01-18-2017, 10:10 PM
COOLANT SYSTEM
The coolant tank is a 10 litre fuel container which sits on a shelf mounted behind the cabinet and the pump is mounted inside the cabinet just below the bottom level of the tank. The swarf tray has two drains which drain the coolant back to the tank via a 25mm hose running along the underside of the swarf tray which terminates at the fuel container screw top lid.
The pump delivers coolant from the tank to the 13mm tube running along the top of the cabinet’s ply backing and joins the 25mm tube via a step down joiner. Halfway along the 25mm tube is a T barb take off which delivers the coolant back to the tank making it a full looping system which aerates and mixes the coolant at each use. There are two 6mm take offs on the 13 mm tube and they deliver coolant to the two coolant nozzles, one on the tool post the other mounted to the splash guard. A 13mm tap interrupts the return flow to provide pressure adjustment for the two nozzles if required.
I haven’t needed to touch anything on this system since installing it, and I have just topped up the tank after two years use. The system is sealed apart from the two swarf tray mounted drains so coolant loss from evaporation is negligible. The looping system also has the effect of pushing the coolant draining from the swarf tray through the 25mm tube and back into the tank.
This of course also pushes any swarf entering the 25mm retic tube into the reservoir; however, as the outlet feeding the pump is situated well above the bottom of the tank I’ve found no need for a filter system to protect the pump from swarf ingress. I should also mention I’ve done a fair amount of milling on this lathe and the fine swarf generated by that hasn’t presented a problem.
The coolant tank is a 10 litre fuel container which sits on a shelf mounted behind the cabinet and the pump is mounted inside the cabinet just below the bottom level of the tank. The swarf tray has two drains which drain the coolant back to the tank via a 25mm hose running along the underside of the swarf tray which terminates at the fuel container screw top lid.
The pump delivers coolant from the tank to the 13mm tube running along the top of the cabinet’s ply backing and joins the 25mm tube via a step down joiner. Halfway along the 25mm tube is a T barb take off which delivers the coolant back to the tank making it a full looping system which aerates and mixes the coolant at each use. There are two 6mm take offs on the 13 mm tube and they deliver coolant to the two coolant nozzles, one on the tool post the other mounted to the splash guard. A 13mm tap interrupts the return flow to provide pressure adjustment for the two nozzles if required.
I haven’t needed to touch anything on this system since installing it, and I have just topped up the tank after two years use. The system is sealed apart from the two swarf tray mounted drains so coolant loss from evaporation is negligible. The looping system also has the effect of pushing the coolant draining from the swarf tray through the 25mm tube and back into the tank.
This of course also pushes any swarf entering the 25mm retic tube into the reservoir; however, as the outlet feeding the pump is situated well above the bottom of the tank I’ve found no need for a filter system to protect the pump from swarf ingress. I should also mention I’ve done a fair amount of milling on this lathe and the fine swarf generated by that hasn’t presented a problem.