CNC Coolant

[Steve355Participant @steve355]

There seem to be 24l and 8l Hyundai compressors at Screwfix both for around £150…

[DiogenesParticipant @diogenes]

Do the £150 ones deliver enough air – they’re quoted at about 150L/min FAD..?

[Steve355Participant @steve355]

One is 120 and the other is 150 l/m.

The smaller is 8l and the larger 24l. I guess that’s the capacity of the reservoir.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

One thing to be aware of is that most hobby compressors state the displacement. due to losses this is a higher figure that what you will get out of the compressor which is known as Free Air Delivery or FAD.

Typicaly the FAD will be 50-70% of the displacement. Hence my post yesterday where I said 8CFM( 225l/m) from mine when they are sold as 11cfm as that is the displacement but just looking it is acually less than 8cfm.

So if the screwfix ones are single motor expect 60-75l/m out of them.

Yes the 8 and  24 are the tank capacities, I have a 50lts

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Screwfix are quoting the wrong figure for FAD. On the cheaper 8lts tank model they give FAD as 120l/m but if you look at Hyundai site the 120lts is displacement and the actual FAD is 53l/min.

Also £30 cheaper from Hyundai

 

[Steve355Participant @steve355]

Aha… I thought the Screwfix figures looked fishy. Hyundai website it is then.

[Steve355Participant @steve355]

Well, it takes me an embarrassingly long time to get around to things but I usually do I the end. So I have my blower, and I need to plumb it on to my compressor. I still have the old noisy compressor, but I’ll get the Hyundai compressor if it works well.

Does anybody have any thoughts about the fittings to plumb a compressor fitting onto a 8 mm air pipe? (I think – it says 8 on it)

I’m guessing I’m gonna end up with a block of aluminium screwed to the wall somewhere near my CNC machine, which will have a compressor fitting on one side, and an air hose coming out of the other side?

Furthermore, does anybody have any advice about the best air compressor fittings? There are a myriad of different ones, I’ve always wanted to settle on one system for my workshop, but I always end up messing around with them because different air tools come with different input fittings.

 

 

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Simple connection would be  a QR with a 1/4 BSP male screwed into an 8mm pushfit with 1/4 BSP female and that will join the two.

If it is a manifold then tap it 1/4″ BSP and screw in a male QR fitting with 1/4″ bsp male end as the inlet. ( you want female QR connectors as outlers to compressor and compressor hoses as they shut off the air).

Outlets tap the block to what you fancy – 1/4 or 1/8 BSP, M10 or M8.

If you want to regulate separate outlets then the banjo type flow regulators with a thread to suit your chosen tapped hole and 8mm pushfit outlet. Unregulated then just a straight male thread to 8mm pushfit.

 

Lidl QR connectors work for me

[Steve355Participant @steve355]

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

That’s it, screw a male QR into that which will plug into the hose or compressor. Other options I mentioned also shown below

[Neil LickfoldParticipant @neillickfold44316]

Do a material test with the coolant to see if the brass is going to make the coolant turn green.

From  Memory HysolX is just fine. I mix at 10-12 %, Work is using Blaser fluid.

I do like the look or clarity of the Blaser full synthetic coolant. It is a pro biotic coolant. Very different to that of Hysolx.

I only use the IPA hand gel where for what ever reasons, the surface finish is not as expected. It just gets a very thin brushed on amount.

There are companies that do use IPA as a cutting fluid. They use antistatic hoses, and it has a water mist that is injected into the vac hose. The mister nozzle looks very similar to what Jason posted.

For the cnc router I use a mister and the Blaser CFS35 oil in combination with shopvac system. The shopvac has a cyclon between it and a 20 l catch can. The combination of the blow and vacuum to control chip evacuation works very well.

Neil

[JasonB]

On JasonB Said:

That’s it, screw a male QR into that which will plug into the hose or compressor. Other options I mentioned also shown below

Awesome, when I get around to my pneumatic logic ATC extravaganza, something like that would be just the ticket.

BTW which style of air hose connector is the “best”? I think I have at least 3 different types. Every air tool I buy seems to have a different connector. I have an air nailgun, an air paint sprayer, an air dremel thing, and the atomiser for my forge all have different connectors. And I am about to have another with my CNC blower. I’d like to buy a job lot of male and female of one particular type, and ditch the rest.

 

 

 

 

[Clive FosterParticipant @clivefoster55965]

Concerning connectors this picture shows the two common general purpose quick release airline connectors. I had both types floating around and made adapters as a temporary measure pending exploiting very attractive LiDL prices for Euro connectors to convert everything to Euro. As ever temporary became permanent and mumble-mumble years on I still have a mix.

Bottom is a Euro female to PCL male adapter. Note the bulge in the main stem characteristic of the standard PCL

Middle is a modern style PCL female to Euro male adapter. Note the parallel stem characteristic of the Euro.

Top is an old style PCL female.

Pull back on the sleeve to release the female coupling on both types.

Generally standard PCL females have knurled rings to assist grip whilst Euro have plain rings but you can’t assume this is true for everything.

Many PCL females are positive latching requiring the sleeve to be pushed forward to unlatch before pulling back to release the coupling. Generally if there is a gap between the sleeve and the connector entry, as per the middle one in the picture, it will be positive latching. Unless the system is completely de-pressurised it’s usually necessary to push the male connector towards the female one to get the positive lock latch to release. The whole point being that you need two hands to undo the connection which is obviously safer. Ageing positive latch PCL females can be a right pain to undo.

Euro connector has a slightly larger bore and tends to be bit easier to release. It is said they are less durable than PCL but how much of that is due to the proliferation of inexpensive import ones made to slack tolerances I know not. I seriously doubt that any member of our fraternity will use one enough to wear it out.

A major trap for the unwary is that PCL branded PCL-XL range connectors are Euro type not proper, standard PCL.

The female end is self sealing and should be fitted on the pressure side. The male goes on the tool or whatever. Should be obvious but I have encountered a hose connected the wrong way. Fortunately I had a good grip, even with only about 50 psi in it the hoes was, ahem, energetic in attempting to escape.

The simple nylon tube push fit types make effective quick release connections if you don’t mind de-pressuring things before you attempt to disconnect. Alternatively (better) put a tap in the line to cut off pressure.

I would consider a tap on the entry side of the very neat Euro inlet to multiple push fit outlet manifold pictured in previous posts essential.

Theoretically the push fit pipe end should be cut off and re-chamfered before re-connecting but in practice you can disconnect and re-connect several times before the nylon hose deforms where the O-ring seal(s) run leading to leaks. Industrial rated (aka expensive) ones have two O rings and are more reliable at high pressures. Watch the temperature ratings. The cheap and cheerful plastic breed don’t like getting hot. Typically maximum of 60°C. Metal bodied versions rated up to around 150°C can be found, at a price.

Nylon air pipe is generally stiffer, stronger and has higher temperature range than the (cheaper) polyurethane type.

Clive

 

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

As I said teh Lidl ones work OK for me which are the Euro type. I don’t use a lot of air tools so am not swapping them many times a day.

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