This valve assy was fitted to my router. what's it supposed to do?

[Richard]

I'm trying to work out exactly what the purpose of this valve assembly is.

It was attached to the body of a spindle on a gantry cnc router.

Clearly it is supposed to direct either air or coolant to the cutter, BUT, it has two pipe connections, one with a valve (actually it's a Meter-in speed controller valve) and one without.

The pipe connector on the right of the block, without the valve, has a pipe running back to a electricly operated valve which has another length of pipe from it which is just floating about free.

Obviously I can connect the electric solenoid valve to compressed air and have an air jet blowing onto the cutter, but whats the purpose of the valve on the cutter end?

I wondered if it would allow coolant to be drawn up via another pipe to give a mist?

I'm not sure the meter-in speed controller valve is meant to have liquid in it.

I can just bin this assembly and run a flood coolant with a small submersible pump instead. It might be useful to keep as an air blast for use on wood, mdf etc?