# What Type Of Coolant System Are You Using?



## Jeb1234 (Mar 23, 2016)

I'd like to put a coolant system on my 1340GT, and am looking for recommendations.

What are you guys using and where can I get one?

It would be handy if I could share the same coolant system with my 9x35 Mill instead of buying two.


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## Rich V (Mar 23, 2016)

I purchased the Noga mini cool http://www.amazon.com/Mini-Cool-Single-Nozzle-Cutting-Applicator/dp/B005P07TSQ
I have not used it yet but it has good reviews and is reasonably cheap. Should be easy to move to another machine.


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## Bob Korves (Mar 23, 2016)

My lathe has flood coolant built in.  It is pristine, has never been used.  Flood coolant is the best choice for high performance machining, allows high speeds, keeps the work and tool cool and therefore more accurate, and improves surface finish by washing away the chips.  It is also an awful mess, while using it, while cleaning up the floor, and while cleaning up the stinky, rancid mess in the sump.  It can also rust machines and tooling.  Machine shops use lots of flood coolant, hobby shops very little.

I have a mist coolant system and find it a useful compromise for certain work.  The mess is smaller and better contained.  You get much of the benefit of flood cooling without all the mess.  But it is a compromise.

It is possible to just use cutting oils and other types of "liquid love" which help surface finish, cool the tool somewhat and the work a little.  Much less of a mess, much less benefit.

Finally, you can just cut dry.  On some materials, with the correct tools, speeds, and feeds it works just fine.  On other work you get an awful finish and hot parts and tools and more wear and tear of cutting edges.

All of these methods can be shared between machines with the right equipment.

It is pretty easy to try out everything except flood coolant, which takes more of a commitment.  See what works best for you...


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## wrmiller (Mar 23, 2016)

I have a Fogbuster, 1/2 gal. version on my 935. Thought about just swapping back and forth to the 1340, but am going to get another one so I can do a more permanent install. Just personal preference, as the Fogbuster is easily moved around.


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## TomS (Mar 23, 2016)

A mist or fog buster type system would be better for a lathe over a flood system.  Trying to contain flood coolant would be a major undertaking.  How do I know this?  I ran a turret lathe in my younger days and at the end of the day I was soaked head to toe with coolant.  And this was with a machine designed for flood.

Terrywerm (spelling?) has a thread on making a fog buster system, including drawings.  I used his drawings to make my system and it works great.

Tom S.


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## kd4gij (Mar 23, 2016)

I use a Trico  mister because I got a supper deal on it on EBay. Most misters can be set up and run like a fog buster -micro drop system. I have used manual lathes with flood coolant, just adjust it for a drip and no mess. But for most work I don't use coolant at all. A mister or fog buster is small enough to move from the lathe to the mill as needed. Now just to prove it will work I made a drip coolant system from a 1 gal. bug sprayer that works quite well.


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## davidpbest (Mar 24, 2016)

I built a Fogbuster knock-off after reading their patent.   Details here:   https://www.flickr.com/photos/davidpbest/albums/72157660749747763


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## Jeb1234 (Mar 24, 2016)

Thanks everyone.  It looks like a Fogbuster type of system would probably work well for me.  I'm just a little concerned about air quality in my garage, especially in winter when I have everything closed up.  I need to install a ventilation fan in the building anyway, but hopefully, this type of system won't leave a mist floating around to inhale and rust everything.

Dave, those plans look pretty straight forward and I think I have all the parts on hand...if the wife doesn't mind me taking the water filter from the kitchen...


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## Bray D (Mar 24, 2016)

I have a Noga Minicool and work in a small enclosed shop as well (20 x 12). You can dial in the air and coolant flow such that it doesn't fog the air. I really like it. Small, mobile, and you can use any reservoir you can come up with.


