Any Recommendations for a Flood Coolant?

[matthewsx]

I got my misting system at Dollar Tree.



John

 

[erikmannie]

I got my misting system at Dollar Tree.

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John

This is such a great idea for when somebody is broke. Great timing!

 

[NortonDommi]

The corrosion problems with a machine not used in production work is not worth a soluble oil. I use a dropper now and have a mister if I need it but are saving for a drum of cutting oil. Stuff saved my bandsaw.

 

[tjb]

Wow, I did not see this coming: rancid coolant and damage to the machine.

I will skip it for now, and just leave the flood coolant system empty.

Since I don’t go out of state for school anymore, I will be staying home for 6 weeks a year just working in my shop. I will probably put coolant in the system for those 6 weeks and leave the system empty the rest of the year (when I can only work on the lathe on weekends).

I'm not nearly as experienced as most of our experts who have chimed in, but it did not take me long to determine flood cooling on a lathe in a hobby environment is not only messy, but also wholly unnecessary. I initially bought Koolmist systems for both my mill and lathe, which are far more user friendly in my shop. I still have that system on my mill, but I found that even that was overkill on the lathe. I use the same coolant that is in the Koolmist system but apply it with a spray bottle. Most often, only a small of coolant is sufficient. And in some instances, oil - or nothing - is better anyway.

In my opinion, you may wish to reconsider the plan to routinely use it for a six week period out of the year. The clean-up for the remaining 46 weeks would seem to me to be a disagreeable hassle. It'd be a lot easier, cleaner and cheaper to start with a lesser system and move up if you ever deem it necessary.

Regards,
Terry

 

[talvare]

I don't use "coolant" in the system on my lathe for all of the reasons stated here. I use Mobil 766 cutting oil. It certainly doesn't provide as much cooling effect as a coolant does, but it does help a lot and it keeps the lathe from getting stinky, sticky or rusty.

Ted

 

[Papa Charlie]

How long does it take before the coolant mix becomes rancid?

In warmer climates not long at all. Add to that, plan on having the coolant thrown by the rotation of the work all over the place. Then there is the constant battle with creating rust. If you ever watch Abom79 he rarely uses coolant, instead will use the Noga Mist or just cutting oil. If he does use coolant, he has to wipe the machine down and he then sprays it down with WD40 to disperse the water and try to prevent rust from forming.

If you are concerned with cooling the work, I would rig a air nozzle to help cool the work and to remove the chips from the area for better cutting and vision. The Noga Mist system can add moisture or be used for air only.

 

[turningwheels]

Even when using just wd40 on my mill as a cutting fluid on aluminum, I get rust buildup on the vise. I tried using a coolant spray on my mill and found that it isn't worth the effort of cleaning the machine with a fine comb brush after every use. Chasing rust is a drag. Cutting oil and a rag at the end of the session has worked for me..

 

[BGHansen]

I use TrimSol from Master Fluid Solutions. I recall paying between $35 - $40 a gallon. I've got it mixed something like 1 part TrimSol to 8 parts water (maybe even 12 to 1). I've used the same coolant in my Harbor Freight 7 x 12 band saw for probably 4 years, hasn't gotten stinky yet.

My Grizzly G0709 lathe has a coolant pump that hasn't been used in 4 years, bought the lathe 5 years ago. Spinning metal in a chuck has a way of throwing it EVERYWHERE. Really makes a mess if you get the flow into the chuck jaws. It's like shooting a super soaker into a desk fan. Compressed air for moving chips can work okay, mist coolant is better.

Bruce

 

[pontiac428]

I don't miss all the hundreds of little cuts on my fingertips from handling freshly milled parts and how they would itch and pus with infection from rancid nasty-ass coolant. No thank you.

You might be able to run cutting oil in your system, if it is rated for it. As for me, I just do what everyone else has said, for all the same reasons.

 

[benmychree]

I have flood coolant on my 19" lathe and use it, but mostly I cut dry and use TapMagic for finish work.