Setting up flood coolant on my lathe

[wquiles]

I am having a few challenges drilling into Titanium and with my Dorian cut knurler, so Barry recommended I try flood coolant instead of my near-dry cooling system. So of course, I followed his advice

The original cooling system that came with the lathe was of extremely low quality. But, I decided to try use the hoses, at least to get started:

A neat thing about the factory "tank" is the hole with the mesh filter. It allows fluid to go from one side to the other, but the debris stay at the bottom, and don't make it to the side of the pump:

Per Barry's recommendation I bought this pump. It is excellent, and quiet!:

The factory "filter" on the chip pan had this really fragile screen:

So I decided to make something a little bit stronger and ticker, and used silicone sealant for it:

For the tank, I used a plastic container from my local Target, and a plexiglass piece to act as dividing wall:

I drilled a lot of small holes to allow fluid to cross over, while letting debris stay on the bottom. Then used silicon sealant again:

Here I am testing it - worked great:

For the switch, I am using a SPST on a metal case with a magnet on the back):

I then cleaned and de-greased both contact areas, and once again, used silicone sealant. Not pretty, but it works great (zero leaks!):

It is definitely more messy compared to the near-dry lubrication system, but it works great on the cut knurler, and then drilling Ti:

Will

 

[Norm]

Not that I'm a machinist but it looks good Will

Norm

 

[precisionworks]

... it looks good Will

Norm

+1

IMO it's funny that most of the negative comments about flood coolant are made by people who don't use it & have never tried it :nana:

Both the horizontal bandsaw & the cold saw in my shop have run flood since day one (over 10 years ago). Probably get a drop of coolant on the floor every week or two & both these saws get almost daily use.

For titanium & other tough to machine metals it's the method of choice in most shops. Flood is slowly being replaced by through-the-tool MQL but that usually means a special spindle, sealed tool holders, coolant through tooling, etc. Not unusual to see this on multi axis CNC machines starting around half a million USD.

 

[PEU]

Be careful on what coolant you choose, some rotten after a while resulting in clogged pipes and also sometimes foul odors...


Pablo

 

[wquiles]

At least for now, I am using TRIM MicroSol 585XT:
http://southernlubricants.co.uk/aqadmin/media/uploads/51014a82d45e2/MicroSol_585XT.pdf

 

[precisionworks]

Sometimes an aquarium bubbler can help keep the coolant fresh. The anaerobic bacteria are the ones that really smell badly & aerating the liquid can help.


Barry Milton
Precision-Gunsmithing.com
iPhone5 voice recognition

 

[wquiles]

I bought a portable refractometer to watch/verify the coolant/water concentration, but the main thing I will be doing this weekend, not that I got everything running is:
- discarding the current fluid (2-3 gallons), which was created with plain tap water for this test, and creating a new mix (hence the refractometer) with distilled water, since my tap water is very hard and I know (from past usage with a mister) that I will get rust if I don't change the water to distilled
- installing the lock-line "Y" so that I can have two lock-line hoses
- installing a new in-line lock-line valve in each of the two lock-line hoses, so that I can have variable output, as right now there is WAY too much coolant coming out!:

 

[wquiles]

OK, so I added the "Y", and the two in-line valves. Now I have a lot more control

 

[KC2IXE]

I've had flood cooling on my Atlas for years. Don't need it all the time, but when you need it, you NEED it

 

[BVH]

Anyone want my 1236 factory flood coolant pump and tank for just the cost of shipping? I'll never use it and don't want it sitting around. Just like the one pictured in this thread.

 

[wquiles]

I actually threw my OEM pump and tank away to the trash.

 

[BVH]

Yep, that's where it's going. Just hate to throw away "usable" stuff.

 

[wquiles]

Yep, that's where it's going. Just hate to throw away "usable" stuff.

I briefly consider using it, but the tank is very small (too small), and the quality of the pump is just .... junk. The pump I am using is so quiet I just simply leave it running while I change tooling, etc.

 

[VegasF6]

Anyone want my 1236 factory flood coolant pump and tank for just the cost of shipping? I'll never use it and don't want it sitting around. Just like the one pictured in this thread.

I am very tempted. But I am getting ready to move soon and I am trying not to bring home MORE crap.

 

[BVH]

It's gone to a better place now. Rest in peace. No longer available.

 

[precisionworks]

The pump that Will uses is the same one I use on my cold saw. $47 on Amazon & more than enough power & capacity for flood coolant use. Unrestricted flow is 30 US gallons per minute so it has to be throttled back for most machine tool uses.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000X05G1A/?tag=cpf0b6-20