Ethanol mist for cutting aluminium

[Hallettoil]

Hi Guys
Anyone using this
http://www.exair.com/en-US/Primary%2...lications.aspx
Seems a far safer option.
Mike

[Hallettoil]

Mike

This looks rather good. An exceptional potential alternative to a serious problem.

Certainly for the home workshop maybe worth considering. Not seen the price though...look before a leap!

[Hallettoil]

I see that some folk tend to use coolants. Oil in water emulsions and maybe think that these are less harmful.

Please bear in mind that apart from the chemicals and OIL within, there is an extremely powerful anti-bacteria and fungicide which again in mist can be very harmful. Even fully synthetics will have these.

Don't be thinking you are safe...just don't be breathing it and you will be.

[Boyan Silyavski]

Olive oil work perfectly for threading, better than specialised oils. I am threading a lot of aluminum and brass. Emulsify it with water , mist it and prepare your salad.

[Chaz]

Even if cutting dry you will need to move chips and vacuum isn't even close to air for getting chips out of the way in holes and slots, so why not look at something like Boyan's solution to add a little lube to your air, then you can use a good bathroom extractor to keep the mist from filling the workshop,

- Nick

So best to look at fog buster or similar? I built my own but limited success with it.

[Marcia]

Reopening this old thread to share an observation about using ethanol as a cutting fluid for aluminum which may help others avoid problems.

We reported on a machinist who tried this in a poorly ventilated room.

We do not recommend this.

See our paper titled “Neurological effects of chronic occupational exposure to alcohol mists and vapors in a machinist”.

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full...6.2020.1768341