilot.
Cut
Clean with compressed air also cools.
So I'm going with Premium Metal Tapping Fluid - 16 FL. OZ. Threading and Cutting Oil since it was on Amazon since I could get it by Tuesday. We'll see how things go, In my heart the recommendation of sizing wax or Neilson's recommendation of one quart of 10 w 50 synthetic and 16 ounces of STP would be fine for most of us. But I'll try the cutting fluid first. The wording of cutting / oil seems and the way Tony phrased it convinced me that the proper cutting speed, coolant any fluid of a fluid may work. Wish me luck. Bill.
Michael Huebner
Member
Turning Fluid
The tapping fluid will work fine. A drop on the mandrel and a drop on the neck is all it takes
The tapping fluid will work fine. A drop on the mandrel and a drop on the neck is all it takes
I have a couple tight neck barrels for a Panda varmint rifle.
To make sure I hit the desired clearance the brass is thinned down in two steps.
The first one removes all but about 0.0010 of whatever needs to come off.
The second removes that last little bit.
I can easily control down to 0.00010 (and yes, it is a PITA to set up things and measure).
To make sure I hit the desired clearance the brass is thinned down in two steps.
The first one removes all but about 0.0010 of whatever needs to come off.
The second removes that last little bit.
I can easily control down to 0.00010 (and yes, it is a PITA to set up things and measure).
Last edited:
Pete Wass
Well-known member
I sometimes do hundreds of cases. Buncha' turning tools.
I dip the casemouths in a thin layer of engine assembly lube https://www.amazon.com/Permatex-819...26499096&sr=8-1&keywords=engine+assembly+lube and drop the neckturning tool into a bowl of water between cases.
Everything stays the same temp, for hours and when I'm done I just blow out the turner with air and let it set to dry fully before putting it away.
'Course in my case, it never seems to be put away!
LOL
I dip the casemouths in a thin layer of engine assembly lube https://www.amazon.com/Permatex-819...26499096&sr=8-1&keywords=engine+assembly+lube and drop the neckturning tool into a bowl of water between cases.
Everything stays the same temp, for hours and when I'm done I just blow out the turner with air and let it set to dry fully before putting it away.
'Course in my case, it never seems to be put away!
LOL
John Kielly
Shari's fan club
I dunk my k & M with the .50 cal attachment in water between cases. It lobes well enough & keeps the mandrel cool & uniform.