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  1. #1
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    Default Surface grinder dust extractor / coolant unit

    I'm hoping someone can explain to me how this grinder dust system is supposed to be used, also how it interacts with a coolant system. When I bought the SG at a clearing sale this unit was in another part of the shed, I convinced the auctioneer to put it with the SG prior to bidding- I assumed it was a coolant system but there is no fluid pump on it. As I'm toying with the idea of making a mill vise and would need to be grinding parts as big as the mag chuck, I'm thinking it might be time to get coolant happening on the grinder.
    I have not been able to find any info at all on this grinder or the suction unit. Pic of the grinder:
    sg front view.jpg
    Pics of the suction unit:
    sg dust unit 2.jpgsg dust unit 1.jpg
    There is a drawer arrangement that goes under the vacuum intake that has a fine mesh screen on the sides.
    sg dust drawer.jpg
    The unit is obviously intended to have fluid of some kind in it, as it has a fluid level indicator
    sg dust unit level window.jpg
    and inside there is a baffle arrangement. I'm wondering if perhaps it is supposed to have oil in it to capture the dust like an oil-bath air cleaner on an old car?
    The grinder table has a drain port for a coolant system and the sheet-metal frame that prevents coolant being sprayed across the room, also threaded holes on the wheel guard presumably for mounting a coolant nozzle.
    How would I go about setting up a coolant system on this thing? A submersible pump in the bottom of the dust unit with a drain hose in addition to the vacuum hose? Google hasn't brought up anything helpful at all on this.

  2. #2
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    Default

    I have almost the exact same unit that came with my Kent grinder
    Mine is both coolant and dust extractor but you don't want to run both at the same time

    I have dumped the coolant out of my tank, unless you use stir it up it all the time, it gets nasty really fast.
    I use an oil spray bottle, which is probably not ideal, but has worked for me so far and does help minimise distortion

    If you are set on coolant, I would get a small pump, and use a cheap plastic tub, being able to remove the top will make for easier cleaning compared to a tiny opening in the 'proper' tanks, and if it gets really bad, it's cheap so you can just throw it away

  3. #3
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    Default

    That tank doesn't really look big enough to serve double duty as a coolant tank; my guess is the extractor unit is for extraction only and the coolant tank is missing.

    I would say the mesh tray is to catch any grinding swarf or wheel dust that gets sucked up with the mist and the sight glass is just so you know when to empty the tank. If it gets too full the vacuum motor may start to push coolant out the exhaust which would kinda defeat the purpose.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by elanjacobs View Post
    That tank doesn't really look big enough to serve double duty as a coolant tank; my guess is the extractor unit is for extraction only and the coolant tank is missing.

    I would say the mesh tray is to catch any grinding swarf or wheel dust that gets sucked up with the mist and the sight glass is just so you know when to empty the tank. If it gets too full the vacuum motor may start to push coolant out the exhaust which would kinda defeat the purpose.

    So would the machine have possibly had a coolant tank in addition to the suction unit? What if I were to ditch the suction unit and run coolant only? I'm thinking flood coolant, I don't want to have to upgrade my compressor nor to have it running all the time for a mist unit. If I have flood coolant draining back to a tank through a filter (could even use that mesh basket), can I do without the suction unit altogether?

  5. #5
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    Our Chevalier grinder has one like this (only the grubby version)
    Coolant pump at the front.
    The thinner flexible hose is the coolant return, runs into the mesh drawer.
    Attached Images Attached Images

  6. #6
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    Default

    There may be one generic Taiwanese supplier.
    Vertex also sells them.
    Attached Files Attached Files

  7. #7
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    I think it would have had separate units as there's no pump on the one you have. You don't really NEED the suction unit, but grinding throws up a lot of mist that's not particularly healthy to breathe and tends to cover everything in a nice sticky film. The old Okamoto at trade school has the suction built in to the wheel guard which is probably more effective, but any extraction is good.

    Or open the shed, get a fan going and wear a good mask.

