When To Use Coolant

JPigg55

JPigg55

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What factors do you use when deciding on using coolant or not and type of coolant ?
From reading several post and watching videos, I've seen many recommendations on coolants from WD-40, air, cutting fluid, to flood coolant systems, but have seen little on what or how to use them.
My machines do not have flood coolant systems.
Wondering what types of coolants I should be aquiring, when to use, and how I should be using them.
Also wondering if flood coolants are used on manual mills. I've seen them on lathes, but not really on manual mills. If so, how do you deal with the run-off/mess ?
 
I wouldn't think of WD-40 as a coolant. I use it as a lubricant when cutting aluminum or brass. It has very low heat capacity and although it will disperse some heat by boiling, you rarely use enough volume to do much good.

Flood cooling is messy, no two way about it. Most systems that use flood have some kind of containment. One thing that works for me is to make a "shower curtain" of 6 mil vinyl sheet and hang it around them work with magnets. It directs most of the spray down to the table and is quite effective. You will have to set up some kind of drain system to direct the coolant to your reservoir/pumping system. My Tormach has NPT tapped holes at the rear of the table to drain coolant from the Tee slot channels. If you make a modification like that, make sure the drain hole or holes are at a low point . I would also be concerned about protecting the ways and lead screws from coolant.

Barring that, people use mist coolant systems where coolant is introduced into an air stream directed at the cutting edge. The evaporative process is fairly effective at removing heat. A cold air stream can also be used. Tom Lipton of OxTools had a YouTube video about a misting system he built and uses. John Saunders of NYC CNC has a You Tube video on air air cooling system he uses as well as some discussion about why he uses it.

Bob
 
WD 40 is a Water Displacer, hence the WD. It can be used for a lot of things even cleaning hands. It was never meant to do the other things. W- Water, D-Displacer, and 40 - Got it right on the 40th try.

"Billy G"
 
There are several reasons to use flood coolant.
Faster speeds and heavier cuts, it aids in chip control, improved finish, if you have an enclosed mill with enough coolant pressure/volume it can blow the chips out of a pocketing operation, longer tool life and the part isn't to hot to touch when removing it from the machine. Some materials are nearly unmachinable with conventional tooling without some form of lubricant to keep the work from attaching itself to the tools.
You will see many Bridgeport type knee mills that sit inside a coolant pan/tank combination like so http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTA2NlgxNjAw/z/FfwAAOSwPhdVLsaK/$_35.JPG
 
I like that coolant pan. That may be what I need on my 8520. Thanks for the picture.

"Billy G"
 
Bill Gruby said:
WD 40 is a Water Displacer, hence the WD. It can be used for a lot of things even cleaning hands. It was never meant to do the other things. W- Water, D-Displacer, and 40 - Got it right on the 40th try.

"Billy G"
Click to expand...
According to their gallon can, one of the four categories of use is lubrication. It is a light oil with some volatiles and doesn't do a very good job of permanent lubrication due to its volatility but I find it works well when milling, drilling, and tapping aluminum. It does a great job of preventing galling of the aluminum and reducing breakage of taps.
 
If you read my entire post you would have seen it can be used for many purposes. It's original intent was Water Displacing.

"Billy G"
 
The reason WD-40 has that name is the first 39 tries failed.:chemist:
***G***
 
Billy, I was aware that the WD stood for "water displacing" (didn't know where the 40 came from, thanks for that bit of information). I had not interpreted your statement "It was never meant to do the other things." as meaning originally. Sorry for the confusion.

Clearly, WD-40 has many uses; their website list over two thousand user supplied uses, I recall a period of time in the past where it was even touted as a fish attractant.

Bob
 
The "W" stands for WATER

The "D" stands for DISPLACER

You are correct on the "40" as the first 39 tries failed

It is a good fish attractant we us it for Catfishing.

"Billy G"
 
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