# Idea or design needed for oiling



## eac67gt (Mar 2, 2013)

Hi all,

I am looking for an idea or design I can build like something I once saw on the internet. I want to build a little ssytem using my shop air to oil/mist the parts maching on minimill or minilathe. I saw a system that had a block that the oil in, air in and oil/mist out all went into. I am assuming it was using a venturi type system inside. I am not very good with design so I was looking to find some ideas. Can it be bought...yes but it is more fun to try and make it. I was looking where I saw it but yet to find it. When I do find what I saw I will post it mean while if anyone has ideas...help please. 

Have a great day!

Ed

Found it or at least one like it. 
	

		
			
		

		
	

View attachment 48622


----------



## Tom Griffin (Mar 2, 2013)

Ed,

Those aren't mist oiling systems, they are mist coolant systems. They use a water based synthetic coolant (Kool Mist is a common brand) that is safe to breathe (unlike oil). The commercial units have two needle valves, one for air and one for coolant, but you could get by with just one for coolant and use a separate valve for the air. All you would need is a through hole in a block of brass or aluminum with a screw going through it that has a tapered end going into a matching tapered seat in the block, just like a needle valve on a model airplane engine. You can buy the Snap Loc coolant hose for about $8 at any industrial supply, unless you want to make that too :nono:. Give it a try and let us know how it works.

Tom


----------



## eac67gt (Mar 2, 2013)

Thanks TomG

My son has just a little shop down stairs and when we part or I do a lot of milling slots I need to oil. Right now I am using one of those, I call them flux bottles, the small platic bottle with a needle end to oil the parts.
Here is a pic of one of the processes I am referring too. 
	

		
			
		

		
	

View attachment 48630


It would be nice with really little expense to make the oiling a little easier. I rigged one of those bottles I referred to upside down and put a real fine tube on it and let it drip. It created a small mess but didn't seem to drip when you want or how you want. I really didn't mess with it much. The bottom line is can I come up with a better way to make it easier without spending much money or am I going about this totally wrong.

Have a great day!

Ed


----------



## Halligan142 (Mar 2, 2013)

An acid brush and an old soup can full of the cutting fluid has always worked for me.  If your really intent on spraying the cutting fluid on the work automatically without using a spray bottle why not make a stand and slightly modify the action of an airbrush so that the trigger stays in the selected spot then you can adjust airpressure via regulator to adjust the stream?  The cheap ones are about $12


----------



## eac67gt (Mar 2, 2013)

thanks Halligan142,

I did try a brush and a container of oil which I still use for some things. On the pic I showed the mill has a power drive that I rigged with some switches so that it reverses automatically. It will sit there and just keep going back and forth. All I need to do is slowly increase the depth of the cut. I am in some ways lazy and want to make it easier to oil also. I have brushed it, dripped it and sprayed it out of a spray bottle but what I want to do is hands free. I may be reaching for the moon that I don't want to spend money on it. I have lots of odds and ends around here and lots of aluminum so I was going to try and build something. :nuts:
I do have an air brush out in the garage I don't use or at least haven't used in a long time. I will have to think about that.

Have a great day!

Ed


----------



## DMS (Mar 2, 2013)

I don't recommend the misters; they use a venturi, and that atomizes the coolent. You end up breathing it, and even though it's "safe" I always ended up feeling off after using the mister. I eventually built a fogbuster clone (there are lots of designs on the internet). The main difference is that it uses a pressurized coolant tank, so you don't need a venturi to suck the coolant out. The result is small droplets of coolant in a nice air blast, rather than a fog that covers everything.

This works really well on aluminum. I tend to cut steel dry, but I still use the air blast (just turn off the coolant) to help clear chips. I made mine for about $80, but could have done it for cheaper if I shopped around.


Pics of my version, the tank is out of frame, I used a household water filter holder as a coolant tank. It runs on about 10psi.

https://plus.google.com/photos/113058612034694188913/albums/5813881653643799809?banner=pwa


----------



## eac67gt (Mar 2, 2013)

DMS, thanks.
That is a cool idea, I looked at your pics.
This one I will have to really keep in mind because I have most things needed to do what you showed.
I'll have to think about all this and do more looing on the internet but I really like yours.
Thanks again.
Have a great day!
Ed


----------

