Lathe Coolant system or Cutting Fluid, What do I need

[Ray C]

Look what I found with the 'extra stuff" that came with the lathe

Looks like a decision has been made for me.

Well, alrightee then... you're set. If you place the supply container high-up at about the same level as the discharge tube, you'll be able to run it on very low air pressure.

Have fun...

Ray C.

 

[Investigator]

And the question now becomes which coolant to use? The cool mist brand or any others? Right now I have plans on working with 17-4 stainless as well as some 4140 Steel. And of course aluminum every once in awhile

 

[outsider347]

Subscribed..

I have been thinking about removing the flood system from my new PM 1236. Really don't want the the mess & maintenance issues
Tks Ray C

 

[Bob Korves]

Your mister will work great. You may need to work at getting old gummed up coolant cleaned out of it. Rinse the unit and the piping after each use for best results long term if it will dry out between uses. For coolant, try this:
http://koolmist.com/formula-77-for-tougher-service
When using it, you only need a small amount of air and coolant to do the job. No big puddles should be created. Cleanup should be able to be done with a couple paper towels when finished. If you end up with a mess, you are using too much coolant.

 

[Ray C]

And the question now becomes which coolant to use? The cool mist brand or any others? Right now I have plans on working with 17-4 stainless as well as some 4140 Steel. And of course aluminum every once in awhile

As mentioned, I only use the #77 fluid and I've used it on everything from mild to high carbon steel and many of the 41xx alloys in both fully annealed and hardened up to the RC 45-50 range. Also have used it on the common 300 series stainless with no problem. Have not cut any 17-4 but, it's my understanding it is similar to the 300 series stainless. If you're new to machining, learning the basics of machine operation with aluminum and/or mild steel might be a less frustrating route. Stainless is really tough stuff and will play games with newby operators ...

61xx series aluminum is good to learn the basics. 1030 to 1045 steel in the normal condition is also good to learn on. A36, 1018 and 1020 are easy to cut but a little unpredictable (kinda gummy) to get a smooth/beautiful finish (which every lathe operator loves to see).

Regards

Ray C.

 

[dennys502]

I use Trim Microsol 585xt for my flood coolant.
I use flood for everything I do. It does get expensive as it evaporates rather quickly.

 

[Bob Korves]

I've been experimenting with Anchor lube because of the smoking issue with cutting oils. So far, it seems to work pretty well for most things I turn and no smoking issues. Anything that aerosolizes a fluid gets into the air so no coolant or mister systems for me.

Anchor lube is a good choice. It comes as a thick paste, and works on just about anything, from aluminum to stainless. It is water based, and can be diluted to whatever consistency you want for what you are doing. It clings to taps and drills so most of it gets into the cut, if you thin it and use it correctly. It is non toxic, and smells good, too! I have quite a bit on hand, but for some unknown reason rarely use it. Strange, because it works very well.

 

[middle.road]

I moved the Lil' Mister from the mill over to 1440, and ordered one of the $10 blue and orange misters off of eBay for the mill.
It goes through much more liquid that the Lil' Mister though. I'm still using Boelube @20:1 and do have problems with rust, but I think I may have figured out a partial solution for that.
What the wiping up doesn't get I've been spraying the area down with WD-40. Still had a mess under the mill vise.

Then I was working with lucite on the lathe and the only thing I could get to work for a decent finish was water with a dash of soap.
Using a windshield-washer pump, I jerry-rigged a nozzle off a nasal spray bottle and hooked up a foot switch.
And then had to put shielding on all over to keep the water at bay. Amazingly it is still functioning.
Quite a bit quieter than running the compressor for a mister. (gotta move the compressor someday... else find a quiet one. )

 

[Tozguy]

Well, alrightee then... you're set. If you place the supply container high-up at about the same level as the discharge tube, you'll be able to run it on very low air pressure.

Have fun...

Ray C.

Makes me wonder if we could not just raise the supply bottle higher and have a gravity feed without any air or mist at all. Just have a wick resting on the work ahead of the cut with a slow drip keeping the wick wet ????

 

[Eddyde]

Makes me wonder if we could not just raise the supply bottle higher and have a gravity feed without any air or mist at all. Just have a wick resting on the work ahead of the cut with a slow drip keeping the wick wet ????

That may work if you just wanted to apply some lubrication to the surface of the work. The mist system gets coolant/lube to the entire cutting area, it can be positioned to spray at an upward angle to get the fluid directly to the tip of the cutting tool. Also, the venturi effect adds additional cooling as the compressed air is expanding.
I have a Kool Mist unit, right now, I move it from machine to machine as needed, eventually, I will get dedicated ones for each machine. I think it's the way to go for hobby or non production shops.