Coolant for the Mill

[RSG]

I once thought a flood coolant system was a good idea on my mill.....until I tried every method to contain it from being thrown everywhere. Now I just use a squirt bottle. Containing coolant on a lathe is a different story, much easier.....

[Harold_V]

Containing coolant on a lathe is a different story, much easier.....

Grin!!
Yeah, so long as you can keep it out of the chuck. Been there, done that, and had the coolant covered fluorescent lights to prove it!

H

[kroll]

Guys it looks like that maybe a coolant system is not right for me but the squirt bottles and wash down bottles are.Wanting to work Stainless I was thinking that maybe coolant system would help with prevent case hardening and help increasing tool life.I also see that some looks like they using nothing but oil as a coolant.I would think that would require a special pump for oil vs bilge,aquarium pump.

[Bill Shields]

FWIW:

My brother in law states very emphatically that any time he runs the coolant atomizing system on his Bridgeport, he ends up with sinus problems and / or an ear infection -> hence he as stopped using it.

This is in a full-blown Quonset sized shop with plenty of air circulation and 'head room'.

[johnfreese]

Circulating coolant can harbor lots of nasty microbes.

[warmstrong1955]

FWIW:

My brother in law states very emphatically that any time he runs the coolant atomizing system on his Bridgeport, he ends up with sinus problems and / or an ear infection -> hence he as stopped using it.

This is in a full-blown Quonset sized shop with plenty of air circulation and 'head room'.

Can't argue with that. The stuff never bothers me a bit. My father in law however, had breathing problems when he was around the stuff. Same solution.....he got a job out of the machine shop to get away from it.

[Bill Shields]

in the end, I have turned my 'spray atomizer' into a controllable cool air blast from my air compressor to help keep the tools a little cool.

[warmstrong1955]

A quick thought, and something I noticed with Kool Mist.....
I would mix up a gallon of the stuff, whether it be for flood or mist. If I used it in a month or two, it was fine.
If it set around longer than that, it would go from clear to cloudy. When I did use it for mist, it would plug up the suction screen with scum, and I had to constantly clean it.
I started using our bottled water. End of problem
When we remodeled the kitchen, and put in a reverse osmosis filter, and I started using that. Same thing....it didn't cloud up, even after it sits mixed up for a year.
Not sure what was in there after a couple months with the straight tap water, but probably something ugly & growing....

[kroll]

Dang warmstrong that is some good information to know for either mist or flood.