Features:

  • Non-Spray cutting fluid
  • Use for tapping, threading, drilling and reaming
  • Use on ferrous metals and non-ferrous alloys
  • Apply directly on the work surface
worth its weight in gold!

This stuff worked wonders on my turbo housing! I used it for tapping threads for a helicoil and it made the tapping process buttery smooth. Container is smaller than I thought it would be however. As you can see in the pics, it let me tap threads into cast iron with ease, even with a crappy HSS china tap.

then you know this is the best for threading or tapping steel

if you are a machinist or diemaker, then you know this is the best for threading or tapping steel. If not, just know this does NOT work on aluminum and it is only for cutting steel with a tap or die.

Good stuff- a little sticky, keeps your bit cool

This is good cutting fluid. Just one drop is all you need for tapping, and maybe three drops for drilling. It's not like regular oil, it's much better for hole drilling and tapping. Wiping it off with a paper towel leaves a sticky residue, so make sure to clean up with a decent solvent unless you want a dust magnet. The stickyness means that it will stay on your bit/in the drilled hole and not fly off too bad- but it's not Spider Man, it will fly off a 1/2" bit turning 2,000 rpm, but why are you turning that bit so fast? It will also work on tilted surfaces, but on a fully vertical surface it will drip some.

Tap Magic Cutting Oil

As a machinist, (now retired), for 23+ years, I can say that this is one of the most popular cutting oils in the trade and has been for at least 44 years and probably a lot longer than that, (I started as a machinist apprentice when I was 14 yrs. old). It’s a very high quality cutting oil and in machine shops, it's primarily used as a cutting oil for Tap and Die work as well as single point threading. However, it can work as a good cutting oil to do small metal cutting jobs in a DIY home operation. For instance, I bought it to use on a 1" hole saw as I cut through 6061 T6 aluminum and 1018 mild steel. The 'big plus' about Tap Magic is that it produces very little smoke as your tool and work surface are getting hot. In fact, it produces a lot less smoke than the 'heavy', dark, machining oil that was common in machine shops back in the 1970's. There were several 'heavy' oils typically used back then even though water-soluble oils were getting a good start. Tap Magic is expensive in small quantities but you only need a few drops as you cut. The TM oil contains special ingredients that, among other things, keep the tool and work surface cool. This is incredibly important when cutting most steels. If you’re cutting a mild steel like 4140, (non-heat-treated state), you can quickly work-harden the surface of the material to a state beyond the ability to be cut drilled, or machine in any way by any tool steel cutters at all! This is common if attention is not paid to your ‘feed and speed’, (surface footage rating), for the type of material you’re working with. If the work surface and tool get hot enough, you can wind up with a burnt cutting area that can easily exceed 45RC, C-scale, (very hard and usually, a job for carbide tooling would be used on that hardness rating). Tap Magic helps to keep that from happening but it still requires that you monitor your speed and the feed rate of your cut in such a way as to keep the cutting teeth of the tool under load and NOT allowing it to ‘rub’ which is the first step to a bad day. This product was considered a must have in most machine shops up to the year I got out for good, (2000). I have no doubt that it’s still a popular oil for job shops all over the country, if not the world. With that kind of endorsement, it’s safe to say that this oil is a 5 star product, hands down.

Worth it's weight in gold.

