# Tormach 1100 Coolant Enclosure Questions?



## freeidaho (Feb 5, 2014)

Howdy,
I have been very busy using the search feature on this forum, and have read all the coolant pump  and coolant enclosure threads I could find.  I still have some fairly  basic question.  Sorry if this has been covered before.  I am a fairly  new reader here.

The factory coolant enclosure for the 1100 is almost 40" above the point where the mill bolts to the base.

For those of you with really energetic coolant pumps, how much coolant  still gets out?  How damp is the top of the electrical/controller box?

Or, how high should the enclosure be to keep almost all of it in?

What transparent, rigid, enclosure materials have y'all used for DIY enclosures?  Plexi?  Lexan?  Other?  What thickness?

Why choose one over the other?  Is plexi considerably less expensive?

Does coolant attack plexi or lexan, and weaken it or make it cloudy after a while?

Does anyone know of a source for steel corner angle?  These are made to  hold the corner together where two flat partitian come together.  I have  found several aluminum ones.

Has anyone put a canister type filter inside their coolant reservoir,  and hooked the inlet to their pump up to that?  This would filter the  swarf out, before it enters the pump and lines.  It wouldn't need to be  mounted, and could come out of the tank when the lid is removed.  The  logic here is that the submerged filter would be naturally flooded with  coolant, and would cut down on the system losses from sucking coolant  through the filter.

What design works best for the doors of a coolant enclosure.  One big panel that slides down in to a channel?  Hinged doors?  What?

What mistakes should I avoid in making a coolant enclosure?

What features are a must have for an enclosure?

Thank you in advance for all your help! 

kr
PS: in a few days I should have a set of DIY base drawings to share and get your design suggestions for.


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## jumps4 (Feb 6, 2014)

here is the enclosure I built for a member here, we used tempered glass, it was cheap safe and scratch resistant, plexi scratches easy from just normal cleaning. His pump and mine are pond pumps from harbor freight, we haven't needed a filter the metals sink and the oils float and can be skimmed off. we use water soluble oil from Mcmastercarr.com and mine has lasted over a year with no problems, I just add oil of water as needed. the water will evaporate over time but not the oil so I just add water most of  the time.
I have some drawings but they were for a g0704 you could have them for  ideas. our doors slide on drawer slides. the 20ga sheet metal is about $30 a 4x8 sheet.
steve


http://www.hobby-machinist.com/show...gress?p=142206&highlight=baconbits#post142206


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## freeidaho (Feb 7, 2014)

Steve,
Thank you!

Ken Reed


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