Non toxic coolant

[Huub Buis]

Thanks for everyone's input!
Interesting, I'm getting a great finish with the brazed carbide and I've tried the carbide inserts as well at various different speeds and I get a way better finish with the brazed. Honestly I didn't pay much attention to the heat of the material when I was experimenting with the 2 different tools. I just noticed it when I chose the brazed due to the finish. Any suggestions on getting a better finish with the inserts?

In general, I use a max depth of cut (DOC) of 0.5 mm on both may lathes even both lathes (mini lathe also) can do much more.
The xxGxxxxx types inserts are ground and polished that gives them razor sharp edges and makes them suitable for aluminum. On aluminum I can take 0.01 mm DOC or 1 mm.
If the DOC is to high, finish will degrade. Getting a good finish depends a lot on rigidity of the lathe, the stock and the tool setup.
Let the stock stick out just a few mm. Let the tool stick out a less as possible. Do a cut at 0.05 DOC and feed as slow as possible (0.05 mm/min). If the finish is OK, you can take a deeper cut and/or feed faster. In the end, you find your max setting for finishing (FS)
When you change the tool stick out or stock stick out, the rigidity will decrease and the found FS will give a lesser finish. Than you have to find the FS settings for this (tool,stock) setup using the same procedure.
In general, I do the aluminum finish cuts on both my lathes at 0.25 mm DOC, 0.1 mm/rev feed rate and 90 m/min speed.
If your lathe isn't rigid, try 0.2 mm nose radius inserts for aluminum. The same insert can be used for turning steel with good results.

 

[RaisedByWolves]

Kool mist is safe to breathe. It's just a wetter/surfactant and a glycol base, the other 95% is water.

Isopropyl is a phase-change coolant, the enthalpy of vaporization has a significant cooling effect. Isopropyl is effectively absorbed to blood by inhalation, and must be metabolized- which means you have a limit before needing fresh air so your liver can keep up. Also, every molecule of isopropyl inhaled is first converted to acetone, then to acetate, or iso to acetol to propylene glycol to formic acid. So just because it isn't directly toxic does not mean your system has an easy time with it.

While that’s true, I wonder how much you would put into a home shop atmosphere under home shop conditions?

If you’re using 10-20% in your mix and using a couple ounces of coolant per session, how much would that really effect you?

I mean I’m sure it’s a concern in a tiny space, but in a basement or garage?


It was the base for coolants back in the way back ago. I actually had an old guy ask me if I was drinking the coolant when I was in my apprenticeship, I had no idea at the time why he thought this was funny.

 

[RaisedByWolves]

Water is toxic. It will kill you if you drink too much, like 4 gallons in an hour. Kill you dead because your nerves can't move the impulses to your motors and sensors without the right sodium-potassium balance.

All substances are poisons; it's the dose that makes the poison. -Paracelsus

I had my water tested and they found very high levels of dihygrogen monoxide in it so I stopped using it.

**** will kill you if you breathe it.

 

[RaisedByWolves]

At least very little that you see.

To the OP's point, I doubt there are any lubes that are really meant to be safely breathed in a closed environment.

I use it regularly, smokes like hell.

This is something I won’t use in the house.

 

[pontiac428]

While that’s true, I wonder how much you would put into a home shop atmosphere under home shop conditions?

If you’re using 10-20% in your mix and using a couple ounces of coolant per session, how much would that really effect you?

I mean I’m sure it’s a concern in a tiny space, but in a basement or garage?


It was the base for coolants back in the way back ago. I actually had an old guy ask me if I was drinking the coolant when I was in my apprenticeship, I had no idea at the time why he thought this was funny.

It all depends, but it's still safer than most of the solvents to use. And once diluted with water it's not much of an issue. My point was that it's not necessarily harmless, and nothing really is.

 

[Shotgun]

While that’s true, I wonder how much you would put into a home shop atmosphere under home shop conditions?

There is the "home shop atmosphere", then there is the air that you're breathing while turning the cranks as you try to hit the number.

Don't get me wrong. I've sniffed enough MEK to kill multiple livers, but the more I live the less I want to sniff "stuff".

 

[rwm]

As long as your Check Liver Light is not on, you are OK.

 

[pontiac428]

As long as your Check Liver Light is not on, you are OK.

It's a yellow light. You know, because jaundice.

 

[Jim F]

Don't be skeert, lil feller...........

 

[RaisedByWolves]

There is the "home shop atmosphere", then there is the air that you're breathing while turning the cranks as you try to hit the number.

Don't get me wrong. I've sniffed enough MEK to kill multiple livers, but the more I live the less I want to sniff "stuff".

That's one thing I am seriously afeared of.