Budget coolant/mist setup? Or no


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Thread: Budget coolant/mist setup? Or no

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    Default Budget coolant/mist setup? Or no

    My first cnc mill and I'm building an enclosure. I'd like to do it right and get some type of air nozzle or coolant setup

    What is everyones thoughts on a fogbuster 1/2 gallon vs a diy kit or go all out and do flood coolant?

    If I chose the DIY I want it to work well and be on a little budget. Like $150 or less. Also like the idea of not using my air compressor since it's small it would run a lot

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    Default Re: Budget coolant/mist setup? Or no

    Flood works better IMO but will make a mess unless your enclosure is perfect!


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

    A lazy man does it twice.


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    Default Re: Budget coolant/mist setup? Or no

    So thinking about this more and more. I like the price of the kool mist 77 with 1 gallon of coolant it's $180 shipped

    but now thinking of something similar to this
    Flood Coolant Unit 3520 - LittleMachineShop.com

    I want a mist setup that I can turn up to do flood if i wanted to.
    I also prefer something with a pump and not use the compressor
    Trying to keep it under $200 shipped with a gallon of coolant if possible.


    Any recommendations?

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    Default Re: Budget coolant/mist setup? Or no

    Flood is FAR better than mist. if you can contain the mess. If you want cheap, buy a sump pump from HomeDepot or HarborFreight. That'll set you back $30-50. Buy a Rubbermaid ~15 gallon plastic storage container (one of the kinda "rubbery" ones, NOT the stiff translucent ones). Buy one or two genuine LocLine nozzles (NOT the cheap Chinese copies). Plumb it together with good quality garden hose, and standard PVC plumbing fittings, and you'll have a great coolant system for about $100. FAR better than that one from LMS.

    Regards,
    Ray L.



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    Default Re: Budget coolant/mist setup? Or no

    I have 2 mojor gripes with mist:

    1.) Koolmist, EVERY time I have to come back to the mill after a few months without using it, there is 'snot' everywhere. And it's made up of tiny fittings that leave no good way to clean it out. Eventually the snot gets into the mixer and you've got a major PITA job to try and clean it out.

    2.) Compressor noise, it's unpleasant no matter how nice a compressor you have.


    I like that there is less mess and splashing but "the snot" has made me decide on a full blown flood system for the new machine. I keep hearing how koolmist won't develop "the snot" and yet each year I find snot clogging up the tubing and valves all the same.

    Last edited by photomankc; 07-06-2017 at 05:16 PM.
    CNC: Making incorrect parts and breaking stuff, faster and with greater precision.


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    Default Re: Budget coolant/mist setup? Or no

    I upgraded my compressor to one of those Chicago Pneumatic silent ones (or a rebranded Oz import of a chinese ripoff of the same). It purrs along, hardly know it's running even though it's only 4 feet away.

    Admittedly I'm only doing aluminium on a small machine, no hogging heavy cuts. But I find mist to be pretty acceptable through about $20 worth of eBay venturi nozzles. Using a 20/80 methylated spirits/water mixture there's no snot left behind. I leave the machine dirty for a couple of hours to dry off, come back and just shop vac up the clean swarf.

    On my list of projects I intend on adding a regulator to pressure feed the coolant instead of relying on the dodgy cheapo venturis and running the mist / coolant via a couple solenoid valves and timer.



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    Default Re: Budget coolant/mist setup? Or no

    I use low pressure air.

    On the IH mill I use a bounce house blower and a 2.5" hose reduced to 1.5" at the spindle. I have a separate drip system that I mostly quit using because the stuff would always turn to goo or rust.

    This is the little PM-25 with a air blower from a yard Santa. If you use a short hose the blower does not need to be too large.



    The blower system works OK but deep slots are a problem and with a single hose you have a blind spot that will not remove chips.

    I hand apply a little oil and most the time all works OK.

    youtube videos of the G0704 under the name arizonavideo99


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    Default Re: Budget coolant/mist setup? Or no

    Quote Originally Posted by dharmic View Post
    I upgraded my compressor to one of those Chicago Pneumatic silent ones (or a rebranded Oz import of a chinese ripoff of the same). It purrs along, hardly know it's running even though it's only 4 feet away.

    Admittedly I'm only doing aluminium on a small machine, no hogging heavy cuts. But I find mist to be pretty acceptable through about $20 worth of eBay venturi nozzles. Using a 20/80 methylated spirits/water mixture there's no snot left behind. I leave the machine dirty for a couple of hours to dry off, come back and just shop vac up the clean swarf.

