I find it interesting that you use oil as a coolant - what kind of
oil?
Almost all of my actual cutting, from 200 to finer, is done with
charged tin alloy laps, plus free diamond boart on the lap, all in a
very small amount of WD-40. Too little, the boart gums up, balls up
and is thrown off the lap; too much and the thin slurry is thrown
off the lap. Experience qnd attention quickly brings you to a place
that works. I originally learned before the time of bonded laps
(plated), using copper charged laps for everythig. Thr plated laps
were presented as a boon…water was less messy than oil
(especially the popular kerosene, paraffin or olive oil used then)
and you didn’t have to fiddle with loose diamond powder. We all
bought in…but the plated laps wear quickly, so for a production
cutter, they are expensive…and as they wear, the effective grit
size changes; and water makes things rust and gets into electrical
parts sooner or later; and water is a LOUSY lubricant for diamond
tools (unless you are the manufacturer, of course). So, many
professionals go back to boart on copper or tin alloys. Faster,
smoother, constant surfaces, etc.
On the occasions that I do use water, I use it with KoolMist as an
additive. reduces spray, lubricates and cools very well; is cheap
and re-usable!
For oil, it’s WD-40, applied with a small brush (or my finger). I
buy it by the gallon, put it in a baby food jar, dip my finger in
it, dip my finger in the diamond powder, apply near center post of
spinning lap, and that’s it.
I don’t like the spray, it will irritate your eyes and sinuses
eventually. No permanenet damage, but who needs it? MSDS and years of
usage with no problems indicates WD-40 to be one of the safest
lubricants available. Traditionally, olive oil (refined, not virgin)
or thinned Vaseline also work well.
I have to work to a very high standard of quality, while time is
still of the essence, and these methods provide predictabilty and
quality, and speed, every time.
I find wax to be slow and sometimes unpredictable, although if you
are working onesy-twosy, it’s fine. I dop up 6-8 pieces at a time,
using cyanoacrylate, sometimes with 2 part epoxy over it for very
large pieces and let it cure for 24 hours…I’m always working,
always behind, so when I get to it it is CURED. Likewise, placing it
in a solvent works for me, as it is just part of the work flow, and
when it releases, it releases. No heat, no damage.
Although the resident idiot did flush a large Tanzanite down the
toilet recently, a true sinking feeling…ugh.
Wayne