Anyone use a cold air gun to machine steel dry? I have a job where the work piece is too big for the machine enclosure so using coolant would make a huge mess. I have to drill/tap (3/8-16) and drill and ream (1/2") about 50 holes in a 5/8” 1018 steel plate. Thoughts?
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Anyone usning a cold air gun?
- Thread starter micro
- Start date
- Replies 12
- Views 1,992
Joe Miranda
Titanium
- Joined
- Oct 19, 2004
- Location
- Elyria Ohio
I have a cold air gun and I love it. It works great for milling drilling and turning. Tapping and reaming still needs some kind of cutting fluid.
Joe
Joe
5 axis Fidia guy
Stainless
- Joined
- Aug 17, 2006
- Location
- Wisconsin
Emgue high performance cutting tools recommends a cold air gun for hard milling, huge improvement in tool life they claim.
toolmakerjim
Titanium
- Joined
- Jun 21, 2004
- Location
- titusville fl. usa
i used to love my cold air gun until some jerk stole it.
i would put it right where it would blow on me and cool me down when the shop was over 80* sometimes a lot over 80*...jim
i would put it right where it would blow on me and cool me down when the shop was over 80* sometimes a lot over 80*...jim
CarbideBob
Diamond
- Joined
- Jan 14, 2007
- Location
- Flushing/Flint, Michigan
I've been using them for quite a while.
For milling steel I love em. My air compressors hate em.
For drilling and tapping they seem to work no better than a plain air blowoff. I setup by machine to dip the drills and taps in a cup of tapmagic every 6 holes.
For milling steel I love em. My air compressors hate em.
For drilling and tapping they seem to work no better than a plain air blowoff. I setup by machine to dip the drills and taps in a cup of tapmagic every 6 holes.
PaulT
Stainless
- Joined
- Mar 4, 2002
- Location
- Brisbane, CA, USA
"I setup my machine to dip the drills and taps in a cup of tapmagic every 6 holes."
Whoa CB, that's a great idea that I'm definitely going to steal from you and claim I thought of it, I love this forum!
Paul T.
Whoa CB, that's a great idea that I'm definitely going to steal from you and claim I thought of it, I love this forum!
Paul T.
wrustle
Titanium
- Joined
- Jun 8, 2006
- Location
- Massachusetts
What about a misting unit with a mag base on the head of your machine pointed at the tools? They're not very expensive and work great in a pinch for stuff like you're going to do.
Best Regards,
Russ
Best Regards,
Russ
HuFlungDung
Diamond
- Joined
- Jan 19, 2005
- Location
- Canada
I've been filling CO2 cylinders for the local paintballers on an ocassional basis, and am looking for a way to rather quickly cool an 8 to 32 oz metal cylinder down quickly. Would any of these cold air guns have enough oomph to significantly cool something that weighs from 1 to two pounds, in lets say a minute?
Although I can dunk the tank under a stream of cold water, its not quite cool enough, and this makes it very difficult to get the rated charge into the cylinder. So I currently waste 3 or 4 oz of CO2 because by gasing the cylinder off quickly, I can get enough temp drop to then fill it properly.
Out of a 50lb CO2 tank, I think I can actually account for about 25 lbs worth of refills before the tank is too low to siphon. I'd like to boost the saleable gas ratio.
Although I can dunk the tank under a stream of cold water, its not quite cool enough, and this makes it very difficult to get the rated charge into the cylinder. So I currently waste 3 or 4 oz of CO2 because by gasing the cylinder off quickly, I can get enough temp drop to then fill it properly.
Out of a 50lb CO2 tank, I think I can actually account for about 25 lbs worth of refills before the tank is too low to siphon. I'd like to boost the saleable gas ratio.
Is it that the CO2 expands when it enters the cylinder being filled or does it generate heat during the filling process? Cold guns can produce air at 20degF but air has nowhere near the heat absorption rate that water does. can you pre-cool the cylinders in say liquid nitrogen first? my neighbor has a small vat of it sitting around for securing assemblies via interference fits.
5 axis Fidia guy
Stainless
- Joined
- Aug 17, 2006
- Location
- Wisconsin
HuFlungDung, can't you fill the tanks WHILE they are in cold water? I believe that is how scuba tanks are filled. Not sure how your setup works.
ErnieD
Cast Iron
- Joined
- Jan 15, 2006
- Location
- Toledo, Ohio
Micro,
If these are through holes you might try this; take a piece of steel tubing maybe 4" in diameter and 1.5" long and position it over the hole you want to drill and tap. When the drill breaks through the coolant will run out. You more than likely will have the work up on parallels so you could have a shallow container under the work to catch and redirect the coolant back into the sump.
Ernie
If these are through holes you might try this; take a piece of steel tubing maybe 4" in diameter and 1.5" long and position it over the hole you want to drill and tap. When the drill breaks through the coolant will run out. You more than likely will have the work up on parallels so you could have a shallow container under the work to catch and redirect the coolant back into the sump.
Ernie
