This is the followup/continuation of the thread "Dribble Cooling on a
lathe" started 26 May 2009. where much of the setup is described.
As I experimented with dribble cooling, a few things became apparent.
1. Even a dribble yielded a nice puddle in the chip pan, and it was a
nuisance to clean it up because of the fine chips. It would be nice to
be able to wash the pan down.
2. Dribble really doesn't work when facing. One needs a flow, so one
can hit the face. And the work flings coolant.
3. Parting off wants a lot of coolant, a flood really.
4. The lathe came with a shop-made 5/16" hole in the right front corner
of the chip pan. Why this modification was made soon became apparent,
as this corner is where the coolant from parting off collected while
running with the hole corked. I think the prior owners put a bucket
under the hole.
So, I decided that I need to be able to vary between dribble and flood
as needed, and that the bucket approach was likely to be clumsy, so I
needed to make the 5/16 hole into a real tygon tubing fitting, so I
could fit a drain leading back to the coolant pump.
To do this, I drilled the 5/16" hole out to 3/8" using a unibit, used
paint stripper to remove the battleship gray paint around the hole,
polished the steel with a fiberglass brush, and soft soldered a short
piece of 3/8" copper tubing into the hole using a big propane-air torch
that runs off a picnic bottle. (One must use tinners flux to solder
steel; plumbers flux won't work.)
Now the lathe has two drains, one large (1/2" tube) and close to where
the cutting is done, the other a bit smaller (3/8" tube) at the lowest
point, both leading back to the coolant pump.
As a test, grooved and parted-off a 0.75" diameter 1018 rod using HSS
bits and cutoff blade. All went very smoothly, without noise or drama.
The sidewalls are a bit rough, but the groove bottoms are quite smooth.
I also added a T in the tygon tube from coolant pump to the needle-valve
manifold, providing a coolant feed to a handheld 1/8" nozzle that I use
to wash the chip pan down, washing the chips into the coolant pump
basket strainer.
The next thing is to make a tube with a little brass nozzle soldered to
the tip, so I can generate a high pressure low flow stream. The 1/8"
tubing is a bit springy, and vibrates with machine vibration, and may
restrict flow to the nozzle, so I'll use 3/16" copper tubing.
On the manifold, I have two needle-valve assemblies, one with 1/8" the
other with 3/16 compression fittings, so it's easy to change (or
replace) tubes and nozzles.
Probably the next project will be a shield to catch flung coolant. I
even got some on my eyeglasses.
Joe Gwinn
Check out the style splash guards used on OmniTurn retrofitted CNC
lathes. The design works quite well on manual lathes and is easy to
build yourself.
Gunner
"Lenin called them "useful idiots," those people living in
liberal democracies who by giving moral and material support
to a totalitarian ideology in effect were braiding the rope that
would hang them. Why people who enjoyed freedom and prosperity worked
passionately to destroy both is a fascinating question, one still with us
today. Now the useful idiots can be found in the chorus of appeasement,
reflexive anti-Americanism, and sentimental idealism trying to inhibit
the necessary responses to another freedom-hating ideology, radical Islam"
Bruce C. Thornton, a professor of Classics at American University of Cal State
Fresno
Flood coolant is far superior, as you are finding out.
You can buy a coolant pump for next to nothing, put it in that bucket
where the pan drains, and that will give you a complete flood coolant
setup.
Then you may realize that you need a chuck shield.
i
I have the pump et al already, and have been hooking everything up.
Finished today.
I knew that before, even with the mister. The wall behind gives mute
testimony. Even dribble generates far more flying coolant. At least it
isn't mist, so I don't need the respirator mask.
Joe Gwinn
Very distant picture unfortunately...they have screwed up their visuals
over the years...
formatting link
Its simply a plate that clamps around the spindle boss...and a hinge
with a heat bent piece of acrylic that goes over the top of the chuck.
It works quite well.
There are a number of manufactures of clear plastic swing over splash
guards out there, but Ive found it just as easy to make my own.
And yes..I use Full Flood cooling whenever the lathe is cutting anything
besides brass and plastic. Good old fashion nasty high sulphur cutting
oil is in each of my lathes. And I dont every have any problems with
burning out inserts bits etc etc.
