Redneck lathe coolant

[roofman]

After success from using the Lidl fluid pump on my cold saw, i have made and fitted a coolant system to my Harrison 11" lathe. 1st job was to make a 3 way manifold to take the feed and have a bypass system as these pumps cant be loaded up by just turning the tap off while the pump is running.

The pump is powered by a battery inside the lathe cabinet and has a charger/maintainer to keep it charged and in good fettle.

I have 3 inline filters to keep the pump from taking in debri and swarf, you can also see the pump mounted on a bracket i made.

Little £5 flexible coolant feed pipe and it works very well, the coolant is held in a storage tray in the cabinet and easy to get too to maintain, the hose going to the tray is from the lathe drain tank,i have an 8mm feed hose fitted to the other side that goes to the pump.

Switch for the pump is fitted to the front next to the lathe switch...Seems to be working perfectly fine and it's not always the coolant is needed so for a very small outlay it should last for a while.

 

[My Old Landy]

A very neat solution

 

[addjunkie]

A very neat solution

Till its flying all about the place, when it hits the chuck! But a sensible cheapish option, proper collant set ups are daft money for what they are.

 

[My Old Landy]

Till its flying all about the place, when it hits the chuck! But a sensible cheapish option, proper collant set ups are daft money for what they are.

My Raglan has a 3 phase coolant system I have not got working yet the mess does put me off but it could do with it

 

[roofman]

Till its flying all about the place, when it hits the chuck! But a sensible cheapish option, proper collant set ups are daft money for what they are.

Yea a redneck chuck guard next as they are stupid money too and it doesn't make the turning any better for it

 

[roofman]

My Raglan has a 3 phase coolant system I have not got working yet the mess does put me off but it could do with it

On mine its more for parting off and center drilling, 2 jobs which seem to beg for coolant.

 

[m_c]

You can get proper coolant pumps from China far cheaper than in the UK.
Can get a 230V one delivered for under £50.

 

[123hotchef]

oh i fitted a system to mine it sure is messy and the guard sometimes gets in the way it your dammed if you do and your dammed if you dont

 

[6ply]

A very neat solution

Not neat. I think it's diluted.

 

[6ply]

@roofman have you checked the current drawn by the pump? I'm just curious to know.

 

[Greeves246]

The pump in my parts washer packed up and Machine Mart wanted almost the price of a complete unit for one. Used a pump out of one of my aquarium filters.

 

[Barking Mat]

The pump in my parts washer packed up and Machine Mart wanted almost the price of a complete unit for one. Used a pump out of one of my aquarium filters.

My mates coolant pump on his big mill died last year, found a 12v faulty (pressure sensor dead) boat domestic water pump, at work, it's still going strong apparently.

 

[roofman]

@roofman have you checked the current drawn by the pump? I'm just curious to know.

No i have not bud, pump seems very happy pumping something much thinner than it was designed for though.

 

[123hotchef]

No i have not bud, pump seems very happy pumping something much thinner than it was designed for though.

they are decent those wee lidl oil pumps i have had mine years i got a spare monday as i spotted them again. mine has been used and abbused

 

[addjunkie]

Yea a redneck chuck guard next as they are stupid money too and it doesn't make the turning any better for it

I prefer a lathe without a chuck guard, they just seem to get in the way!

No i have not bud, pump seems very happy pumping something much thinner than it was designed for though.

Would it not be easier to run it from some 240 v to 12 transformer

 

[roofman]

I prefer a lathe without a chuck guard, they just seem to get in the way!

Would it not be easier to run it from some 240 v to 12 transformer

I have..with a car battery in the middle

 

[RichardM]

I prefer a chuck guard, stops me leaving the key in the chuck, coolant or hot metal flying everywhere.
If you make the coolant tank with a baffle going across it between the drain side and pickup side most of the swarf / bits of metal will drop out of solution prior to the pickup.

 

[Barking Mat]

I prefer a chuck guard, stops me leaving the key in the chuck, coolant or hot metal flying everywhere.
If you make the coolant tank with a baffle going across it between the drain side and pickup side most of the swarf / bits of metal will drop out of solution prior to the pickup.

Take the chuck key out.
Take the chuck key out.
Take the chuck key out.
Take the chuck key out.
Etc.

Before turning it on.

Everytime.