    On my list of projects I intend on adding a regulator to pressure feed the coolant instead of relying on the dodgy cheapo venturis and running the mist / coolant via a couple solenoid valves and timer.
    I like it! Sounds inexpensive and functional.
    Which compressor? Send me a link to the parts you used

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    Default Re: Budget coolant/mist setup? Or no

    Couple of these (search "CNC Mist" on eBay), bit of hose to get to a big bottle of coolant which I hang at the right height to control flow. Very cheap.

    Mist Coolant Bidirection Spray System for 8mm Air Pipe CNC Lathe Milling Drill | eBay

    One of these (plenty similar on eBay or Alibaba / AliExpress, I just went for one with a local warranty). Not so cheap, but wow - chalk and cheese from my old direct drive twin. No oil, can hold a normal conversation standing next to it no problems it's so quiet.

    https://sydneytools.com.au/chicago-h...air-compressor



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    Community Moderator Jim Dawson's Avatar
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    Default Re: Budget coolant/mist setup? Or no

    Here is my set up

    1 req
    https://www.harborfreight.com/20-lb-...ter-68994.html

    2 req
    https://www.harborfreight.com/brass-...tor-68220.html

    1 req
    https://www.harborfreight.com/14-in-...uge-68228.html

    2 req

    https://www.harborfreight.com/14-in-...lve-68254.html

    as needed
    https://www.mcmaster.com/#loc-line-c...-hose/=18dvgzf

    And a few air fittings as required.

    Ignore the pump, just pressurize the tank, about 30 PSI







    Quick exhaust can be replaced by a ball valve.




    I normally run kerosene for aluminum and steel. About 1/2 cup / hour. Pretty much all evaporates with no residue.
    No fog at all, just a nice wet mist.



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    Default Re: Budget coolant/mist setup? Or no

    Curious why you need a pump with a pressurised reservoir? I ask because it's the kinda direction I'm headed with my setup but I was looking at the regulated air supply as an alternative to the pump.



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    Default Re: Budget coolant/mist setup? Or no

    Quote Originally Posted by dharmic View Post
    Curious why you need a pump with a pressurised reservoir? I ask because it's the kinda direction I'm headed with my setup but I was looking at the regulated air supply as an alternative to the pump.
    The positive displacement peristaltic pump gives me full control over the flow rate from the computer. It's driven by a small stepper and 15:1 gearbox. It will run from nothing to flood. The pressure just feeds the pump a bit, but really not needed. The original system did require a pressurized reservoir, before I installed the pump and I just left the pressure system in place.



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    Default Re: Budget coolant/mist setup? Or no

    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Dawson View Post

    I normally run kerosene for aluminum and steel. About 1/2 cup / hour. Pretty much all evaporates with no residue.
    No fog at all, just a nice wet mist.
    Just wondering, isn't using misted kerosene dangerous. I have a shop heater that uses a kerosene mist and forced air and it burns really hot? Granted, it requires a spark igniter but with hot chips flying around, I might get a bit nervous.



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    Default Re: Budget coolant/mist setup? Or no

    Quote Originally Posted by Luckydog View Post
    Just wondering, isn't using misted kerosene dangerous. I have a shop heater that uses a kerosene mist and forced air and it burns really hot? Granted, it requires a spark igniter but with hot chips flying around, I might get a bit nervous.
    And I do get a bit nervous, when cutting steel I don't walk away and have a fire extinguisher close by. The E-stop kills the mister. Aluminum is OK, never seen a spark from aluminum.

    This is an old thread and I have since change over to Blaser Blasocut water soluble, because I use it in both my Haas mill and CNC lathe. Works fine on all materials.

    Jim Dawson
    Sandy, Oregon, USA


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    Default Re: Budget coolant/mist setup? Or no

    I prefer to run flood. My area would be too small for misting I reckon.
    Inexpensive system I put together:
    The pressure blasts them pesky chips away


    Admittedly you have to mess with using filters. The way I did it was I got 3 small plastic boxes that fit inside each other. The first has 400 micron stainless mesh for the larger chips. The second has 200 micron for catching the fines. The third is just the drain out. Has 4.5l chip capacity.

    The only annoying thing about it is the filter box for the fine chips filters the heavier way oil from the coolant and needs regular washing out. On the positive side though this means no skimming of the coolant seems to be required.
    Been using it for over 2 years and the system is now being transferred to the new PM25 clone



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