1. Home
  2. ⏣ General Metalworking
  3. Removal of stinky coolant
  4. Page 2

Removal of stinky coolant

You always seem to dismiss any number of points that don't support/reinforce your misguided point of view. That practice is becoming very common around here lately.

I believe your last position on foul coolant was it's not a problem because you've proven it by putting a jar of it (presumably covered) on a shelf, and it hasn't gone bad in a long time. Now your exposed coolant in the open-to-air sump is turning foul. A typical reaction could be: no shit.

For rust prevention, the most common and properly effective equipment is an oil can, and at least one good eye. Manually oiling your machine gives you the opportunity to inspect for cleanliness or problems as one puts oil on various parts. It sounds like you feel you don't need to oil your machine because you have a coolant system on it.

Adjusting speed and feeds to appropriate ranges extends cutting tool life. The use of a cutting tool lubricant (not coolant) extends cutting tool life and dramatically improves surface finishes.

The reason there is coolant in a car's radiator is to prevent the engine from overheating. The reason coolant isn't used in the crankcase is because lubricants are far better at reducing friction.

You often ask for advice/help with a situation, then you disregard most points that are rational, and just add a lot of babble that you think is going to convince anyone/someone that you know what you're talking about.

Maybe it would benefit you to spend more time concentrating on the lives of strangers in Alaska. Possibly only a handful of others here in RCM weren't already expecting these events to take place.

I must have missed something important, but getting great-to-excellent surface finishes on leaded steel alloys hasn't been a problem for any more than a few inexperienced or stubborn and misguided machine operators.

As I've suggested before, if you read and applied some of the excellent machining advice that's available here in RCM on a regular basis, WRT feeds, speeds, cutting tool geometry and cutting lubricants.. you probably wouldn't experience poor machining performance on most materials you might work with, or at least you would understand why the performance/finish isn't as good as expected.

Reply to
Wild_Bill
Loading thread data ...

Do you have a high intensity UV source? If so, giving the interior a half hour of illumination from that (keeping the kids away, of course) would perhaps zap the last bugs.

Enjoy, DoN.

Reply to
DoN. Nichols

Yup, pretty good plan. But, really, just washing it out and refilling with a non-growing coolant mix will work fine. I used to have this problem with Tri-Cool, it constantly grew stuff. I switched to Encool from Engineered Lubricants, and while there will eventually be some scum forming, it never smells. I have let it almost totally evaporate over months without any nasty stuff going on. Just pour water in and it is back to normal. I don't use any skimmer or aerator!

Jon

Reply to
Jon Elson

Definitely call Engineered Lubricants. Their salesman called me and I told them the sorts of materials and processes I did, and he brought out a gallon of concentrate to try out. Well, I am a total convert. I am really embarrased I haven't used up the free gallon so I can buy some of their stuff, I am very happy with it compared to the Tri-Cool junk that was awful with the growth problem.

Jon

Reply to
Jon Elson

I do a lot of instrument panels and equipment cases from aluminum, and often have local heating problems with these. A flood coolant system totally avoids the nasty melted aluminum glob all over the cutter problem. This is on the mill.

On a lathe, I have run into workpiece heating to the extent that I have had to leave the lathe running (the chuck jaws act as a centrifugal fan) for 10 minutes to cool down a part where I was removing a lot of stock. A flood coolant system would have allowed me to keep running. But, that has been a pretty rare situation for me on the lathe.

Jon

Reply to
Jon Elson

I understand what your experiences are for those situations, Jon.

Just for the sake of running these concepts up the flagpole..

There are situations where a continuous flow/flood of liquid are extremely advantageous, such as cutting T-slots, for vastly improved chip removal.

What determines which liquid is best for the particular job, in most cases, is largely defined by the cutting forces. Cutting forces are largely a result of workpiece material but also feeds and speeds.

Cutting tool lubricants will reduce tool and workpiece heat build-up as cutting forces are effectively reduced by the properties of the cutting lube. If it's fed as a flood, it carries heat away, and it's likely to be cooler than the area where the actual cutting is taking place. If the cutting lube is brushed or dribbled onto the workpiece in the area of the cutting forces, I'd expect the properties of the cutting lube are the major advantage.

Generally, cutting forces are reduced as speed is reduced.. if the machine is capable of being slowed down. If it's not, then flood coolant may be a requirement as a backup plan, plan B, essentially. Extra insurance against workpiece and cutting tool damage (or premature wear).

Most home shop users nearly always have the option to reduce cutting forces (slower speed and/or reduced DOC depth of cut), but in production workplaces, performance is time-related.

So for the vast majority of home shop machine users, flood coolant offers no realistic advantages over the diligent application of a quality cutting lubricant.

Basically, very few home shop machines benefit greatly from flood coolant, until you need a helper to wheelbarrow out the chips so the operator can maintain access to the machine.

Reply to
Wild_Bill

Does "without coolant" mean completely dry?

I like to experiment with things like this. The biggest difference I see is between absolutely no cutting lube and a little bit brushed on. I'll start roughing down without any and see what the finish is. Sometimes it's OK depending on the tool sharpness and geometry, feed, speed and the material (often unknown scrap or hardware-store bolts and rods). If the finish is rough I brush on a little cutting oil and then watch. It may need more for each pass, or last a few before the finish roughens. I think the best indicator is to add more when the smoke fades out.

Decent HSS has never overheated on me without cutting oil. The cheapest Enco blue-tube end mills dull quickly on steel at normal cutting speed with or without oil, so I use my remaining stock of them for aluminum while they're fresh, and then for questionable scrap steel at a lower speed.

At work I generally machine plastic dry and aluminum either dry or with whatever cutting oil is in the squirt bottle. The machinists and engineers have their own preferences, some cut faster with flood coolant and others don't to save cleanup time. The Bridgeport I've been using doesn't have it and cleans up quickly with a shop vac. The sticky CNC machines take a lot longer.

jsw

Reply to
Jim Wilkins

I can spare a gallon, no charge in view of past favors rendered. I should be home just about all of next weekend - can you stop by then? Email me to confirm, or call if you still have the number.

Mike

Reply to
Mike Henry

Mike, this is awesome, I sent you an email.

i
Reply to
Ignoramus4212

Excellent.

Reply to
Cydrome Leader

PolyTech Forum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.