Cutting Compound Comparison
Anchor Lube - 6816
- Water based
- Use for cutting, sawing, drilling, and tapping
- Use on all metals
- Smokeless, odorless
- Easy cleanup
Re-Li-On - 3120
- Oil based
- Use for cutting, drilling, and tapping
- Use on all metals, but better on aluminum, low sulfur alloys like stainless steel, hastelloy, Inconel, and titanium
- Non-Staining - no sulfur of carbon tetrachloride
- Clings very well
- Smokes, pretty much odorless
Nikx Stikx - 3089
- A non-hazardous solid wax-based
- Use for cutting, sawing, drilling
- Prevent steel and aluminum from galling tools
- Works on wood working tools too
- Clings very well
- Odorless
Vipers Venom - 6362
- High-sulfur with chlorine
- Use for ferrous metals
- Use for tapping, threading, reaming, and lathe work
- Slight staining of ferrous metals
- Clings well
Tap Magic EP - 6803
- Use for cutting, drilling, and tapping
- Use on all metals but best with ferrous metals
- Use on all metals
- Withstands galling and welding under extreme pressure
Tap Magic Nano - 6804
- Use for cutting, drilling, and tapping
- Use on all metals but best on aluminum, brass, bronze, and copper
- Biodegradable
- Non-chlorinated
- Low odor
WD-40
- Use for cutting, drilling, and tapping aluminum
- Biodegradable
- Non-chlorinated
- Familiar odor
Comparison
| Ferrous | Non-ferrous | Base | Sulfur | Chlorinated | Odor | Viscosity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anchor Lube | better | best | water | no | no | low | high |
| Re-Li-On | better | best | oil | no | no | low | low |
| Nikx Stikx | better | better | wax | no | no | low | high |
| Vipers Venom | best | good | oil | yes | yes | medium | medium |
| Tap Magic EP | best | oil | no | no | low | low | |
| Tap Magic Nano | better | best | oil | no | no | low | low |
| WD-40 | ok | better | oil | no | no | medium | low |
Tip: Clean freshly machined aluminum with 409 cleaner for shiny finish