Hi All, just wondering if a water cooled spindle can be run with out water and if so how long ??
Thanks ...stevep
Hi All, just wondering if a water cooled spindle can be run with out water and if so how long ??
Thanks ...stevep
I would DEFINITELY not run a water cooled spindle without water. A water cooled spindle has no fan, so if you run it there will be no cooling at all. It is a closed motor and would pretty fast become too hot. How long it will take to generate smoke... who knows... depends on the motor... but will definitely be fried pretty fast, that's my guess.
Thread title is wrong. This is not about air cooling vs. water cooling, it is about water cooling or no cooling.
It would not take long to have a melt down. Think of a car engine or outboard motor. Those don't work very well once water is taken away.
Lee
Generally, I would say that any more than a few seconds would be catastrophic.
However.
If you search for the thread here on the Big Bamboo machine, you'll see a water cooled spindle running with no water. The spindle is inside the dust collection hose, and is cooled by the airflow from the dust collector. I believe he's been running it for several years like that.
Personally, if you don't want to use water, buy an air cooled spindle. Your chance of it lasting are a LOT better.
Gerry
UCCNC 2017 Screenset
http://www.thecncwoodworker.com/2017.html
Mach3 2010 Screenset
http://www.thecncwoodworker.com/2010.html
JointCAM - CNC Dovetails & Box Joints
http://www.g-forcecnc.com/jointcam.html
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