Tips & tricks for clearing out the chips from the flood coolant tank?

[pjensen]

Hello all. I'm looking to see if any more experienced folk (not hard to be more experienced than me ) have any tips or tricks to share about keeping the chips from clogging the drains to the flood coolant tank.

I'm using a circa 1985 Fadal VMC40, and I keep having chips plug up the tiny little drains that let the flood coolant get back to the tank. This leads to an empty coolant tank, and the flood turning off in the middle of a job. It seems like Fadal did not leave nearly large enough drains in this machine... I'm cutting aluminum, and the chips build up fast and clog things up.

I know how to clean these out every half hour, but I'm wondering if there are any clever tricks... maybe a smart way to have the machine stop when the coolant pressure drops, or some way to stop the drains clogging so easily....??? Do newer model machines have different/better coolant management?

Any tips are appreciated!

Thanks,
-Peter

[ThatguyDave]

Boy, I'd certainly rather be worrying about ways to keep all the chips I'm making from clogging my coolant system.... Seriously, I'm surely twice the newby you are but I would guess that by simply getting some more of the baffled sheet you could make larger elevated covers for the drains already in the machine. An effectively larger screen would have that much more surface area through which coolant could filter through. The perforated sheet is available somewhere on the internet because its used for making muffler guts among other things.

[fizzissist]

Double your chip load/tooth and you'll only have to clean out the chips every hour.

....stick a toilet float in the sump with a switch that turns on a light when the level is low.

[IN2GLAMISGIRL]

We use a shop made hoe with a 12"wide head and 3' broom handle. The opperator just pulls the chips to the forward corners to keep things clear and it helps the chips drain. Just part of running the machine. The rake will also just fit under the y axis way cover to clear chips from under the cover.

[Dropout]

Chip conveyor..

[pjensen]

Thanks for the suggestions. I just ordered a float switch, and I'll wire it in so the controller can gracefully stop the machine if the coolant level is too low. I'm now thinking about making some custom hoes to pull chips out of the various places, too.

There is only a 1" diameter pipe that drains the area under y axis screw. If this gets clogged, then the coolant spills out the back of the machine onto the floor. I think I'll make a custom filter cage that keeps the chips a few inches away from the opening to this pipe. Making the pipe bigger isn't an option, as it goes through about 8 inches of cast iron.

Thanks for the suggestions so far. Any more are welcome

Cheers,

-Peter

[ImanCarrot]

I stick a piece of "clean air cabinet" filter over the holes that go back into the tank. This stuff is about 4" thick and like a very coarse sponge- it stops all the chips and also wicks up all the tramp oil.

[5th-axis]

We use filter paper. It looks kind of like the stuff furniture makers put on the undersides of couches and chairs. It works really well. We took the screens out of the drain holes at the rear of the machine also. We then line the chip baskets at the coolant tank with this material. One caveat though. You must be dilligent in keeping an eye on the chip baskets. You must also be careful not to tear the material.
McMaster-Carr part #=2011-661. 50 yard roll
Hope this helps.

[Boots]

You can also use baskets that are short enought to clear machine movement, drill 1/4 in holes in it for drainage and just dump the baskets after they fill with chips. The coolent will run right through but the chips won't.