Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Are there any reasons NOT to use flood cooling?

----- Original Message -----
From: Robert Allen & Marsha Camp <mcamp@...>

Subject: Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Are there any reasons NOT to use flood
cooling?


> It tends to corrode the machine it comes in contact with, especially under
the ways and in places you can't or don't clean well and
> the coolant sits. This is apparent with a lathe we have that is used
occasionally w/coolant then sits for periods of days to weeks.
> Bob KB1FRW

On machines that are used every day the rust preventatives in the coolant
along with the oxygenating effect of flooding tend to keep rust under
control. Shut them down for a week and they will rust. I remove my vise
anytime the mill will be down for a few days to prevent rust on the table.

One of the best methods I've found for cooling is to use a spray mist or
small flood on one side of the spindle and a vacuum hose on the other. The
vacuum helps cooling and keeps the mist out of the air. Continuous duty
eats shopvacs so you will need something with an induction motor. I have a
woodworking dust collector.

Use a dead shopvac (you will kill one before you are convinced) between the
mill and the dust collector to get the swarf and coolant before it reaches
the dust collector. Otherwise you will have a mess in the dust collector
bags. Put the dust collector outside behind the shop.

You can even run flood coolant this way. Just suck it up in the dead
shopvac and then put it back in the coolant tank. Or put the pump inside
the shopvac (with a suitable strainer) and pump the coolant directly back to
the machine - no separate tank.

The vacuum is also good for getting coolant out of machine crevices during
cleanup.

Doug