[freeidaho]

Howdy,
For those of you with 1/2hp or more coolant pumps, how high should an open top perimeter type coolant enclosure extend. Obviously, higher is better, but what is a realistic height that will keep in 99% of the coolant?

18"
20"
22"
24"
26"
28"
30"
What?

Thank you for your answers,

kr

[SCzEngrgGroup]

FWIW, on my Novakon, with a 1/8 HP pump, I can shoot coolant over the top of the 48" high enclosure walls under the right circumstances.

Regards,
Ray L.

[WOTDesigns]

I'll measure both my HAAS and tormach in a few. HAAS is open top wit 3 phase HIGH PRESSURE 3/4 hp pump and the tormach has 3/4 hf pump. No moisture ever noticeably gets over. No clue what the circumstances you are getting with a 1/8 hp pond pump??? Are you machining spoons?

Brian
WOT Designs

[SCzEngrgGroup]

I'm curious about these claims of 1/2HP and 3/4HP coolant pumps?? Most coolant pumps on smaller machines are 1/8HP, 1/4HP at most. Are yours truly 1/2 and/or 3/4? The 1/8HP pumps on my Novakon are MORE than adequate, in both volume and pressure, and really flood the entire machine.

Regards,
Ray L.

[freeidaho]

Ray,
I think we are talking upgraded, as in not-factory pumps.

I know mine is 1/2 hp because I bought it myself. I have read other threads with pictures here on CNCZone and other forums, about machinists upgrading their pumps for more flow to clean out chips more readily.

kr

[WOTDesigns]

I'm curious about these claims of 1/2HP and 3/4HP coolant pumps?? Most coolant pumps on smaller machines are 1/8HP, 1/4HP at most. Are yours truly 1/2 and/or 3/4? The 1/8HP pumps on my Novakon are MORE than adequate, in both volume and pressure, and really flood the entire machine.

Regards,
Ray L.

I would love to see an 1/8 hp pump that's "adequate" for anything. I have 1/8, 1/4 and 1/4 pond pumps that I purchased and are crap for machining.

My 3/4 hp HF will handle 3x 1/4 opening nozzles and provide plenty of flow. The 3/4 hp high pressure HAAS & 3phase pump has at least 50% more flow. Even that isn't enough when doing 1.5" deep 0.1" cuts as the chips stack up off the vise front. Mind you that's a **** load of big long chips that the Tormach isn't capable of making.

My home made set up for the Tormach is 52" tall. My HAAS TM2P factory enclosure is 47" tall (ish). The only thing of note to ever make it over either is chips from the superfly cutter. Coolant making it over that (enough to note) is preposterous.

Brian
WOT Designs

[WOTDesigns]

I should add that the Tormach starved weak pump is adequate for one off machining. If deep 1/4 cutter slotting 1.25" deep no amount of flood compares to the fogbuster dual head I also have. It really does depend on what u r machining. I'm In awe of Ray L designs on his works, but for SOME of my work an 1/8 hp is a inadequate.

Brian
WOT Designs

[SCzEngrgGroup]

I should add that the Tormach starved weak pump is adequate for one off machining. If deep 1/4 cutter slotting 1.25" deep no amount of flood compares to the fogbuster dual head I also have. It really does depend on what u r machining. I'm In awe of Ray L designs on his works, but for SOME of my work an 1/8 hp is a inadequate.

Brian
WOT Designs

Brian,

Thanks!

Ya know, I think the pumps in my new "deluxe" stand may be closer to 1/4HP - I seem to recall them being about 200W.

My facemill will throw a good deal of coolant over the left side wall when conditions are right - enough to leave the wall dripping. At some point, I'll put a sheet of Coroplast across the top, to cover about the last foot. That will be enough to stop it. I suspect the Tormach is enough narrower (my Torus Pro enclosure is almost exactly 8 feet wide) that this may not be an issue. I'm sure it depends a great deal on the specific nozzle arrangement as well. For normal purposes, I would consider 48" to be plenty high enough. I think more important is providing good access for setup and cleaning, and making the opening as wide as possible. It's easy enough to put a "roof" on the enclosure if to much is escaping.

Regards,
Ray L.

[WOTDesigns]

I hope you can find coroplast in smaller quantity than I did. Had to buy 10 sheets from HD and still have 6 in the box. Great stuff for enclosure if strength (flying part protection) isn't an issue. I have a 5/8"ID hose with garden nozzle coming off the pump as well to wash down and the coroplast cleans right up.

The Tormach stand is 8' wide as well.

I can see the facemill getting moisture out the top pretty easily. I used coolant with the super fly cutter exactly one time. It looked like a low hanging cloud in my shop after wards.

Brian
WOT Designs

[MFchief]

Brian, maybe too late to help you, but perhaps someone else could benefit. Most places you can buy single sheets of coroplast from sign making or graphics design businesses. In my case the price was about the same as Home Depot, but I could buy singles.

Terry

[SCzEngrgGroup]

I hope you can find coroplast in smaller quantity than I did. Had to buy 10 sheets from HD and still have 6 in the box. Great stuff for enclosure if strength (flying part protection) isn't an issue. I have a 5/8"ID hose with garden nozzle coming off the pump as well to wash down and the coroplast cleans right up.

The Tormach stand is 8' wide as well.

I can see the facemill getting moisture out the top pretty easily. I used coolant with the super fly cutter exactly one time. It looked like a low hanging cloud in my shop after wards.

Brian
WOT Designs

Nah, I bought the same 10 sheet box, and currently have 7 left. But I have three machines, and I've only done Coroplast on one so far, so they'll get used.

Regards,
Ray L.

[JohnToner]

I'm using a sump pump from Home Depot pushing oil coolant through 1" ID tubing to a distribution block with four 1/4" LocLines. I can do flooding that would scare Noah. I don't know the head height.

[freeidaho]

Howdy,
Thanks for the replies so far. I am really interested in a Tormach enclosure though.

It looks like the top of the electrical cabinet is about 40" from the base. Are y'all building your enclosures higher than that?

Thank you,

kr

[freeidaho]

I guess another way to look at this is:

How often does your mill get coolant splashed up as high as the switches in the front of the electrical enclosure?

Thank you,

kr

[WOTDesigns]

No often enough to cause any shorts... But I don't stand by watching all that much. I went 48ish because that's where I wanted to hang my lights from the enclosure. Wish I had shot pics last week before Matt cleaned it, but I can tell you I get chips pretty high up the 48"Attachment 262516

Brian
WOT Designs

[R.DesJardin]

I have had a 24" setup on my Tormach PCNC1100 and it contained most of the chips and splash when I first started. But a partial top of my low enclosure to contain debris is what I have now on both of my enclosures on my Tormach PCNC1100's and that really helps.

[Steve Seebold]

1/2 and 3/4 HP coolant pumps? Are you guys making machined parts or washing cars? I have a 1/8 HP pump on my machine, and it provides plenty of coolant for the parts I make.

[WOTDesigns]

LOL. I use a garden hose head on a 5/8" ID time to wash down and blast chips from under the mill when switching from anything back to aluminum. If I built the stand all over I would add some 3" spacers and cut 4 holes for the spacers in a single piece of sheet metal to slope from the right wing to the chip tray.

3 x 1/4" lock lines still don't get me enough pressure to clear chips when slotting 1/4" EM 1" deep so I had to get the dual head 1 gallon Fogbuster to clear chips.

Brian
WOT Designs