Coolant Recommendation

[forrestc]

I'm about ready to start cutting some 7075 aluminum for some small molds... have appropriate end and ball mills, and will be doing initial prototyping in machineable wax. But I expect to cut actual aluminum shortly.

When I switch to aluminum I'm sure I'm going to have to worry about cooling of some sort. I'm not actually removing a lot of metal on each of these - probably 3-4 cubic inches total per CNC run.

Because of the setup here, flooding would be a major pain - unless someone has a good idea how to catch the runoff from the bottom of a Taig.

Part of me says just go get a KoolMist or equivalent and be done with it. On the other hand, I have a feeling that a spray bottle with appropriate coolant in it (or for that matter) some WD-40 might work just as good for as infrequently as I plan to cut aluminum...

So, I think what I really am looking for first is a recommendation on what is best to stick in a spray bottle for aluminum milling (or if WD-40 is sufficient). Think 3-4 cubic inches of aluminum a couple of times a month at most.

Or, if someone wants to help me convince myself to just go buy a KoolMist system (or something similar), that would be fine as well.

-forrest

[MikeZee]

I think you're gonna open a can of worms with this one. Get a spray-mist set-up and be done with it. WD 40 is not a cutting fluid ( although it does work on some materials - mostly plastics I've found ). It's a lubricant with poor cooling properties. With a spray bottle you're gonne be standing there pumping the thing all day long, that's gonna get old real fast. For AL. a soluble oil should work fine, many available, inexpensive, google for mfr. Hope this helps.

[underthetire]

We use the Micro Drop systems here on all the open machines. Way less messy, works well, and very cost efective. Spray mist is not fun breathing all the time.

[Cmailco]

Unist makes a very nice unit I'd recommend to anyone. The lubricant is vegetable based and you can get it from Unist or any number of coolant manuacturers, though Blaser's Vascomill is what I've used for years.

[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wL8HFzu586A"]YouTube - UNIST MQL Coolubricator[/nomedia]

[RICHARD ZASTROW]

I agree with Cmailco. Not cheap but worth the price. I've used this same system when cutting 3/4" T-slots, general milling, drilling and even thru the tool deep hole drilling.

As mentioned on an earlier thread, the micro-drop units use very little fluid. I've used as little vegie fluid as 3/4 cup in 8 hrs of end milling in a steel slotting operation.

There are other brands out there as well, but the Unist system was the unit I used and I'm familiar with.

Dick Z