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## Bob Korves (Mar 24, 2016)

You don't want a "mist," regardless of the name of the system.  You want droplets that stick to the tool and the work, and do not fog the air.  That should be able to be done with any of the systems, regardless of brand by adjusting the pressure and the mix of air and coolant.  I am using an old Wesco system:
http://www.wescotool.com/mistcoolantsystems.cfm
that I got with a mill.  I had to clean up the grime and repair leaks at two of the bottom corners of the stainless tank, it was well used but works fine.  I use Koolmist 77 for coolant.  I recommend using a coolant that is formulated for mist cooling, probably better for your health...


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## gr8legs (Mar 24, 2016)

I put a Fogbuster on the mill and it works very well - easy to set up and no airborne mist that I can detect. Mine is programmable and turns on and off under cnc control which is very handy and saves coolant and cleanup. Needs occasional cleaning of the spray head or else the spray volume 'self-adjusts' in unpredictable ways.

For the lathe I have a spritzer bottle and use it judiciously since I could not fit the splash pan onto the machine in the space available. It also makes nice size droplets and no perceptible misting in the air. Maybe I'll get another Fogbuster if I get into larger / longer duration lathe projects.

Stu


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## wrmiller (Mar 24, 2016)

I have a single head FogBuster (fogbuster.com) on the mill and wish I had gotten the dual head version. So I'm thinking the single would work very well on the lathe, and I'll just get a dual head version to put on the mill.


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## lpeedin (Mar 24, 2016)

I was just discussing this topic this morning with my buddy Lee.  He and I are both very interested in fabbing up some Fog Buster type coolant systems.  I believer for both of our applications, this would be a much more ideal setup than flood coolant.  One thing to note, our 727 milling machines do come with a tapped hole fitted with a hose barbed end fitting to channel the flood coolant back down should we decide to go that route in the future.


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## lpeedin (Mar 24, 2016)

I watched James Kilroy's 4 part video series today on his fog less system build. In the end he didn't seem all that pleased with the results. May try contacting him on Facebook & see if he's still using it. I don't recall seeing it in any of his newer videos. 

But I definitely am considering doing some type of mist coolant. 


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## davidpbest (Mar 24, 2016)

lpeedin said:


> But I definitely am considering doing some type of mist coolant.



There's a big difference between a MQL system (Minimum Quantity Lubrication) like Fogbuster (or knock-off) and a "Mist" system.   The latter creates more of a health hazard by completely atomizing the coolant and thus polluting the air you breathe with the product.   

Making a mixing block based on the Fogbuster system is really easy if you have a mill and a selection of drill bits and taps.   I corresponded with James Kilroy about his knock-off and he wasn't very scientific about the mixing block design, so I went back to the Fogbuster patent and examined one from a real Fogbuster to get to the design I posted about earlier.

For me, the more complicated part was all the plumbing fittings to make a system with 2-channels of coolant application independently controllable - as you can see in the diagram at the link I posted above.   Were I to do it again, I'd make it single channel.  

I use Safflower oil in my Fogbuster knock-off and it works great, is each to clean up, non-toxic, doesn't dry to a gooey mess, and is cheap.   If I needed a better coolant, I'd go immediately to Qualichem.   You might find this video helpful if you haven't seen it already:


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## borris (Mar 25, 2016)

I use the Kool Mist system with both my PM 1340GT and my PM 932 Mill.  I have both mist systems set up to central shop air with a small inline air valve by each machine.  I can easily control flow of air by using the valve while the machine is in operation.  I use a very fine mist which just collects droplets on the work.  This system seems to work well.


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## BGHansen (Mar 26, 2016)

My Grizzly G0709 lathe has a flood coolant system built in.  I use it when I remember it's there . . .   I use a blue-shaded Trimsol coolant (don't recall the model, they sell many variations) which supposedly doesn't rust up your machine (mine is clean at this point).  My Grizzly has a built in slide out chip pan that is level with the lathe.  I shimmed the LH side pan glide up 1/4" so everything runs to the drain on the RH side.

Bruce


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## Clock work (Mar 17, 2018)

davidpbest said:


> I built a Fogbuster knock-off after reading their patent.   Details here:   https://www.flickr.com/photos/davidpbest/albums/72157660749747763



Hi David... nice work. Just ball park, what do you think you spent making that?

