After reading so many accounts of mist coolant systems "filling the shop with the mist/fog" and then actually using one; I just don't see how it happens unless the thing is just running wide open at 90 psi? I use mine on the surface grinder, and only have it on when needed, and adjusted so it's barely spraying. Also keep the nozzle as close the wheel/workpiece contact as possible. Most of the mist immediately condenses on the work on contact. In an hour or two of grinding, it uses maybe a coffee cup worth of coolant. My shop is 16'x32' and 14' ceilings. That's a lot of cubic feet for 6-8 oz of liquid to "fill it with fog". Keeps the workpiece nice and cool, and I don't notice that I'm breathing anything foreign. Can't even smell the stuff. Frankly, I don't see what all the fuss is about.
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Thoughts on Koolmist "porta-mist"?
- Thread starter dbb-the-bruce
- Start date
- Joined
- Nov 25, 2015
- Messages
- 8,322
I don't have it misting the shop up. I like it better than oil for many things. The oil gets complaints from the wife when it's smoking. It all depends on how hard you are pushing air. I set mine to low pressure.
Planning to convert a Noga mister to a Fog Buster type to compare the performance of mist vs droplet. I suspect the droplet will have less of a cooling effect, and maybe not clear chips out of the way as effectively as mist. But it should provide lubrication, and some chip clearing. I think I'd definitely prefer the droplet/low pressure style on machines where the nozzle is pointed in my direction. For the surface grinder, I'm super happy and impressed with the mist cooler.
- Joined
- Feb 27, 2014
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- 2,130
Look forward to hearing the results regarding chip clearing. To me, it seems that the chip clearing is a result of the air flow, I try to keep the air flow pretty high and then adjust the coolant flow to be just noticeable. I would agree that mist might do a better job of cooling but the droplets of the Fog-Buster are doing plenty good enough.
I'll post it up, once I get around to making the fitting to pressurize the coolant bottle, and convert to droplet. I've got the regulator, to drop the pressure down. Also plan to use the same foot pedal valve to turn the air on and off, so I don't have to fiddle with the little knobs/valves on the Kool-Mist/Noga units to turn the coolant on and off. Just have to keep the storage bottle well below that of the nozzle, so it doesn't syphon out all the coolant when not in use, as the valves are left open.
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- May 7, 2023
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You’re going to have to deal with condensate, condensation and fumes in your enclosure and especially in your vent system .
Hope this is in a garage and not in/near a living space.
- Joined
- Apr 23, 2018
- Messages
- 6,556
Koolmist 77 lists two hazmat ingredients. Triethanolamine is the main one, it's an antifreeze, antioxidant, chelator, and surfactant all in one. It has a rather high pH, so it may irritate mucous membranes in some cases. The other is just a glyclol ether surfactant, which may dry out the back of your throat a little. I am guessing there is also something like a quaternary amine biocide in very low concentration, or maybe not. The color isn't right for it to be just copper, I don't know why it wouldn't be clear, but it isn't. Anyway, if simple green or antifreeze doesn't cause any allergic reaction on your skin, neither will Koolmist.