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

Doug Harrison wrote:

> ----- 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.

With straight water, this is definitely true. Even with a coolant I don't like, the
rust preventive worked well. I could leave the vise on the table for months, and
there would only be a slight black stain under it. The coolant I'm using now is
even better, it really prevents rusting all over. I use my machine intermittently,
too.

A lathe is a much more difficult situation, as a knee mill has at least a hint
of self protection. The lathe bed is totally exposed to the chips and coolant.
Unless I was using a special setup that was able to drip the coolant through
the bed, as I saw one of the pros at our shop do, I would probably want to rig up
some sort of accordion-pleated guards that spilled the coolant out past the bed.
I think I might be able to rig up something by modifying a Bridgeport guard
setup.

Jon