🔍 It’s not strictly required for small jobs, but it can be very helpful. When CNC routing aluminum or brass, many people use a little bit of lubricant to keep the cutter cool and to prevent chips from sticking. For example, a quick spray of WD-40 along the toolpath or a mist of a light oil can dramatically improve results – you’ll get cleaner cuts and extend bit life. If you have a misting setup (like FogBuster or similar), that’s ideal for continuous work. For plastics, you generally **do not** use liquid coolant (it’s usually cut dry or with an air blast), since plastics don’t need it beyond what the O-flute can handle. If you’re attempting harder metals (some do try mild steel on very rigid machines), coolant becomes more important – but cutting steel on a typical router is pushing it. Summing up: for aluminum, a little lubricant is recommended but not absolutely mandatory if you have good chip clearing; for plastics, dry with air blast is fine; for woods, no coolant obviously. SpeTool bits are carbide, so they handle heat better than HSS, but lubrication can still make a big difference in metal cutting.

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