Do you need to water cool erhm a water cooled spindle?!!

**GEOFFREY** · 01-10-2013

Hi, I told you in your other post that I have been running a WC spindle for about 10 years and have never bothered connecting up the water supply. I do keep my eye on the spindle body temp (It only ever gets hand warm, and that after about 30 mins routing. When I bought my machine I was given an instruction book which recommended allowing the spindle to run for about 10 mins before doing any work in order to enable the spindle to warm up!!! If your spindle gets hot in use you need to water cool - if it only gets moderately warm, then as you say there is enough mass to conduct any heat away. That is my opinion anyway. G.

**~andy** · 02-10-2013

I have water cooling, but only turn on the pump if it's doing a long stint. Just having a bit of water in the system may help even if the pump isn't on.

So, I wouldn't worry about not having water cooling. Equally, it's really not that much of a hassle to add water cooling.

**JAZZCNC** · 02-10-2013

Hank my WC pump expired and I didn't notice, the machine cut 20mm Ali job for 2.5hrs and still spindle was only just a bit hotter than normal so I wouldn't worry about it for 30min jobs. . . . Put it this way If my pump wasn't switched on By VFD I wouldn't bother for short jobs.!

**HankMcSpank** · 02-10-2013

Thanks guys... I'm just trying to avoid the extra pipes, buckets, relays & wiring! It sounds like I should be able to get away with it for the type of usage my spindle will see.

**JAZZCNC** · 02-10-2013

Originally Posted by HankMcSpank

.. I'm just trying to avoid the extra pipes, buckets, relays & wiring!

That said for sake of 2 pipes & bucket it may be worth doing for long runs, better having the option to do it than not.
Regards Relays then Most VFD's have a in-built relay for switching external stuff so just use this. It also saves pump wear has it only comes on when spindles spinning.