Changed the coolant/cutting fluid in my saw- PITA

[Janderso]

A dirty job to say the least.
I changed the coolant in my Jet horizontal saw. What a PITA!!
I try to keep my equipment in good shape. This is the first time I changed the fluid since I bought the saw in early 2019.
It was due.
The reservoir has no drain. It has an opening for the pump and the inlet/screen.
The pic has the fresh fluid.
I have two gallons of nasty chip infested old coolant. Fortunately I can take it to work and dump it in the mop water drum for recycling.
Your thoughts on the water soluble oil or the synthetic?
I use the same concentrate for all my machines. Surface grinder, mill, lathe......I just ran out of the water soluble stuff.

 

[benmychree]

My experience is that all the different coolants other than cutting oil go bad, eventually causing rusting problems, I think that daily use, where the coolant is aerated helps with coolant lifespan.

 

[mksj]

I tried several coolants in my bandsaw and had very good tank life and cutting performance using Koolrite emulsion, I would go 1+ years w/o changing it when I was in Arizona. Other products went rancid in a couple of months, I also had less issues with rusting using the Koolrite. David Best also had a product he recommended but I do not recall the name. I use my bandsaw less frequently these days so have been cutting dry for the last 2 years, but using the Koolrite definitely improved the cutting performance and chip removal. Removing and cleaning the tank is a real PTA, I did modify the coolant connection and was planning on putting a sealed socket connector for the power to make removal easier. Also the coolant pump can get rusted and clogged if left too long without changing the coolant.

KOOLRite 2290 Long Life Coolant

 

[Ianagos]

I like qualichem 251c gone 3 years on one of my machines and it was not terrible even at that point. I think tormach still sells it by the gallon. One gallon should last a while in a small saw.

You do need a refractometer to check it every month or so. You could guess but then that can go bad.

 

[pontiac428]

Jeff, I wouldn't use that synthetic. It's full of amines that break down to n-nitrosamines, which directly cause cancer by forming adducts with the nucleic acid guanine. The industry knows it, but consumers might not.

 

[Janderso]

Jeff, I wouldn't use that synthetic. It's full of amines that break down to n-nitrosamines, which directly cause cancer by forming adducts with the nucleic acid guanine. The industry knows it, but consumers might not.

Pontiac,
Did you come up with that from memory?
I was steered away from synthetics after I bought it.
John, I think you advised against the synthetic.
Shoot, need to buy some.

 

[pontiac428]

I did come up with that from memory, but assessing industrial chemicals for health risk is what I do for a living. The soluble oils are fine until they rot. Stick to the changeout schedule. The nitrosamines from the synthetic breaking down are no joke, though.

 

[aliva]

Everything in life has risk, driving, walking, using a knife etc., it's up to the individual to determine if the risk level is worth the end result. I use synthetic coolant, Castrol Syntilo, Works well ,it's clear in color so it doesn't obscure the work. I'm in my late 60s I have beaten cancer so far, and have other health issues. So exposure to nitrosamines is not on my list of concerns. I don't use the coolant often enough for it to be a issue.
I'm not disputing or down playing the hazards, but put everything into prospective. and make an informed decision. At what temperature do the nitrosamine's form,? What's your exposure length, what's the level of concentration? what's the LDL value? what's the areas a ventilation?
You decide.

 

[finsruskw]

That looks like the same saw I have.
When you guys get the coolant deal all sorted out, be sure and let us deplorables out here in the hinterland know which is best and where to get it, OK??

 

[The Shootist]

We have that same saw in the shop at work.

I buy Kool-tool for it so we don't have any mixing or anything to fool with. We don't use it much and don't want to mess around with dilution and rust.