That would certainly work, but requires a hand. I prefer that the coolant application be hands-free, so the hands are free to run the lathe. A compressed-air driven mister has no problem keeping the groove wet, even if alignment isn't precise. I've been using a Noga unit, and have been looking at a Trico unit.
Noga:
Trico:
The Noga unit I have is a cheaper version that has a simple magnet, rather than the on-off version shown.
The Trico unit shown is the one with the metal armored line. No way to hold the Trico sprayhead in place is shown, so I assume that the user is expected to provide the magnetic holder assembly.
If one is too aggressive, vast amounts of mist hangs in the air visibly, and mist is not pleasant to breathe, so I'm very stingy with the mist. I set it up to produce a small amount of a heavy, wet mist that won't stay in the air for long.
The airborne mist does settle out around the room, but this has not been a problem. I suppose it would not be good if one also was trying to paint in the same space, as the oil from the emulsion would wreck the paint job. But I paint outside, and clean things with acetone first.
There are expensive systems (Trico Micro Drop) that spit a slow stream of large drops at the workpiece, carried by a lot of compressed air. By all reports this works very well, but they are too costly for my blood.
My first spray mister had only one control, and it was impossible to get the right mix of air (to blow chips away) and coolant, leading to a fog-filled workshop. The replacement mister (the Noga) has independent air and coolent valves, which is essential. The problem with the Noga is getting the spray started, and random variation in spray. The hope is that the Trico sprayer will be more controllable and predictable.
If I get motivated, I'll set up some kind of gravity drip, with a tank on the wall near the ceiling and tubing from tank to drip nozzle on a little stand attached to the carriage.
For facing and boring, the mister would still be needed.
In the meantime, if I am doing something that fills the shop with mist fog, I wear a half-mask respirator, even though it makes me look like a Preying Mantis, to the eternal amusement of my wife.
I have found that using a 390ml or 600ml coca cola plastic (PET) bottle with a small length of hospital oxygen cannula plastic tube through a tight hole drilled in the screw on lid makes an absolutely excellent coolant applicator.
I originally thought that these would be quite temporary and would need replacing occasionally but mine have been in use over 2 years now.
the beauty of them is that you can vary the application of coolant just by changing how you squeeze the bottle. using transparent tube means that you can see when the application is about to start.
the original one was brewed up in desperation one night when I kept melting the tip off a hss tool. I was amazed at how well the 5 second job worked.
I had some progress on this yesterday..... I used "highly machinable steel" 12L14. The result is markedly better than the mystery metal shafts that I tried turning before. What I found out is that the final pass, even at the lowest feed rate (using the slotted shaft, not screw cutting), was still not great. So I did one more pass where I moved the carriage manually, very slow. The result, if not perfect, is at least very good and the machined part feels "smooth". Still had no opportunity to grind HSS, yet, and used carbide for now, but HSS grinding is the next item on the list.
So, you hold the bottle in hand while machining, and use it as a big squeeze squirter? Yes - mentioned below.
I don't know where I would get cannula tubing.
Using what kind of coolant? Oil?
The emulsion coolants don't seem to bother plastic.
I was looking for something that I didn't need to hold in hand while machining. One thought I had was to pressurize a reservoir so the fluid would climb up from floor level to the applicator tip, which would direct a thin stream of coolant onto the cutting point. But having compressed air to also blow chips away is very useful.
Maybe one of the generic pesticide sprayers in the one to two gallon size would work? See:
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It just so happens I bought a similar type one gallon today on sale for ~$11. I wouldn't be surprised if you already had one with some yard chems in it.
It helps if you know what a cannula is. It is that oxygen source which hooks over the ears and into a clip which sticks into the nostrils -- one to feed oxygen, one to give feedback whenever you inhale to turn on the oxygen. It is used both in hospitals (connected to a central supply of oxygen) and for individuals with respiratory problems, bottles for travel, concentrators for sitting around in the home.
Go to a *good* medically oriented drugstore. I've gotten one in the local Rexal, after the CVS didn't have them -- but suggested the Rexal. (I needed it for the smaller tubing which goes over the ears to the nostril clip, not for the larger tubing which goes from the junction point under the chin to the oxygen bottle.
They're not even as expensive as you might expect for something made for medical use. And I've seen distilled water labeled "Federal law prohibits dispensing without Prescription". :-)
I use a cutting oil that has no water component. When I squirt it on most eventually ends up in the swarf tray which drains into a can. I periodically pour it back into the bottle. My cutting oil is gradually being augmented with Tellus 46 slideway oil but it still seems to work. Stealth Pilot
I have been doing something similar, actually. I have a big (one quart) pump oilcan full of Mobil DTE 24 hydraulic oil (used for the lathe headstock and apron) and I use it as a cutting oil on small jobs, where setting up the mister is too much trouble. DTE 24 works pretty well as a cutting oil. I've used Vactra #2 as well, but DTE 24 works better, probably because it is thinner but is a very good lubricant.
On Sat, 02 Aug 2008 14:16:33 -0700, with neither quill nor qualm, Gunner Asch quickly quoth:
Does Ed's Red work for cutting/drilling/tapping, too? Do what you feel in your heart to be right - for you'll be criticized anyway. You'll be damned if you do, and damned if you don't. -- Eleanor Roosevelt
Seat cartridge in (cylindrical) caseholder from Wilson case trimmer. Chuck that up in lathe, drill and tap.
.22-250. If you mean the neck, then the bullet would stick in it. The rod is stiff enough that the bullet doesn't droop much, and the fit of rod to hole has no perceptible wiggle. So the bullet stays pretty well centered and square, and the rifling lands have enough of a taper on the start to sorta guide the ogive into place. I use just light finger pressure on the end of the rod, set the rodlock. A series of measurements repeated to a bit over a thou, close enough for my purposes.
Id imagine that it would, but it would be right expensive. ATF bought at the 99c store works well enough
Personally..I use high sulphur oil at home in the shop. Stinky, smokey and attracts dust on the machines between uses here in the desert..but is really hard to beat for most everything.
The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who in times of great moral crisis maintain their neutrality", John F. Kennedy.
I thought about that after I posted, using a reloading die held in a chuck and taking a very light cut drilling while keeping the exposed case head from rotating in the die would likely work also.
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Seems like you could have kept the shoulder but if it is working for you, it solves the problem.
Thank you again for giving me one more idea of things to build.
Beats the alternative. Take something interesting with you to read or listen to as they torture you.
Wes
-- "Additionally as a security officer, I carry a gun to protect government officials but my life isn't worth protecting at home in their eyes." Dick Anthony Heller
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