Worth it, all day long. Not only lets you cut/drill faster - but your tool life will be dramatically increased. You can save a fortune on drill bits for the cost of a $10 can, not to mention loads of time. And this little can goes a long, long way. Get it and use it. In case you are unfamiliar, using it simply means putting a few drops between your material and tool. If you are say, drilling steel on a work bench or press, just squeeze a few drops right on the surface of the metal where you want to make a hole. If you are drilling horizontally (or even straight up) it's easier to apply the fluid directly to the drill bit. If you see big chips flying (or even long strings of curly metal) you are doing it right. If you are only getting small flakes (or the sound of your drill switches to a high-pitched squeal instead of a satisfying metal chewing spin), stop and re-apply. Ideally you want to apply enough to avoid getting to that point, which you can learn from practice. Besides cutting faster (and burning up fewer bits) this stuff also helps avoid 'snags' when drilling in metal which can shatter a drill bit. Really annoying to have to extract a hardened bit from a hunk of steel. Pro tip: when drilling through thick steel (say, thicker than 1/4") it helps to 'woddle' the hole a little bit to avoid snags and jams. That's a technical term. Make small (very small) circles as you drill. To summarize: worth every penny for drilling and cutting steel. Great for impatient metal workers.

Great Product Get Some

I never knew how much of a difference oil like this could make on drilling and tapping. I saw this when ordering a new drill bit to replace one I had just burned up drilling through 1/8" thick steel. I had used the previous bit to drill two holes and was working on my third when it quit cutting. I bought this oil thinking I had little to lose, because the bits were running me $14.00 a pop and I had 7 more holes to drill. When I got the new bit and the oil I put a little oil on the tip and drilled the first hole. The oil helped the bit work so well that it reduced the time it took to bore through. I was able to finish the job without having to buy more bits. I later used the oil while tapping four new holes on an electric generator. The oil made the job a whole lot easier. A little may do the trick, but I find that if I am having trouble drilling or tapping, adding a little more helps too. Great product.

Cutting Oil is not Regular Houshold Oil. It is the best for what it is Designed.

Forney Oil is specific for tapping or drilling into metal. It does not feel like regular oil. It is designed to clean the metal surface so that the drill or tap can cut cleanly and easily into metal. Because it has this capacity drills and taps won't dull as easily/quickly and less force is necessary when doing either. Use it with your hand drill and you won't have to "lay on" the drill to get it to bite. Of course if you do have to lay on a drill you probably need new bits anyway.

Outstanding Lubricant for Light Machining Applications

Outstanding lubricant for light machining applications.This product works wonders with basically anything involving machining something by hand that needs lubricant. I have used it many times for lubricating taps when cutting and chasing threads, as well as when drilling the initial holes or any time I am drilling through metals. It cools effectively and helps clean any shavings out to prevent bits and taps jamming. The metal container it comes in has a small opening so the oil is easy to control and distribute in small amounts. The sheetmetal construction lets you squeeze the container so only a few drops come out at a time. When using with a Tap: drip some of the oil onto the threads of the tap before inserting into the pilot hole. Make sure to back the tap out occasionally to clear the threads of fresh cut metal shavings or the tap can jam and destroy the freshly cut threads. When using as a Drill lubricant: I always drill metals on the high torque, low speed settings on my hand drill or drill press. I use this oil as a mild coolant in this case as well as a lubricant. I have not tested its maximum cooling capabilities or what its smoke point it, but on both my hand drill and drill press I have never had an issue running at the recommended speeds for steel, aluminum, and various other iron and aluminum alloys. My reference for drill bit RPM is the Irwin Metal Drilling Reference Guide: [...] I have nothing bad to say about this cutting fluid.

It just works

I have a set of drill bits that I've never liked because they just didn't seem sharp enough when I tried to drill steel. I would put a lot of force on the drill, but the bit would just sit there spinning and going nowhere. I tried using some WD-40 and some 3-in-1 oil when I had to drill steel, but neither helped. After reading some Tap Magic reviews, I decided to order it. Today I needed to drill some holes in the base of my band saw, so I grabbed one of my bad bits and the can of Tap Magic. And just like that, the bit went right through the 1/4" thick steel! I'm very happy.

Wish I Had Tried This Before!

I have never used a dedicated cutting fluid before. I usually just squirted a little of whatever oil I had around and I felt that was adequate. When I bought a set of larger bits I saw this product on the same page and took a chance. Couldn't be happier! I'll never go back to the "any old oil" that I used in the past for drilling.

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