Water Based Cutting Fluid Help.

[Andre]

So lately I've been fascinated with water based cutting fluids. I made a batch last week and used it a bunch on aluminum. Worked great! But today I'm going for a more scientific approach, and seeing what works the best for cooling, lubricating, rust preventative, etc.
I mixed up two small batches of what I made earlier and it was going great untill I watched the water, used motor oil, dish soap, and 91% alcohol separate.
I was dumbfounded, whenever I have used dish soap to emulsify oil and water it has always worked......hmm.

Here are the ingredients for the first batch and the second batch (s)

Original:
One part used motor oil (about a tablespoon)
One part Dawn Platinum dish soap (about a tablespoon)
12OZ tap water
And a teaspoon of vanilla extract (to keep my hands from smelling like motor oil)

The 2nd batch:
One part Dawn Platinum dish soap
One part used motor oil
10 parts (and 15 for the second test tube, see pic)
91% isopropyl alcohol

Reasons for using the ingredients:

USED motor oil: for heavy oil for cutting and the carbon adds high pressure lube for tapping.
Water: to thin the mixture.
91% isopropyl alcohol: to cut down on soap bubbles when cutting.
Dish soap: to emulsify the motor oil and water.
Vanilla extract: to keep hands smelling good.


I shook the up and then watched them separate multiple times. I then heated the with a lamp (with the caps off the test tubes) to warm them......nothing.
I then put the caps back on and let them cool to pull a low pressure vacuum and maybe get them to mix that way.

Is the vanilla extract what's causing the mixture to mix?

If you have no idea already, I have no idea what Ii'm doing and would like any advise you guys are willing to give.
Thanks!

[Richard_W]

I think you are wasting time trying to reinvent the wheel so to speak. There are many good products out there that are more earth friendly. Some you they claim you can actually drink and not hurt you.

It seems to me the alcohol is a fire hazard waiting for a spark to ignite.

The mixture of motor oil with water will make sulfuric acid from the sulfur in the oil. That is what that grayish slime is around the oil pan on engines that have been setting for a while.

Could be someone knows a trick that I don't.

Richard W.

[Harold_V]

I'm with Richard. Near as I can tell, he didn't miss a thing.
It is my opinion that used motor oil has no place in machining, especially aluminum.

Harold

[spro]

Also, I'm pretty sure isopropyl alcohol causes separation from water. Ethyl alcohol mixes iirc.

[ken572]

Any of that concoction left open at closing
on a Friday night would sure give off a nasty
fragrance as you opened up the shop on Monday
morning to start a new week.

Ken.

[Andre]

Well, I went back to the start and found out dish soap would not mix the oil and water, and turns out it didn't in the earlier batch.
I think I'll go back to WD40 mixed with UMO for now. It's worked good for me so far.
Thanks, everyone.

[Harold_V]

UMO is known to be hazardous. If you must use motor oil, you'd be well served to use unused, but I fail to see the logic in trying to reinvent the wheel.

Harold