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Mister or Flood
- Thread starter skeeter355
- Start date
- Joined
- Nov 16, 2012
- Messages
- 5,596
Please, if you go the route of oil, keep fans running for your own good. We really shouldn't play games with fumes in enclosed spaces.
Just want you to know, I never gave flood coolant a fair chance. I used it on my mill for 2-3 weeks about 3 years ago. With the lathe, I tried it for only 3-4 times and it left me with the same impression and decided not to change my existing procedures to accommodate a different cooling method.
There's an awful lot of guys out there who successfully use flood coolant -and they can't all be wrong, that's for sure. Another fellow pointed out that Castrol makes a clear fluid. All the stuff I had was milky.
And to be completely on the fair side of comparison, the mister has caused me to change my procedures about oversize cutting to allow for thermal contraction. It's going to take me weeks to re-experiment and take notes so, it's not totally painless to adopt.
Also, you need compressed air. I have a primary 29 gallon tank and another one that I can switch on and gang-up when needed. For just misting, the 29 gallon tank kicks on about once every 15-20 minutes.
Just want you to know, I never gave flood coolant a fair chance. I used it on my mill for 2-3 weeks about 3 years ago. With the lathe, I tried it for only 3-4 times and it left me with the same impression and decided not to change my existing procedures to accommodate a different cooling method.
There's an awful lot of guys out there who successfully use flood coolant -and they can't all be wrong, that's for sure. Another fellow pointed out that Castrol makes a clear fluid. All the stuff I had was milky.
And to be completely on the fair side of comparison, the mister has caused me to change my procedures about oversize cutting to allow for thermal contraction. It's going to take me weeks to re-experiment and take notes so, it's not totally painless to adopt.
Also, you need compressed air. I have a primary 29 gallon tank and another one that I can switch on and gang-up when needed. For just misting, the 29 gallon tank kicks on about once every 15-20 minutes.
- Joined
- Oct 13, 2012
- Messages
- 175
One thing I didn't see mentioned, and may not be an issue with lathes, is that Koolmist will cause some types of plastic to become brittle and crack. There's been several discussions of this problem on other forums.
The covers of my Fairchild limit switches on my X3 are suffering from this effect and need to be replaced. I'm hoping I can mill some aluminum or nylon covers for my X and Y limit switches.
On a lathe I don't expect there to be too many plastic parts that may exist and are exposed to the mist spray.
The covers of my Fairchild limit switches on my X3 are suffering from this effect and need to be replaced. I'm hoping I can mill some aluminum or nylon covers for my X and Y limit switches.
On a lathe I don't expect there to be too many plastic parts that may exist and are exposed to the mist spray.
- Joined
- Jan 21, 2013
- Messages
- 868
That's partly why I bought the preferred package. This is a very small room in the basement 7'x16'x80" with no chance of ventilation, so the flood cooling was intended from the start.
I'll try it since it's there, but it's nice to know there's an alternative if it really is that messy. A compressor would just add to the noise level, but I do have a spare if I decide to go that route.
The stuff is great on aluminum. I am using a shop built "Fogbuster" clone and running CoolMist 77. If I cut pretty heavily parts still get warm, I usually turn up the coolant. At times it's like being in the shower with all the steam coming off. It is definitely effective at avoiding the dreaded built up edge on aluminum, and it doesn't give me a headache like WD-40 vaports. The mild air blast is also nice for moving chips out of the cut zone. Mine is only running at 10-12psi, so it doesn't fling them all over just gets them out of the way.
As far as coolant usage. I purchased a small bottle from LMS about 2 years ago. I am getting close to finishing it off, but it lasts a long time. I tend to mix mine kind of rich, because I have had some problems with staining if it gets trapped between parts (like between the table and the vice).
As far as coolant usage. I purchased a small bottle from LMS about 2 years ago. I am getting close to finishing it off, but it lasts a long time. I tend to mix mine kind of rich, because I have had some problems with staining if it gets trapped between parts (like between the table and the vice).