Getting Coolant out of Chips

Mickey_D · Dec 21, 2010

I have a job running now that makes about 35 pounds of chips per part (milled 6061) and I am drowning. Normally I scoop the machines out first thing in the morning after the coolant has drained out overnight, but with these parts I get lots of coolant on the floor from the machines (old Okuma 4020's) getting full and the coolant finding a new way out. Anyone have a low budget method to get it out and back in the coolant tanks where it is useful? I know the guy who picks the barrels up is going to start griping about them being wet and the bottom of the drums being full of coolant. How much does a pucker cost? This job is going to make about 10 55 gallon drums this month and about 5 a month for the rest of the year.

Kingbob · Dec 21, 2010

put your drums on a small stand, pop a few holes in the bottom of the drum, put a wash basin or something under the stand and when full drop a submersible pump in it and run the hose to your coolant tank.

dstryr · Dec 21, 2010

We get a bunch of 5 gallon buckets and drill holes in the bottom of them. Then a block of aluminum in another five gallon bucket along with the bucket with the holes. Gives the coolant a place to drain.

Tonytn36 · Dec 21, 2010

A chip conveyor is a worthy investment....but other than that....drilling holes in the bottom of the barrels as Kingbob stated is a good way. Puckers are expensive...

cdn farmer · Dec 22, 2010

I use 2 large plastic garbage cans stacked together,,The inner one has the bottom drilled with holes for drainage,,The handles make for easy handling for dumping into 55 gal drums,

Mickey_D · Dec 22, 2010

I wish I could get a conveyor for these machines - they have enough power and table space to make a lot of chips a day and I really hate shoveling. I like the double trash can idea - simple enough for me not to screw it up late at night.

alphonso · Dec 22, 2010

Go over to Tractor Supply and buy a round water trough big enough to set your 55 gallon barrels in. Set the barrel on a couple of cinder blocks. Drill or punch a bunch of1/4 inch holes around the bottom perimeter of the barrels.

gorrilla · Dec 22, 2010

Mickey_D said:
I wish I could get a conveyor for these machines - they have enough power and table space to make a lot of chips a day and I really hate shoveling. I like the double trash can idea - simple enough for me not to screw it up late at night.

We have used a variation on the bucket idea, but we have conveyors. They dump into hoppers we have made with hinged bottoms. These hoppers sit on "tubs" mounted on heavy casters. The hinged bottom doesn't seal water tight, it's actually made to have a small gap at the outside edge all the way around. So the coolant "leaks" out and collects in the tub underneath, then is transfered back into the machine. This also gives us one more settling point to allow the cast iron dust to come out of solution with the coolant. We run lots of cast so to us, this is important.
The bins also have provisions on the side to pick up with a fork lift.
Something like this would allow your aluminum chips to sit all night and drain down, I think alleviating your problem. You just pick up the chip bin with a fork lift, drive it out to a scrap hamper going to the recycler, open the trap door bottom, and repeat as necessary. You might have to build a bigger chip bin for the machine site,as I think your volume is going to be greater than ours. Aluminum chips are typically more bulky than cast iron. Might possibly have to build several to allow time to drain down. Only way I can think of to speed up the process is going to be some sort of centrifuge to spin the coolant out of the chips.
With the volume of chips your making, a conveyor would be a worthwhile investment if you can swing it.

JP Machining · Dec 22, 2010

I dump all my aluminum chips into the large 275 gal tote bins with the top of the bladder cut off. These already have a large drain on the bottom. Once the tote is full, when I exchange it with an empty one, drain it for awhile. Then drain again before recycle. You might be able to get something similar from your recylcer as well.

There's still alot more coolant that sticks to the chips, but short of a pucker or spinner gravity draining is dirt cheap.

Clyde · Dec 22, 2010

For aluminum we use 1/2 yard self dumping hoppers with a drain (90 degree fitting and plastic tube with a coat hanger hook on the end). Place hopper on top of another hopper and allow to drain into recycling bucket. Dump dry chips into 3 yard hopper and call scrapper when full. Clyde

Ox · Dec 22, 2010

I use 1 yard self dumping hoppers. They are all dbl welded and have a bung in the one corner for draining. When setting at the machine I have the drain open with a parts tray stuffed under the outlet to catch the oil/coolant. Prop the other side up on a 4by as well.

If you are going to pop holes in the bottom of a 55 gal drum - may I suggest a .22. They provide a real nice rad into the hole that helps the coolent to git out rather than stick close to the hole.

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Think Snow Eh!
Ox

Evogun · Dec 24, 2010

Think centrifugal force! Old washing machine, use your imagination for the rest.

Good Luck

Mike K · Dec 25, 2010

"Think centrifugal force! Old washing machine, use your imagination for the rest."

How would you unload it? It seems like that would take a lot of time.

cnctoolcat · Dec 25, 2010

I wish I could get a conveyor for these machines

Check Ebay. You need to figure out what dimensions the conveyors would have to be to fit...then keep a watchful eye out. There's always a bunch on chip conveyors on the Ebay.

Ox · Dec 25, 2010

Washing machine? :skep:

You guys never heard of a chip spinner? :willy_nilly:

chip spinner items - Get great deals on Metalworking Equipment items on eBay.com!

Yrs ago we started out with a little 10 gal capacity unit, but then bought a continuous flow unit that would doo about 3/4 yard/hr. But since we don't doo much with oil enymore, I have gotten rid of that bulky unit and now have a 40" and a 48" batch wringers.

But I use them for oilly chips and oilly floor dry only. (believe it)

I let the coolanty chips drain out good and dum p in the hoppers outside. However - a lid or some sort of protection from the rain would be a good upgrade one day as you still git some run-off.

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Think Snow Eh!
Ox

Evogun · Dec 25, 2010

Mike K said:
"Think centrifugal force! Old washing machine, use your imagination for the rest."

How would you unload it? It seems like that would take a lot of time.

Nope, get a industrial front loader and put it on a hinge, load it, spin then tip it to unload. A lot of large Laundry places have them.

Ox · Dec 26, 2010

So how many of you have actually ever used a worshing machine for such purpose?

And how long was you successfull with that?

:rolleyes5:

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Think Snow Eh!
Ox

Evogun · Dec 26, 2010

Ox said:
So how many of you have actually ever used a worshing machine for such purpose?

And how long was you successfull with that?

Know a guy had one for 3+ years, the industrial machines are well built. Think he paid couple hundred for it. Nice part is the pump in the machine fills up a bucket and you just put coolant back in your tank.

You could also convert a barrel(lots of holes) into one, with a motor and some rollers. shovel in one side falls out the other put it at a 30 degree angle.

I don't think any of this is difficult.

Ox · Dec 26, 2010

The difficult part is all the small chips and fines that find their way through all of the holes in the wall of the cyl. Chip spinners doo not have holes in the walls. The oil has to creep to the top of the slightly tapered wall and seep out between the wall and lid.

Then the grit gits into the pump and at the least plugs it up, or simply takes it out?

Tolhurst makes centrifuge units for laundry services as well. But they have perferated walls and no basket. Would be a complete mess otherwise.

???

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Think Snow Eh!
Ox

lazarus · Dec 26, 2010

I always wonder if a shaker screen setup like the ones we used on oil drilling rigs would work for this. Even with screen that was finer than kitchen sink aerator screen, the mud went right thru to the steel pit and the cuttings shook around and fell off the end.

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