Thread: Using Coolant

The new type of coolant from H&F's sounds like it doesn't go off from reports I have read on here. I have the old type and if left for a month it stinks if not used or have air bubbles going to it.

As for it getting on your ways it wouldn't hurt, but it will also be carrying swarf, so you are better to make up covers for the mill. I have one that goes from the top of the column to the back of the saddle, and another one that goes from the saddle forward joined to nothing.

You can plumb them both together and that will be fine. I have a magnet in a plastic bag dropped in my coolant tank to catch stray swarf.

Here is a picture from the internet that I picked up a while back. I am not sure who's photo it is.


Dave

Originally Posted by Dave J

The new type of coolant from H&F's sounds like it doesn't go off from reports I have read on here. I have the old type and if left for a month it stinks if not used or have air bubbles going to it.

As for it getting on your ways it wouldn't hurt, but it will also be carrying swarf, so you are better to make up covers for the mill. I have one that goes from the top of the column to the back of the saddle, and another one that goes from the saddle forward joined to nothing.

You can plumb them both together and that will be fine. I have a magnet in a plastic bag dropped in my coolant tank to catch stray swarf.

Here is a picture from the internet that I picked up a while back. I am not sure who's photo it is.


Dave

Hi Dave,

Thanks mate, I have a rubber sheet that goes from the column to the rear of the table as well but nothing on the front. I guess it wouldn't be too hard to attach some more rubber from the front of the table and drape it over the exposed ways. That sounds like a very easy fix.

Cheers,

Simon

Machine shop come dairy. Nice.

Joe H will like the photo Dave. He can now start looking for a hacksaw to partner his drill.

BT

That Servian Hacksaw really jumps out at you, and BT's right it would be a nice complement to Joe's Drill press.

I did a bit of image searching, and found the original posting here on metalillness.com

www.metalillness.com :: View topic - Shared coolant system

Someone called Phil (aka bigfoot) in Victoria somewhere...

There's a few more pictures of his shop. Nice setup.

Regards
Ray

Hi Ray how did you find the original posting? I would like to know as their are a few photos I have but have forgotten where they come from over time, and would I like to quote the original poster.

I could only wish to have that much room in my shop, LOL

Dave

Hi Dave,

I got the name of the jpg image, using right click "view image info" and then googled it and selected images, and only got this thread and an earlier one posted by you..

So I then googled "coolant servian" and selected images again, and found the picture about half way down the page.

Lucky hit..

Regards
Ray

Thanks Ray, if I remember right I posted it for you or Stuart last time. Neat setup he has their.

Dave

Originally Posted by Anorak Bob

Machine shop come dairy. Nice.

Joe H will like the photo Dave. He can now start looking for a hacksaw to partner his drill.

BT

LOL,
I am glad the photo has served other purposes.

Dave

I have heard stories of BIG machine shops that have centralised coolant systems and they have coolant drains running under the floor to a central reservoir that contains thousands of litres of coolant..

Some of the larger machining centres have supplies of a thousand or more for the single machine.

The H&F coolant has been great, tried to purchase some from the local store today, apparently, they received different coolant which was a grinding fluid and could be used as a coolant.
hopefully the previous coolant can still be purchased over the net.
I purposely keep a certain amount of oil in the tank and give it a stir before use, this keeps a coat of oil on the lathe after a wash down.
has not gone off in over 8 months, 5 of those the lathe was never used, with oil sitting in the coolant tank.

My son Josh did the installation and commissioning of the pump control for the coolant system for machines at Sutton Tools, basically it is a high pressure ring main supplying all the machines, if the pumps stopped or the coolant pressure dropped, you only had a very short time (less than a minute) before things started to go pear shaped (catch fire!) and cause thousands worth of damage.

Can't remember the pressure, but it was fairly high, maybe 1500 kPa.

Regards
Ray

I used to work at a place that would have had thousands of liters under the floor. We made rock bolts for the mines and had thread rolling machines etc, and everything ran off off the one system.
I remember the fitters who looked after all the machinery dumping fresh stuff down the man hole in the floor.

Dave