- Joined
- Sep 13, 2011
- Messages
- 271
I don't use..or trust water based coolant. My preference is a pure oil base. Currently I use Mobilmet 400 series and am very happy with it. No galling or any lubrication troubles except one..coolant soaked tooling.
Not only the toolbit ends up soaked but the tool holder as well. I was wiping the holder and toolbit off before putting them on the headstock when I changed operations but soon realized that I would be loosing coolant thru what was soaked up by the rags.
So..today I bought a shallow expanded metal 'tray' at Bed Bath and Beyond (a house ware store) in their kitchen drawer section.
It is supposed to be used to organize drawers in the kitchen and elsewhere. The tray is about 8 by 18 inches long (they have other sizes) and about an inch and a half deep. It's welded expanded metal with a good sturdy feel to it. The steel used in it's construction is soft enough that it won't scratch my lathe ways. It comes with rubber feet, though I doubt they are coolant safe. The cost was about $6 without the 20% off coupon.
Now when I change operations I put the old tooling soaked in oil in the basked that's on the ways to drip dry until it is needed again. Within about ten minutes or so almost all of the oil is gone, leaving behind a thin film that prevents rust.
I guess the basked could be fastened to the backsplash of the lathe but I think that may be inviting trouble if you were careless and reached over the spinning part to retrieve something from the basket.
Anyhoo...I hope this helps someone in the same oily dilemma that I was in. ::thumbzup::
Not only the toolbit ends up soaked but the tool holder as well. I was wiping the holder and toolbit off before putting them on the headstock when I changed operations but soon realized that I would be loosing coolant thru what was soaked up by the rags.
So..today I bought a shallow expanded metal 'tray' at Bed Bath and Beyond (a house ware store) in their kitchen drawer section.
It is supposed to be used to organize drawers in the kitchen and elsewhere. The tray is about 8 by 18 inches long (they have other sizes) and about an inch and a half deep. It's welded expanded metal with a good sturdy feel to it. The steel used in it's construction is soft enough that it won't scratch my lathe ways. It comes with rubber feet, though I doubt they are coolant safe. The cost was about $6 without the 20% off coupon.
Now when I change operations I put the old tooling soaked in oil in the basked that's on the ways to drip dry until it is needed again. Within about ten minutes or so almost all of the oil is gone, leaving behind a thin film that prevents rust.
I guess the basked could be fastened to the backsplash of the lathe but I think that may be inviting trouble if you were careless and reached over the spinning part to retrieve something from the basket.
Anyhoo...I hope this helps someone in the same oily dilemma that I was in. ::thumbzup::