Gunner
Gunner
"Lenin called them "useful idiots," those people living in
liberal democracies who by giving moral and material support
to a totalitarian ideology in effect were braiding the rope that
would hang them. Why people who enjoyed freedom and prosperity worked
passionately to destroy both is a fascinating question, one still with us
today. Now the useful idiots can be found in the chorus of appeasement,
reflexive anti-Americanism, and sentimental idealism trying to inhibit
the necessary responses to another freedom-hating ideology, radical Islam"
Bruce C. Thornton, a professor of Classics at American University of Cal State
Fresno
Thanks. I did see that photo, but didn't realize it had a chuck shield.
I've seen these guards, which are intended to satisfy OSHA, don't
mention their performance as a splash shield, and cost $200 to $300.
I thought of oil, but didn't like the fire hazard in my basement, so I
went to soluble oil. I would guess that oil is less prone to being
flung, but makes a bigger mess when it does.
Joe
That's better! What kind?
I was testing parting off with dribble to flood today. Running in
reverse with upsidedown 2mm sgih blade under power feed, I was being too
stingy and/or missing the little slot with the coolant, and the 1018
steel wadded up and broke the carbide tooth with a bang.
Next time, new tooth and far more coolant, no problem. But blue stuff
everywhere.
Joe Gwinn
Sometimes you just have to do it right the first time, and clean up
afterwards.
Gunner
"Lenin called them "useful idiots," those people living in
liberal democracies who by giving moral and material support
to a totalitarian ideology in effect were braiding the rope that
would hang them. Why people who enjoyed freedom and prosperity worked
passionately to destroy both is a fascinating question, one still with us
today. Now the useful idiots can be found in the chorus of appeasement,
reflexive anti-Americanism, and sentimental idealism trying to inhibit
the necessary responses to another freedom-hating ideology, radical Islam"
Bruce C. Thornton, a professor of Classics at American University of Cal State
Fresno
It was a nicely bent acrylic shield with a hinge, I could not possibly
do as nice job bending. I can take a picture if you want.
seems like climbing?
I would go faster once you have some sort of a shield.
i
I'll probably make one, but a photo would be appreciated.
Climbing? I'm not sure what you mean, but this is not a mill.
When I looked at the groove left by the dearly departed carbide insert
with bright light and magnifier, there was a very obvious circular gouge
of increasing galling of the sidewall, growing deeper in a single turn,
until it overwhelmed the carbide insert. The wad of gathered 1018 steel
was a bit wider than the groove, leaving torn gouges in the sidewalls.
The wad was cyclically welding to the sidewalls and tearing loose, until
the wad was too big to chew.
Giving it a sufficient flood prevented this cascade of troubles.
That is the plan. I've been running at ~500 rpm. I now understand why
modern CNC lathes (now called machining centers) are fully enclosed,
with a sliding door in front. Milky coolant everywhere while running,
so you cannot see a thing.
Joe Gwinn
Yes..it is. I installed (28) 400psi secondary pumps in a shop last
December. But then..I controlled the output well enough one could stand
with the door open and watch the activity. Ya simply gotta do whats
best for da makinery.
Gunner
"Lenin called them "useful idiots," those people living in
liberal democracies who by giving moral and material support
to a totalitarian ideology in effect were braiding the rope that
would hang them. Why people who enjoyed freedom and prosperity worked
passionately to destroy both is a fascinating question, one still with us
today. Now the useful idiots can be found in the chorus of appeasement,
reflexive anti-Americanism, and sentimental idealism trying to inhibit
the necessary responses to another freedom-hating ideology, radical Islam"
Bruce C. Thornton, a professor of Classics at American University of Cal State
Fresno
I will take a picture, I thought that I had one.
Your round part climbed the cutter, was my supposition.
yep
They usually spray coolant at higher pressure too.
i
If you haven't seen it already, you might want to look over
Steve Bedair's splash guard for his 9x20. He just heated up
some Plexiglas and bent it into shape. See:
Thanks.
Yes, but the question is Why?
Insufficient lubrication, so a wad of steel grew and welded to the
sidewalls of the 2mm groove. The lathe had the oomph to keep on going.
Not so the carbide insert. Glad it didn't mangle the blade.
Full enclosure required for sure.
Joe Gwinn
Joe Gwinn, here are the pictures of the chuck shield. Sorry that they
are not too good, I struggled with lighting. It was not easy to take a
picture of a transparent object on varying, dull dark background.
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