I recently added a Jet power feed gear head drill press to the shop. After making a few repairs that explain how I got it so cheap, the only thing it doesn't have is a coolant system. I've been debating between adding a flood coolant system to the drill press or just sticking a kool-mist setup on there. Any drawbacks to the mist systems when it comes to drilling and tapping?
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Drill press coolant system... flood or mist?
- Thread starter Dannno
- Start date
- Replies 19
- Views 3,837
rons
Diamond
- Joined
- Mar 5, 2009
- Location
- California, USA
I have a Kool-Mist system. For deep holes maybe flood would be a little better. If you can see the difference....????
The solution has anti-rust additive and it does keep rust from forming for a long time. I appreciate that part. Gives you time to clean up.
Need compressed air and have to deal with not inhaling the flood of mist that envelopes the immediate area.
Ashamed to say that I don't use it. A lot easier to peck the holes and squirt oil.
The solution has anti-rust additive and it does keep rust from forming for a long time. I appreciate that part. Gives you time to clean up.
Need compressed air and have to deal with not inhaling the flood of mist that envelopes the immediate area.
Ashamed to say that I don't use it. A lot easier to peck the holes and squirt oil.
memphisjed
Titanium
- Joined
- Jan 21, 2019
- Location
- Memphis
mister.
The speed of air clears chips and part. You can turn off the liquid portion and just run air when you want. A flood coolant with enough pressure to do anything would be a giant mess in a non-enclosed machine.
The speed of air clears chips and part. You can turn off the liquid portion and just run air when you want. A flood coolant with enough pressure to do anything would be a giant mess in a non-enclosed machine.
Yeah, this has been my method with the little benchtop drill press. I thought with the power feed that some continuous cooling might be in order. I have a kool mist on the mill, but didn't know if the constant flow of coolant would be more optimal for drilling.
Cole2534
Diamond
- Joined
- Sep 10, 2010
- Location
- Oklahoma City, OK
Id go flood. I'd rather clear chips witha brush instead of air blasting them across my shop and I think flood will do a better job of cooling.
Programmed via Mazatrol
Programmed via Mazatrol
rons
Diamond
- Joined
- Mar 5, 2009
- Location
- California, USA
It will make a mess.
For mist operations use a clear vinyl drape held up with magnets. Then all you have to do is wipe down the machine and take down the drapes and rinse them off.
For flood the same thing. Helps if there is a chip pan with a drain, and the drain empties back into circulation instead of running on the floor.
For mist operations use a clear vinyl drape held up with magnets. Then all you have to do is wipe down the machine and take down the drapes and rinse them off.
For flood the same thing. Helps if there is a chip pan with a drain, and the drain empties back into circulation instead of running on the floor.
gustafson
Diamond
- Joined
- Sep 4, 2002
- Location
- People's Republic
Never cared for misters
We used to tap a ton on drill presses years ago, I used drip lubricators with tapping fluid
McMaster-Carr
If it gets more intense than that, think about using a different machine
We used to tap a ton on drill presses years ago, I used drip lubricators with tapping fluid
McMaster-Carr
If it gets more intense than that, think about using a different machine
beege
Stainless
- Joined
- May 18, 2007
- Location
- Massachusetts
MQL (Minimum Quantity Lube) is somewhere in the middle. No mist to fog up the place, no flooding mess.
Joe Gwinn
Stainless
- Joined
- Nov 22, 2009
- Location
- Boston, MA area
I started with kool-mist, which did work, but it filled the shop with a fog bank, so I later was forced to wear a respirator so I didn't breathe the mist too much. So, circa 2007 I switched to flood (well, dribble) cooling, using Rustlick WS-5050 emulsion, which worked very well, and is still what I use.
rons
Diamond
- Joined
- Mar 5, 2009
- Location
- California, USA
Ah, the Kool Mist vapor is like breathing menthol. Maybe a smokers dream...
The Kool Mist system is held by magnets on the body of the mist mix unit. And the mist is not bad. Always can just use cold air without the liquid.
The Kool Mist system is held by magnets on the body of the mist mix unit. And the mist is not bad. Always can just use cold air without the liquid.
