Thread: Improving the coolant setup on a lathe

The AL-336 is the only machine I have with a coolant system. This is the default coolant nozzle and gooseneck:
IMG_2492.jpg

It moves with the carriage, so for parallel turning it is good (until you reduce the diameter too much).

The few times I have used it have been frustrating. Not so much the unexpected shower (which could be improved by a temporary shield), but the need to keep adjusting the nozzle position as you change the cut depth. Especially when facing or parting off.

It has a nice little rotary stop valve (flow rate) on the end, which is convenient when you are positioning it, but the gooseneck is not long enough. Especially for large diameters. And to try and get it to just dribble on top of the cutting tool means the neck has to bend tightly. Or face the chuck, which means the jaws become a propellor for spraying me




So, a few improvements;


1. Raise the flexible gooseneck.

Factory neighbour fitted a 6" extension pipe to his lathe to raise his gooseneck up from the saddle, so I thought I'd try similar. Bought a 75mm long 3/8BSP extension from China:
IMG_2493.jpg
which lets me attach another fitting on top. I was looking for a "Y" fitting to tilt the gooseneck closer to the job/cutter, but didn't find one.
So, I tried a tee with an odd set of genders: IMG_2494.jpg

This let me add a stop valve for future expansion...
IMG_2495.jpg

That lifted the gooseneck about 100mm. Which was better, but the gooseneck still seems to get in the way of everything. (visibility of the job, the swarf, a DI if you are trying to centre something)


So, next improvement...



2. Attach a nozzle to the tool post. Here was the first attempt with some rubber hose:
IMG_2496.jpg IMG_2497.jpg



and then the second,
using some PEX/PU tubing: IMG_2500.jpg IMG_2501.jpg


It seems to neatly dribble a tiny flow of coolant over the tip, and not over the turned surface unless want to crank up the flow. Also gives me the option of a "through coolant" boring bar, if I ever find one that I can fit in my small toolpost.




Interestingly, many of the carbide inserts' chip breakers have a raised centre ridge, so with a dribble of coolant, the very tip is the only part that doesn't have a tiny pool on it at all times.

Hopefully I am not driving this little lathe hard enough to cause thermal shock in the tip of the carbide

I use one of these things
Screen Shot 2022-02-11 at 7.32.50 am.png

Usually mine sits on a small steel platform attached to the carriage but the magnetic base also allows it to also be located on the cross slide so it travels with the cutter as the cross slide is moved.

The magnetic base means it can usually be repositioned to where it's less in the way or, if required, easily be moved completely out of the way.

The magnet will eventually pick up swarf but I don't find it that big a deal ato clean it every now and then.

I should slo add I have mister on my lathe but I still use the flood coolant.
I also have this polycarbonate shield.
BTW I have since cut off the extension at the bottom as it was interfering with carriage travel.
guard3.jpg
guard2.jpg

+1 for Loc-Line (or generic alternative). The Schaublin lathe at work has the coolant line mounted to the cross slide instead of the carriage so it moves properly with the tool, I'll never understand why this isn't standard practice.

Originally Posted by BobL

I use one of these things
Screen Shot 2022-02-11 at 7.32.50 am.png

My local Men's Shed has one of those fitted to their AL336 and it works really well, my only frustration is a weak magnet in the base, if it were my personal machine I would dig it out and replace it with a neodymium

Originally Posted by NedsHead

My local Men's Shed has one of those fitted to their AL336 and it works really well, my only frustration is a weak magnet in the base, if it were my personal machine I would dig it out and replace it with a neodymium

The ones I have seem to be fine.
To get it right out of the way I can even stick it to the large vertical sheet metal chip/splash guard behind the lathe.

A couple of things reduce their stickiness and both relate to the magnet needing to make close contact with the opposite surface.
One of these is swarf stuck to the magnet, it can be quite fine/thin but it will reduce stickiness.
The other is the magnet is inserted too far into the base so it cannot touch the opposite surface. One of mine was like this and I added the back of the Magnet hole with a washer.