CW


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## davidpbest (Mar 18, 2018)

More than it would cost to buy a Noga mist system, that's for sure.   Since making this knock-off, I have replaced it with a Noga system on the mill which performs much better.   I put a Fogbuster on my PM1340 lathe, and although more expensive, I am very happy with it.


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## Clock work (Mar 18, 2018)

davidpbest said:


> More than it would cost to buy a Noga mist system, that's for sure.   Since making this knock-off, I have replaced it with a Noga system on the mill which performs much better.   I put a Fogbuster on my PM1340 lathe, and although more expensive, I am very happy with it.



Thank you.. appreciate the good info.

CW


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## wrmiller (Mar 18, 2018)

davidpbest said:


> More than it would cost to buy a Noga mist system, that's for sure.   Since making this knock-off, I have replaced it with a Noga system on the mill which performs much better.   I put a Fogbuster on my PM1340 lathe, and although more expensive, I am very happy with it.



I recently put a Fogbuster on my 1340GT and wish I'd done it sooner. Works great.


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## Clock work (Mar 18, 2018)

Thank you Bill. Now I have two good choices. Appreciated!


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## jwmelvin (Mar 18, 2018)

What drives the choice between the Fogbuster and a Noga mist system? I was inclined to go with something like a Fogbuster to minimize airborne contaminants.


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## Clock work (Mar 19, 2018)

jwmelvin said:


> What drives the choice between the Fogbuster and a Noga mist system? I was inclined to go with something like a Fogbuster to minimize airborne contaminants.



Appreciated. Your comment caused me to dig deeper.. having a family with a serious breathing problem, I think my choice is made for me. So like... REALLY appreciated. 

10,000 years ago, I happened to be in a colleague's office over in the intellectual ghetto known as the mechanical engr department <s> who was a fluids guy, when someone from a local manufacturer that was pursuing a new and more effective fire hose nozzle came by for a visit... I was privileged to hear as just an observer a boat load of super interesting back/forth about controlling droplet size/pattern. Their focus was doing it all at the nozzle and while I don't remember any of the details (1983 or 4) it sounded like engineering the right qualities into the nozzle can make a big difference on this point. Of course fire hoses mix the fluid with air after the nozzle and these tools do it before but a Noga nozzle retrofit is also doable. Just thinking out loud though... family member with blown out lungs. FB for me. Thank you again. 

CW


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## wrmiller (Mar 20, 2018)

jwmelvin said:


> What drives the choice between the Fogbuster and a Noga mist system? I was inclined to go with something like a Fogbuster to minimize airborne contaminants.



I have a Fogbuster on the mill, and one on the lathe. Spendy, but I won't consider a mist type system. Smoked for too many years.


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## SSage (Mar 23, 2018)

I like the cheap option here: https://www.banggood.com/Mist-Coola...-p-987371.html?rmmds=myorder&cur_warehouse=CN

I have two of them, one on the PM1236 lathe and one on the PM727M mill. I run Kool Mist 77 in them, the mister fogs really well. The nozzle can be adjusted to a fine mist or a heavy spray. Works for me. I use a small air pressure regulator set about 10 psi to feed them using 3/16" ID (I think)  clear vinyl hose. I use mine daily, I like the light use of coolant. No rust issues so far, been using 6 ounces of Kool Mist 77 to one gallon of filtered water.


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## Bob Korves (Mar 23, 2018)

SSage said:


> I like the cheap option here: https://www.banggood.com/Mist-Coola...-p-987371.html?rmmds=myorder&cur_warehouse=CN
> 
> I have two of them, one on the PM1236 lathe and one on the PM727M mill. I run Kool Mist 77 in them, the mister fogs really well. The nozzle can be adjusted to a fine mist or a heavy spray. Works for me. I use a small air pressure regulator set about 10 psi to feed them using 3/16" ID (I think)  clear vinyl hose. I use mine daily, I like the light use of coolant. No rust issues so far, been using 6 ounces of Kool Mist 77 to one gallon of filtered water.


That is what I am now using as well.  Cheapest thing out there, works great.  I use 2 liter soda bottles to hold the coolant.


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