  8. #8
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    Ok that makes sense, add a generic coolant unit separately, continue to run the suction unit and empty the tank of the suction unit as required. I'll probably get one of the portable coolant units from H&F or similar, use it on my bandsaw as well, which also lacks a coolant system. Gonna need a new vac hose though if I'm going to be sucking up coolant mist, it'll condense in this old cracked one and leak everywhere.

  9. #9
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    It occurred to me that I have one of those cheapo parts washer tubs with a little pump in it, I bought it to rinse out a valve block I had done some grinding on, just let it recirculate all day through the ports- anyway it has been gathering dust since. I think I'll give it a try as a coolant unit, will be interesting to see if it flows enough with about a 1200mm head.
    I think I'll set up a filter for the coolant to drain back into the tank.
    Does anyone know where I could obtain a filter sock like the one in the first minute or so of this video? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yK3hWNYs6gI&t=1694s

  10. #10
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    Plenty of similar looking aquarium filter socks on ebay for around $20.

    Edit: depending on where you're going to fit the filter, a decent magnet put in a snaplock bag might help to pull some of the steel out before it cruds up your filter. Drag it out once in a while, unzip the bag and turn inside out when you remove it so all the metal stays inside. Throw it out and put the magnet in a new bag...

    Steve

  11. #11
    BobL is offline Member: Blue and white apron brigade
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    Quote Originally Posted by OxxAndBert View Post
    Plenty of similar looking aquarium filter socks on ebay for around $20.

    Edit: depending on where you're going to fit the filter, a decent magnet put in a snaplock bag might help to pull some of the steel out before it cruds up your filter. Drag it out once in a while, unzip the bag and turn inside out when you remove it so all the metal stays inside. Throw it out and put the magnet in a new bag...

    Steve
    Watch out for aquarium type pumps that use a permanent magnet motor inside the fluid flow path as these will gum up with the superfine swarf and no amounts of magnets inline will remove all this swarf. I had one of these pumps on my BS and it has 2 , 25mm diameter x 25mm high, REE magnets in line and one in the tank and the fine dust still used to gum up the pump. It got to the point where I was having clean the guts of the motor about every month or so eventually switched to a mains powered washing machine pump no trouble after that. Interestingly I use the same aquarium pump on my lathe with no problems - obviously a different swarf distribution.

  12. #12
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    Hi Guys,

    The problems with using magnets in fluid flow coolant systems is that the speed of flow is often too fast for the magnet to grab the fine particles. Smaller particles move much more slowly in a fluid towards a magnet simply because the attraction area of the particle is small and it is against the fluid flow.

    To retrieve the maximum amount of particles the flow needs to virtually cease, which is why things like magnetic sump plugs work so well in car engines. Waterfall baffles will help to slow the fluid flow and allow the solid to sink to the bottom. Filters can catch the larger stuff before it gets to the tank.

    The other problems are that not all particles will be ferrous ones !
    Best Regards:
    Baron J.

  13. #13
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    Pete,
    If you are considering inline filtration after the pump, I find the Karcher filter they use for the pressure washers to be very good, filtration down to several microns and relatively cheap, I use one on my grinder. Alan.
    Attached Images Attached Images

  14. #14
    BobL is offline Member: Blue and white apron brigade
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    Quote Originally Posted by C-47 View Post
    Pete,
    If you are considering inline filtration after the pump, I find the Karcher filter they use for the pressure washers to be very good, filtration down to several microns and relatively cheap, I use one on my grinder. Alan.
    I might get one and try it out before the pump - I hope it doesn't clog too quickly.

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by C-47 View Post
    Pete,
    If you are considering inline filtration after the pump, I find the Karcher filter they use for the pressure washers to be very good, filtration down to several microns and relatively cheap, I use one on my grinder. Alan.

    That is interesting, I have a dead gerni pressure washer on the rubbish heap, might see if it has something similar cunningly concealed within.

    I tried the parts washer out this arvo and as I suspected it does not have sufficient flow with the outlet raised enough for the grinder. Will serve for the bandsaw but that is another project as the bandsaw lacks a tray.

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