BT Fabrication
Titanium
- Joined
- Nov 3, 2019
- Location
- Ontario Canada
i just use a handheld pump sprayer, fill it and spray as needed. no mist, no flood
Gordon Heaton
Titanium
- Joined
- Feb 19, 2007
- Location
- St. George, Utah
I use 'mist' for everything. I don't have a problem filling the shop with it because I adjust mine to a very coarse, low velocity sputter. Just because its called 'mist' doesn't mean you have to create that! I use Noga equipment, maybe the coolmist isn't as adjustable?
Joe Gwinn
Stainless
- Joined
- Nov 22, 2009
- Location
- Boston, MA area
Think I tried the Noga as well, but wasn't happy.
Got a small Little Giant coolant tank and pump, and plumbed it into the oil-table drain on the drill press. Works well.
The lathe got a larger Little Giant, and some chip pan plumbing. Installed a second drain fitting in the right front of the chip pan, where the PO had drilled a hole (which drained into a bucket?) by soft-soldering brass fitting to mild steel pan. The coolant hose control valve et al assembly is mounted on the carriage. The spout and nozzle is soft copper tubing, hand bent as needed. Also needed a splash/safety shield with front and back rubber curtains to contain the mess. When parting off, I position the coolant nozzle to shoot directly into and fill the deepening parting groove.
The mill can borrow the lathe's coolant tank and pump, but I usually just use a brush or squirtbottle.
M.B. Naegle
Diamond
- Joined
- Feb 7, 2011
- Location
- Conroe, TX USA
Both have advantages and drawbacks. Our three head gang drill has both mist and flood ready, and our big Fosdick drill has flood only, but both have a drip rail and coolant return drain. If you're using oil or soluble coolant, IMO your goal is not to blast chips away as you would on an enclosed machine, but to submerge the cutting action and flush the hole. Mist coolant works better for milling where there's a clear shot to the cutting edge, but doesn't do much for a hole deeper than 1/2" IMO, while even a trickle of flood coolant will get down to the cutting edge. I tend to use mist if it's a big piece that might re-direct fluid to the floor, or for fine work that I need to see past the coolant. Otherwise I'd rather flood it.
Bondo
Hot Rolled
- Joined
- May 14, 2011
- Location
- Bridgeton NJ
I use a "Fog Buster" for my dp, mill, and lathe. It works very well.
I have multiple units and I really like the idea where I can have 1 unit blow plain air and 1 unit blow mist in different directions. This allows for better chip removal without spraying lots of coolant. It also does not create a mist in the shop.
Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk
I have multiple units and I really like the idea where I can have 1 unit blow plain air and 1 unit blow mist in different directions. This allows for better chip removal without spraying lots of coolant. It also does not create a mist in the shop.
Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk
jermfab
Cast Iron
- Joined
- Jul 25, 2013
- Location
- atlanta, ga
I swapped from individual cans of brake clean to a drum of acetone and sure shot sprayers.
Your arm will thank you.
Be safe
Jeremy
And do you have enough of a need that it even matters?
A restored/salvaged Jet and no prior line of mission-critical work that entered the selection OF it?
That doesn't sound like very serious need to me?
Are we not getting the "hole" story?
Actually I had been looking for something for a while that would fit the budget and save me from having to use someone else's shop for heavier drilling. The machine had never really seen any use, seems it was misused shortly after the previous owner purchased it, then relegated to the corner when they couln't figure out what was wrong with it.
Uses? Mostly drilling 316 and 304 stainless, occasionally drilling and tapping Nitronic. Generally less than 3/4" diameter. Periodically drilling and tapping bronze fittings. How much run time it will get will vary by project; the big push for me to get one came from having a recent project that had over 100 holes to be drilled that were beyond the capacity of my press.
I don't mind dabbing a brush or hitting it with a pump, but thought coolant might be more reliable at extending tool life.
Cole2534
Diamond
- Joined
- Sep 10, 2010
- Location
- Oklahoma City, OK
rons
Diamond
- Joined
- Mar 5, 2009
- Location
- California, USA
Setup for flood. Get a Kool Mist too. You can move it around to other machines because the base has magnets.
Both are good to have.
