[petriej]

We have a CNC mill at our shop that uses flood coolant. Typically water based - cool mist. But we recently acquired a large CNC lathe. Compared to what I am used to running, this thing is a beast, and requires fifty gallons of coolant. What is the best way to go? It is highly recommended by the manufacturer that we use an oil based coolant in this machine.

50 gallons oil based cooland ~ $750 = :-( .

What are your recommendations? I've used val cool and a few other types of coolants, but which is the best suited? I am turning mostly Al, not much if any ferrous metals.

Thanks,

J

[Geof]

There are several to choose from for aluminum all water mixed. Blaser, Hansterfer, ? do a search here for coolant, scan through the Haas forum it has been discussed there. Straight oil coolant is not needed no matter what the machine manufacturer says; water mixed coolants both cool and lubricate which is what is needed. Straight oil coolants do not cool as well they just lubricate and they stink to high heaven.

[star-turn]

Only m/c's that require oil now seem to be sliding heads.

As Geof said - Nasty, smelly stuff that gives you zits the size of golf balls!

water based coolant is the way to go.

ST

[petriej]

What's your favorite flavor?

[star-turn]

We currently use OEMETA

they have a good coolant for Aluminium - goes well in the m/c, no foaming, no has had any skin reactions, and has a pleasant odour!

ST

[PoiToi]

50 gallon reservoir?? that is a beast!

here I use blasocut universal, it works real well for 303 and aluminum, at about 10-12% for 303 stainless and you can run it at about 8% for aluminum, we get it in 5 gal. buckets and it lasts a few months.

ALso has a pleasent odor and no skin reactions or anything.. as long as you dont dump windex in the tank it wont foam, lol. ^_^

[bremenrules]

I use Hangsterfer's S-500 at ~8%. Machine came with a 5 gallon sample and I never saw any need to try anything else. I'm sure just about every forum on this site has a discussion about coolants, so I don't need to get into much detail. Soluable oil logically seems to be the best solution for an all-around coolant system. It cools better than straight oil, lubricates the cutting interface better than most synthetics and semi-synthetics, and isn't *too* messy. It's not perfectly clear or particularly clean - places it dries will be left with a thin layer of oil - but it can help protect your steel/iron-based tools from rust. Like anything else, it's more important that the coolant is used properly. Nothing in the world will work well if the flow is too weak or directed improperly.