Aluminium Grades

Does anyone know which grade of aluminium is best suited to high speed cutting with router, I have a few bits some clearly cut easier than others?

Also as i'm undergoing a redesign of my coolant system, is it best to mist the coolant or flood with Aluminium routing.

Any advice?

T6 is about the easiest to obtain that cuts nice, it's the architectural sheeting that cuts like wet butter.

Best coolant for aluminium is WD40, in fact that's all its good for :heehee:

Because it's expensive make your own 75% paraffin [ the UK stuff ] and 25% any hydraulic oil, or ATF, that red automatic transmission fluid.
You don't need much, those kitchen type spray bottles work well but you have to be there.

I had often thought, but never done anything about it, of using one of those Peristaltic pumps

[ame]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peristaltic_pump[/ame]

Positive displacement, no waiting 10 minutes then the alloy builds up on the cutter and just as you go to stop the machine a great big snot of muddy water hits you bang on.

With a spray head you get get a fine mist which is all you need except decent ventilation

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by John S

T6 is about the easiest to obtain that cuts nice, it's the architectural sheeting that cuts like wet butter.

Best coolant for aluminium is WD40, in fact that's all its good for :heehee:

Because it's expensive make your own 75% paraffin [ the UK stuff ] and 25% any hydraulic oil, or ATF, that red automatic transmission fluid.
You don't need much, those kitchen type spray bottles work well but you have to be there.

I had often thought, but never done anything about it, of using one of those Peristaltic pumps

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peristaltic_pump

Positive displacement, no waiting 10 minutes then the alloy builds up on the cutter and just as you go to stop the machine a great big snot of muddy water hits you bang on.

With a spray head you get get a fine mist which is all you need except decent ventilation

..

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Cheers John, I did wonder about raiding a bottle and washer pump of an old car from Albert Looms! Then modding it to include a return to recirculate coolant with some filtering of course, even thought of using a cheap car oil filter for this?

for misting does it require an air feed? Or does the nozzle it self create the mist?

Michael.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by michael

Cheers John, I did wonder about raiding a bottle and washer pump of an old car from Albert Looms! Then modding it to include a return to recirculate coolant with some filtering of course, even thought of using a cheap car oil filter for this?

for misting does it require an air feed? Or does the nozzle it self create the mist?

Michael.

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Can't honestly answer the misting question as I have never done it, if the pump has enough pressure then it should mist given the right nozzle, think hosepipe but if it's low pressure then it may need a bit of a hand.
Then again a simple air spray system will mist, like a cheap spray gun.

Not sure about a car oil filter as a return system because on a car it's pumped. Someone would need to work out how long it takes to flow thru by gravity and is it backs up too much.

Sorry not been more helpful but as I say no experience.

[edit]
The professional misting systems work total loss but use very little liquid.

Still very helpful John,

Just dont care much for standing over the machine for a couple of hours to spray bloody WD (usually gets blasted straight back at me by the routers exhaust!)

I could use a pump no problems and maybe some crude form of filtering, maybe just go total loss and use a water based coolant I can mix large quantities of my self.

Michael.

Somewhere on CNCZone I saw someone had used a cheap airbrush. You'd need compressed air, but they don't use much....

You can always use a fridge compressor with an airbrush, cheap and quiet.
there was an article in MEW in the last couple of issues on doing just that.
.

Some great idea's coming out here from the Derby/Notts Group!

Cheers John S & Tom.

Not only that I did a search on Ebay for airbrushes out of interest although I don't have any interest or want one ? :question:
Found a link to someone selling small coiley 1/8" gas air lines so bought two for blow guns on the machines.

All the coilies I have are massive and it's like going 5 rounds with Mick McManus getting then to go where you want.

Next thing lacking are small blow guns?

KIP where are you ???

Plenty of blow guns but all massive for small machines or got 6 foot levers.

.

That is a bloody good mister Kip, wonder how well a fuel injector would work with a fuel pump, They create a good mist. Easy to control coolant quantity etc.

Michael