Lathe stand coolant system.

**th62** · Jun 27, 2021, 04:14 PM

This is the coolant system I've built into my lathe stand. It consists of a 10 litre plastic jerry can, a $25 centrifugal pump off ebay, a couple of flexible nozzles and a heap of retic pipe and fittings. It's been running for eight years now with no problems. The coolant container was originally on the back of the stand, but proved a little difficult to get to to top up, so, I moved it to the side. It's a sealed looping system, so very little coolant loss and it's continually aerated, so no smells. Here's a video showing it working.

**DIYer** · Jun 29, 2021, 04:00 AM

Thanks th62! We've added your Lathe Coolant System to our Lathe Accessories category,
as well as to your builder page: th62's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

Lathe Coolant System by th62

tags: lathe, coolant

**tonyfoale** · Jun 30, 2021, 02:29 AM

Tell us more about the rollup way cover. What material did you use?

**th62** · Jun 30, 2021, 05:47 AM

Simple really, just a piece of PVC tube with bearings in each end, supported by the angle iron bracket bolted to the headstock. The cover is oil impregnated canvas which rolls up around the PVC tube. I've wound some 6mm cord around the tube at the rear, that stretches out along behind the headstock, does a 90 degree turn around an aluminium pulley, then out the back, around another pulley and down toward the floor. Tied on the end of the cord is a steel weight which slides up and down inside a PVC tube keeping the canvas taught. I'll post some pics later.

**tonyfoale** · Jun 30, 2021, 08:23 AM

Originally Posted by th62

..... The cover is oil impregnated canvas which rolls up around the PVC tube.

What purpose does the oil serve? I would have thought that it would be more likely to burn with hot swarf dropping on it. Is it because your cooling system kills hot swarf and the oil deals with the coolant?

**Unkle Fuzzy** · Jun 30, 2021, 09:26 AM

Oil impregnated canvas is a tarp material. Basically a waterproof cotton fabric.

**th62** · Jun 30, 2021, 04:58 PM

Obviously I don't use coolant on absolutely everything, the oil impregnated into the roller stops swarf burning the tarp and sticking to it. Alsp keeps the canvas coolant proof.

**th62** · Jun 30, 2021, 05:10 PM

Click the link, the lathe bed protector is there, along with some other things I've done. https://www.homemadetools.net/builder/th62

**NortonDommi** · Jun 30, 2021, 05:16 PM

Nice build. Do you have any clogging problems with the drain holes? I had to make a strainer held in place with magnets that stops crap going down the plug hole.

**th62** · Jun 30, 2021, 07:02 PM

Occasionally some swarf gets stuck in the holes as they're only 6mm, but the coolant still drains. I just poke the swarf down into the 25mm drain tube and it runs into the coolant container. The feed for the pump is well clear of the bottom. Never had any problems in eight years, save for the way oil draining into the coolant container and making junket.