I recently picked up a 16x102 Axelson Lathe. I got it from a closed machine shop. Headstock and apron gears look okay. Ways visually look okay.
The entire lathe has brass and steel chips stuck in hard/gummy oil everywhere. I was thinking about running kerosene through the coolant system to help clean it. The coolant system can reach everywhere on the lathe and importantly will recirculate the kerosene like a parts washer. After removing three 5 gallon buckets of soaked chips and 5 gallons of cutting fluid/oil from the sump, I started rethinking my idea.
The stock pump has no filter to prevent chips from entering it and is made from cast iron, steel and brass.
Is it a good idea to run kerosene through the coolant system for cleaning? What can I use to filter chips before they hit the pump?
The entire lathe has brass and steel chips stuck in hard/gummy oil everywhere. I was thinking about running kerosene through the coolant system to help clean it. The coolant system can reach everywhere on the lathe and importantly will recirculate the kerosene like a parts washer. After removing three 5 gallon buckets of soaked chips and 5 gallons of cutting fluid/oil from the sump, I started rethinking my idea.
The stock pump has no filter to prevent chips from entering it and is made from cast iron, steel and brass.
Is it a good idea to run kerosene through the coolant system for cleaning? What can I use to filter chips before they hit the pump?
