Lathe suds drain ideas

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Lathe suds drain ideas

This topic has 13 replies, 10 voices, and was last updated 10 November 2020 at 22:29 by Nigel Graham 2.

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8 November 2020 at 14:23 #506026
Jim Beagley
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@jimbeagley46363
Hi all.
Im about to fit a coolant system to my lathe and am wondering about the drain out of the drip tray.
I was considering using a shower trap as it seems like it would be a simple way of collecting debris before it got into the tank.
I think I can find a metal one.

Any thoughts about why this wouldn’t work?

Cheers
jim
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8 November 2020 at 14:23 #20017
Jim Beagley
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@jimbeagley46363
8 November 2020 at 14:29 #506028
Pete Rimmer
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@peterimmer30576
Use an inverted mesh filter, it's a perforated tube with an end cap that locates in the drain hole but it pokes up above the tray instead of down like a gulley pot. It will sit proud of the tray so that it cannot fill with swarf and clog up. Cleaning the tray is simple – you just sweep away the swarf from around it.

Edited By Pete Rimmer on 08/11/2020 14:31:23
8 November 2020 at 14:54 #506031
Speedy Builder5
Participant
@speedybuilder5
Of course, not all swarm is iron, but I would put a magnet somewhere in the "filter" system to pick up minute shards of metal.
8 November 2020 at 17:46 #506058
Howard Lewis
Participant
@howardlewis46836
Good idea putting a magnet to collect the ferrous swarf, but put it in a copper tube. Removing the magnet from the tube makes removing the swarf SO much easier!

Howard
8 November 2020 at 20:16 #506084
andy mulholland
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@andymulholland30577
similar idea on my Myford as mentioned above.. I fabricated a small steel tin which is clipped under the drain hole on the lathe stand..

the pipe that empties the tin is raised above the base , just like a weir, so all the debris that makes it to the tin is trapped and tin is emptied from time to time.. similar idea on the bench mill… works well..

Andy
8 November 2020 at 20:32 #506088
Jim Beagley
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@jimbeagley46363
Thanks for the ideas.
I think that Andy’s suggestion of the tin under the tray is pretty much what I’m suggestion for with the shower trap.
I also like the idea of the inverted filter which I am sure I could add instead of the normal cap.

I will also incorporate a magnet as suggested.

would there be a problem having the trap in plastic?

Cheers
Jim
8 November 2020 at 20:38 #506090
Jim Beagley
Participant
@jimbeagley46363
Trap

this is what I’m thinking of. The coolant would flow into the water tube. Any swarf that get past the inverted filter would collect in the bottom of the cup and the coolant would overflow (like a weir) the top of the cup and flow out of the system.
It seems like a simple off the shelf solution.
Jim
8 November 2020 at 22:07 #506105
Paul Lousick
Participant
@paullousick59116
Hi Jim, Your arrangement is similar to my suds return.

The suds for my mill goes thru a strainer first to remove large swarf before returning to the tank. The tank has 2 compartments with a wall between them. Small particles settle on the bottom of the first compartmnet and the clean liquid flows over the wall. There is also a magnet at the bottom of the first compartment. (It is a commercially made pump)

Paul

Edited By Paul Lousick on 08/11/2020 22:15:13
9 November 2020 at 08:39 #506133
not done it yet
Participant
@notdoneityet
I don’t think that trap is worth the trouble. It looks as though the screen is for fibres (body hair) and larger particles. Anything that reaches the drain (depending on where situated – many are at one end of the drip tray) will be small – unless you flood the lathe with a torrent of coolant or the drain is immediately below the coolant point of use. There is no given detail of the current drain point.
9 November 2020 at 09:00 #506137
Nigel McBurney 1
Participant
@nigelmcburney1
I just wish the sheet metal tray under my Colchester had folded so that the bottom of the tray was sloped towards the the drain hole,so that the coolant would drain away easily instead of leaving the tray with some coolant evenly spread all over the it,leaving the swarf in the coolant.
9 November 2020 at 09:07 #506140
Jim Beagley
Participant
@jimbeagley46363
Hi all.

The lathe in question is my S&B Sabel. It’s on a factory stand and doesn’t have a drain hole at present.
My intention was to do a test with some liquid to assess the current runoff, but probably to locate the drain somewhere central as this best suits the location of the pump.

I don’t believe that there is any runoff built into the tray so I suspect I will have a similar problem to Nigel.
Not Done It – I wasn’t bothered about the screen part of the trap, but the weir capture tube inside. I would add a metal

domed screen on top of the trap in place of the normal ‘plug hole’.

all insights are valuable, so thanks.
Jim
9 November 2020 at 15:05 #506215
mechman48
Participant
@mechman48
Posted by Nigel McBurney 1 on 09/11/2020 09:00:14:

I just wish the sheet metal tray under my Colchester had folded so that the bottom of the tray was sloped towards the the drain hole,so that the coolant would drain away easily instead of leaving the tray with some coolant evenly spread all over the it,leaving the swarf in the coolant.

Can you not use / make a tapered drift to punch through the drain hole, this will form a run off gully around the drain & help draw the suds to the drain tube. Some people have tilted the lathe slightly to effect a run down to the drain tube. I wouldn't worry about leveling the lathe too much, as long as the bed is NOT twisted, take a look at marine engine rooms, the larger ships have machine shops with a lathe in, they couldn't be called exactly level.

George.
10 November 2020 at 22:29 #506611
Nigel Graham 2
Participant
@nigelgraham2
The manual for my Harrison L5 lathe advises setting the cabinet on a slight slope down to the drain-hole. I have considered fitting a suds system but to be honest I am not sure it's justified for the amount of use of this lathe. Besides, the way the machine is bolted to the cabinet would probably ensure coolant leaking through onto the floor below – a point to consider with other lathes, too.

Using a plumbing trap (sink or bath type)? A bottle trap, possibly, and there is no reason it cannot be PVC, but don't use the version that is no more than a U-bend.

Remember that the trap designed for the kitchen or bathroom is not a sediment-collector. It is a water-seal to prevent drain miasmas from creeping up into the house.

The inverted strainer over the chip-tray drain is the best bet and often fitted as standard. One might be made from the stainless-steel mesh sold for smoke-box spark arrestors.

Then the weir in the coolant tank; and that could be an open-topped box easily lifted out for cleaning,
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