Oh Good Lord...rolair, Accu-lube, Starret, Centering Scope

[coolidge]

Inbound...

Rolair 20 gallon air compressor model 5520K17. I decided I didn't need an 80 gallon grain silo and I'm hoping this is about 20 decibels quieter than my pancake compressor.



Accu-Lube double pump MQL (Minimum Quantity Lubrication) system, see the big magnets on the back I'll be swapping this between the mill, lathe, and band saw as needed. The price was OUCH! The only place that had it in stock was MSC, all the other distributors drop ship from the factory with up to a 2 week lead time. I was able to negotiate MSC down close to the other distributors price.



Centering scope from Enco it was on a double sale over 30% off. I'm just so tired of straining to center the mill on my scribed lines. I see Jim added a camera I'll be looking into that one day.

Starrett edge finder, I looked at various electronic units but the accuracy didn't seem much better than what you can do with this old style. The DRO will take care of most of my needs in this area anyway.



I opted for a wiggler as well, both of these tools were very reasonably priced. I did scan ebay but all the ones I found were rusted. I got both these from Enco on sale.


I'm going to give Trico's Tri-Cool MD7 full synthetic a try based on user reviews that it doesn't dry into a sticky mess (or dry ever apparently) and does not cause rust problems. No sulfur or chlorines in this. You use this straight right out of the jug, should last about 10 years the Accu-Lube system uses tiny quantities of this. I had used a water based synthetic Tri-Cool years ago and never had any rust issues.



Doubleeboy forced me to buy some of this and give it a try.

 

[Doubleeboy]

Be interesting to hear your report on the various new toys. I have considered many times a centering scope but decided I could just touch off with edge finder and use the DRO with .0002" resolution to get me closer than the scope could. Its a rare day when I use layout ink and scribe lines, usually when I am in doubt layout, but even then its just to keep me from making egregious errors. If you find the scope really helps maybe I should reconsider.

That Accu-lube set up looks sweet. Let us know how it works out. Sounds like something found in a adult toy store..... oh wait a minute is was, just a different kind.

Nice Haul!!!
michael

 

[4GSR]

A big AAAA++++ on the Starrett M-1!!! I keep 4-6 cans of it on hand. Usually buy from Little Machine Shop, best price around.

 

[coolidge]

There are jobs where I'm trying not to waste time being DRO/CAD accurate. If I can hit my scribe mark its fine but eyesight wise everything is fuzzy anymore. I guess I need to get the prescription glasses like the doctor told me to last year the off the shelf reading glasses are not cutting it anymore. Picture me with my head stuck up under the mill with a big magnifying glass trying to line up to a scribed line that's what I have been dealing with. Being able to look straight down through a scope should be a real improvement.

I will likely do a video on the Accu-lube system. I have high hopes for this system its in use in industrial applications on steel, stainless, Ti, and Aluminum. I would prefer high pressure flood coolant but that's just not happening on these manual home shop machines. The first test is going to be cutting and drilling the stack of 3x3 3/16 stainless tubing I have sitting here.

 

[Arrak Thumrs]

I'd be interested in hearing your impressions with the metered oil / air unit (Acculube) in a hobby, one-off workpiece setting. Mostly, I'm curious of the level of cooling achieved--if any.

After a long adjustment, I now really value my coolant mister (air / emulsion). The cooling really helps me hold size, but certain operations fall a bit short on lubricity. I expect the Acculube excells there, but I wonder if cooling is sacrificed in exchange?

Either way, I expect you'll really appreciate the benefits. Especially in surface finish.

 

[T Bredehoft]

I was disappointed with the Starrett M-! oil. I inadvertently left some Jo blocks with it between them for an unknown length of time and found them both stained brown by the oil. They no longer would wring together or to any other blocks.

 

[coolidge]

Trico claims "reduced heat and friction" but I suspect the reduced heat is a result of reduced friction not the ability of the MD-7 to absorb heat and carry it away like water based flood coolants. I might get some cooling from the air but nothing like a flood coolant could provide.

But since flood coolant on an open mill like this really isn't practical I have to settle for what I can get. The benefits I'm looking for are the reduced heat and friction, the ability for the air to blast the chips out of the way, dry chips and easy clean up. A plus is no flood coolant mess to mop up or rank foul smelling coolant tank. In comparison to the vegetable oil based micro drop lubricants the synthetic MD-7 won't leave a sticky mess on the parts and machine, and doesn't plug up the system lines during periods of non-use.

 

[Bray D]

I picked up a Noga Minicool a couple weeks ago. I've been using a water based Cimcool coolant through it and it's been working pretty well. I'm also curious to hear how the Accu-Lube system works for you. They're not cheap, that's for sure.