Every metal, operation, and machine puts different demands on a coolant. Here's what the different types actually do, and what to weigh before picking one.
Get a recommendationNearly every coolant on the market falls into one of these. Click a type to see the products available.
A versatile middle ground for general machining and grinding, with good rust protection on ferrous metals including cast iron. Easy to maintain and typically low foam.
All-purpose micro-emulsion. Versatile for cutting and grinding. Good rust protection on all ferrous metals including cast iron. Easy to maintain, low odor, chlorine-free and low foaming.
Heavy-duty, chlorine-free micro-emulsion work-horse. Great for machining tough metals including stainless steel, titanium, hastelloy and aluminum. Offers exceptional rust protection for cast iron.
Unique semi-synthetic formulated for difficult form tapping operations. Chlorine-free and no sulfur. Provides great finishes and outstanding tool life. Excellent bio-protection.
Chlorine-free, low foaming micro-emulsion designed for general machining and grinding. Excellent tube mill lubricant that is economical and long lasting with very good rust protection.
High performance micro-emulsion coolant. Can be used for cutting and grinding mixed metals. Low foam, bio-resistant, chlorine-free and an excellent job shop product.
Standard emulsions for everyday machining, formulated for ferrous or nonferrous metals.
Standard emulsion formulated for a variety of machining operations. Designed for ferrous or nonferrous metals. Low foaming and odor resistant; contains chlorine.
Versatile, multi-task product that can be used on mixed metals. Effective on aluminum, stainless, tool steel and aircraft metals. Chlorine-free, low foaming and bio-resistant.
Contains no oil, which means better cleanliness, longer sump life, and easier fines settling, particularly suited to grinding operations.
General purpose grinding fluid. Provides high detergency to keep wheels from loading while sustaining low foam levels. Leaves soft residues and readily settles fines.
General machining and grinding fluid. Good lubricity and low foaming with excellent corrosion protection. Use for machining ferrous metals and light duty aluminum operations.
Heavy duty machining and grinding coolant. Use for medium to heavy severity machining and grinding on mixed metals including stainless, titanium and most aluminum grades. Low foaming and excellent rust protection.
Undiluted cutting oil for the toughest operations, including gun drilling and Swiss-style screw machines, where maximum lubricity matters more than coolant cleanliness.
Multi-purpose cutting oil designed for standard machining operations including gun drilling. Medium viscosity fluid also used in Swiss style machines. Contains chlorine for added extreme pressure activity.
Premium mineral oil cutting fluid formulated for Swiss style screw machines. Clear, transparent, chlorine-free and no sulfur. Low smoke, low foam and a great choice for all metals including stainless, hastelloy and titanium.
Semi-synthetics blend mineral oil with synthetic additives, giving a middle ground on lubricity and cleanliness. Full synthetics contain no oil at all, which means better cleanliness and longer sump life, but generally less lubricity for heavy-duty cutting than an oil-containing formula.
If you're machining stainless, titanium, or other reactive metals, chlorine-free is usually worth insisting on, since chlorinated extreme-pressure additives can cause staining or corrosion issues on those materials. For general ferrous machining it matters less, though many shops standardize on chlorine-free across the board to simplify disposal and reduce odor.
It depends on sump size, tramp oil contamination, and how well concentration is maintained, more than a fixed calendar interval. A coolant that's foaming, smells rancid, or has drifted concentration is telling you it's due, regardless of how many weeks it's been.
Often yes. Several formulations are built specifically for mixed-metal shops running aluminum, steel, and stainless on the same floor, so you're not required to run a separate sump per material in most cases.
Tell us what you're running and what you're cutting. We'll match you with the right coolant.
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