Coolant system.

I need a coolant system for my mill, lathe and band saw.

I have a pump and tank for the mill and lathe.

How many nozzles would I need for the mill?

What is the best idea of containing the coolant splatters?

My band saw is a BS-5, how can I install a coolant system to this, because I have to use this in my BBQ area I need to have some way of not making a mess on the pavers.

https://www.machineryhouse.com.au/B003

I just found these on ebay would these be better?

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Air-Mist-Coolant-System-Lubrication-Spray-for-Lathe-Grind-Mill-CNC-Machine-/121963258578?hash=item1c6593a2d2:g:LoQAAOSwJSJXGDlP

Mark, do you need it or just feel you should have it.

I manage quite happily on my X3 with little more than a pot and small brush.

J

Yeah i actually went down the feel like it route at one point and have not used it since. Still, get some water soluble just for the economy value and use it out of a bottle.

I would say if you are doing CNC batch milling i'd say either coolant or air is a must, otherwise the tools could well overload on heavy side cuts. 

Having said that, there is one way around it by using a heavy application of carnuba wax before milling and it should be enough to contain the chips for 1 cycle before cleaning. 

But for a bit of this and a bit of that work on manual machines it's really unnecessary and a burden to clean. 

If you need a lubricant that can withstand high heat on the occasional drilling/tapping operation get some mollislip metalworking compound, does the job well. 

Michael W

Edited By Michael Walters on 28/06/2016 11:54:50

Containing cutting coolant?, never thought much about it. My thoughts are to get a length of "Corex", its like corrugated cardboard, only plastic. Fold it around (corrugations vertical) so it sits in the outer drip grooves of your mill, bolt overlaps together.

For hand fed coolant, I use a cyclists drinking container with about 7" of hardish 3mm diam. tubing PVC to get to odd places. This pipe is sold as " boom tubing" in fishing tackle shops.

Frank

I have Bijur mist coolant systems for the Bridgeport mill and Smart & Brown 1024 lathe and wouldn't be without them. I don't use the all the time but they really are the bee knees for difficult materials where cutting dry gives poor finish or short tool life. I use Rocol Ultracut diluted 50 to 1 as its what I have. Expensive but effective. Originally bought for the pump fed system on the 1024 which I keep filled but very rarely use due to the mess.

Worst thing about mist systems is the tendency to push unpleasant vapour everywhere if not properly aimed. Compared to pump fed flood coolant systems there is very little mess to clear. The thin oil film does get into unexpected places and is really slippery. If I get my Ultracut well into a collet it pretty much won't grip until cleaned. Mist systems use a fair bit of air too, about 2 cfm for the Bijur so you need either a quiet compressor or one outside the shop.

In the home workshop the advantages are more due to lubrication than cooling as we rarely work our machines hard enough for heat build-up to be a major problem. I think this one is a bit neater and more convenient to use than the one Mark found **LINK** . Having two compact adjusters on the head block which can be set and, hopefully forgotten is less cumbersome than the big valve on the one Mark found. Needs a separate air shut off tho'. Having damaged the Bijur wand on my lathe when a swarf birds nest off a high speed carbide tool took me by surprise I'm contemplating giving one of those a whirl as Bijur parts are expensive.

Clive

Clive.

Edited By Clive Foster on 28/06/2016 13:13:07

I've made up my own version of a mist system for use on my lathe & mill, from a garden pump spray bottle, a couple of bulkhead fittings, a few 6 mm push in air fittings & nylon line hook up to my compressor, on trials it works reasonably well... but truthfully I haven't used it in anger, have used a lab wash squeezy bottle / spray can WD40 for what I've need to date, so in effect it was an exercise in feasibility ! ... so, do you really need it is the question ?

George.

Most of the time, I cut dry.

Occasionally, when milling, soluble oil, or neat cutting oil is squirted on from a squeezy bottle.

For parting off, soluble oil is syphoned from what used to be a 1 Litre shampoo bottle, placed on a shelf above the lathe, to a shop made nozzle/needle valve mounted on the pillar of a pot magnet placed on the Cross Slide. The pump is used to start the flow down the length of windscreen washer tubing, to the brass needle valve/nozzle.

After use, the complete set up can be removed, and stored with the magnet/valve/nozzle above the bottle.

Crude, but it suffices.

Howard

Thanks for your replies.

How do you use the Carnauba wax?

The Carnauba wax I have use come in a extremely hard bar, used in wood turning.

I have been using cutting fluid in a spray can which is extremely expensive in my area, tried diesel oil as have about twenty litres of it but it is so messy.

I cant find Molyslip here, eBay only gives me UK seller postage is £20.25 for a 450g tin.

I probably don't really need need it and I defiantly don't want my compressor running all the time in my shed.

Just as an after thought I wonder if one of these would have enough puff for one of those coolant mister?

I still reckon I will need some sort of coolant on my bandsaw.

I would steer well clear of misters unless the super expensive high power industrial multi nozzle styles.
Made that mistake 6 years ago with the Noga kit used three times. Once on lathe whilst awaiting a new coolant pump, never again cost me 50% wasted time over coolant and twice on mill in 6 years, both used daily pro.

Misters felt a bit more appropriate for basic milling nothing mildly approaching normal use.
Lathe forget it unless just turning a finishing cut anything more it don't cool the part or tool, 5 mins in parts come off hot mister on full whack bordering airborne dangerous. Had more lock ups using mister on lathe than running dry so don't imagine being able to bore or drill holes with any compassion.

Mark what you could do is have one coolant system fitted to one machine. When required on other just push a hose pipe on nozzle feeding a separate nozzle on another machine.
Mess don't worry about it, its a tool made for using rather than looking at.

Heat can build up to unacceptable in seconds even for home/diy use. Best way of keeping cool, submerse a part or don't let it build up heat in first place or spend all day doing a 5 min job.