Fogbuster vs Kool mist for grinder

J

jeness

Joined
Jan 20, 2010
Messages
45
Hello Gentlemen!

I have read all of the topics on wet grinding. Drip systems, spray bottle, Kool mist, fogbuster, etc. I tried wet grinding with a spray bottle, and there are occasions where it really shines and makes life much easier. Grinding acrilyc, micarta, G10, CF and the like, it keeps dust and heat down, keeps the belts from clogging etc. I make mainly straight razors, and would like to get into folders and kitchen knives in the future too. So I thought about a wet system where I don't have to constantly wet the belt by hand. It just takes too much time, and is a constant hassle to spray every 2 to 3 passes. I would use it for rough and finish grinding too, where the drip and sponge system wears away quickly, and the water gets flung off easily.

So my question: is a fogbuster really worth the price or the invested time worth to make one? There are cheap Kool mist clones out there, where you can control the flow of the air and water separately. Water tanks are pretty cheap which can be pressurized, would it make a regular mist system similar to a fogless mister? Or a normal mist system is perfectly fine, and I just have to make sure to ventilate or use a dehumidifier after grinding?
 
You can get super cheap mister systems on ebay or Amazon. That said, you might want to look into the NOGA MC1700 Mini-Cool kit. I have found it to be much better built than my old Koolmist Portamist––and it's cheaper too.

I've never used a dehumidifier afterwards, but it might be a good idea. No need for a pressurized water tank. You just need an air compressor (which, if it's small capacity like mine, is going to cycle like crazy) and a bucket of water with a tiny hole punched into the lid.

I do like to add the Koolmist liquid to my water to prevent rusting.

EDIT: I'd never heard of a FogBuster until now. It looks pretty cool... I wonder, though, whether it would offer a wide enough spray for a 2" wide belt. Koolmist liquid, btw, is non-toxic and biodegradable, so it's not really a concern if you're getting it in the air.
 
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If the fogbuster requires only 20psi that can save lots of wear and tear on my little compresser.
 
I put one together using parts from amazon for about $50. I already had a spare regulator, though you can use your compressor’s regulator if you need to dial down the incoming. I added a magnetic base which was about $20 IIRC, which also isn’t necessary, so theoretically you could build one for about $30 or less. Typically (on the cheap kits anyway), you just need to add a couple fittings to attach to your compressor hose. I think I had to buy some 8mm hose, a 1/4” to 8mm PTC fitting, and the appropriate coupler for my air hose. All should be fairly inexpensive.
 
I was wondering if it is practical to be able to regulate the water amount too, or if it would be just too much hassle to get the right water to air ratio every time. Looks like on the one you linked you can regulate the air flow only, and you have one lever to open or close the air flow. Or is that lever meant for airflow control?

It would be practical to experiment only once, and after that you can switch it on or off fast when needed.
 
I bought a kool mist years ago and a cheap eBay one years later. Couldn’t get either one of the damn things to work right. :mad:
They both worked at the beginning and made grinding very easy because you don’t have to dip. Both of them stopped working right though. Is there some trick to them to keep them running right?
 
Josh Rider said:
I bought a kool mist years ago and a cheap eBay one years later. Couldn’t get either one of the damn things to work right. :mad:
They both worked at the beginning and made grinding very easy because you don’t have to dip. Both of them stopped working right though. Is there some trick to them to keep them running right?
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Everything that relies on a venturi system will fail due to cleanliness and need cleaning.
The same thing applies to the soap siphon system in a pressure washer


If you have hard water, the minerals will crystallize and block it, but prematurely wear the valve parts first.

If you use a chemical it will gum up and block it- After use run it with clear water until the next use.

They are often built with a ball and spring check valve
The spring and ball are probably carbon steel, or plated carbon steel, you can upgrade to stainless balls and stainless springs.

If they use a rubber o ring as the valve seat, it goes hard or gets cracked/nicked.
any O rings other than as a valve seat, lube them with vaselene


Disassembly, clean, inspect, - the mechanical world lives and dies on that.
 
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12345678910 said:
Everything that relies on a venturi system will fail due to cleanliness and need cleaning.
The same thing applies to the soap siphon system in a pressure washer


If you have hard water, the minerals will crystallize and block it, but prematurely wear the valve parts first.

If you use a chemical it will gum up and block it- After use run it with clear water until the next use.

They are often built with a ball and spring check valve
The spring and ball are probably carbon steel, or plated carbon steel, you can upgrade to stainless balls and stainless springs.

If they use a rubber o ring as the valve seat, it goes hard or gets cracked/nicked.

Disassembly, clean, inspect, - the mechanical world lives and dies on that.
Click to expand...
Thanks count,
We definitely have really bad hard water.
Sounds like I need to clean it out.
 
Jeness the lever regulates the air , the nozzle turns and thats what controls the amount of water. Can go from really wet to just a little.
 
I’ve use a clamp on the shield that covers my large rear idler wheel to put a on my Hardcore Grinder to hang a sponge soaked in water with a little windex to drip on the belt. Simple and it works. Bob Terzola has a pic of it in his book.
 
The Cool-Mist and similar systems both provide wet lubrication as well as evaporative cooling. This is a real advantage in grinding post-HT.
Using the proper additive will keep the system running longer and the mist just right.

The spray can get downright cold. Nitrile gloves help avoid cold and chapped hands.
 
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith said:
The Cool-Mist and similar systems both provide wet lubrication as well as evaporative cooling. This is a real advantage in grinding post-HT.
Using the proper additive will keep the system running longer and the mist just right.

The spray can get downright cold. Nitrile gloves help avoid cold and chapped hands.
Click to expand...
I am already prepared for that, I always grind with gloves on.
I will have to look around for some emulsion to use with it. Till than I will try baking soda or something to make it at least non rusting.
 
The soda will just speed up the unit clogging. Dissolved solids are a bad thing.
Use 1/4tsp of Dawn dish soap and a gallon of bottled water for a home brew mist solution.
Regular gloves.

Making a hand sanding dish of water slightly basic with some soda is fine, but it doesn't prevent rust. It prevents the fine particles being sanded off from oxidizing before you clean things up. Always rinse and dry a blade after any wet work and then apply a light coat of WD-40 to prevent rust until your next work day. I think every one of us has had to re-sand a really nice blade because it rusted and pitted while on the bench or in the work box for a month or so. Using a water replacement oil will greatly reduce the chances.
Just last month I took a nice tanto out of a work box where it had been sitting for at least a year waiting for time to make the koshirae. It had some rust on it that was deeper than just a wipe with 800 grit would remove. I had to sand it back to 120 grit and completely re-do the finish. I oiled it well before putting it away again.
 
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith said:
The soda will just speed up the unit clogging. Dissolved solids are a bad thing.
Use 1/4tsp of Dawn dish soap and a gallon of bottled water for a home brew mist solution.
Regular gloves.

Making a hand sanding dish of water slightly basic with some soda is fine, but it doesn't prevent rust. It prevents the fine particles being sanded off from oxidizing before you clean things up. Always rinse and dry a blade after any wet work and then apply a light coat of WD-40 to prevent rust until your next work day. I think every one of us has had to re-sand a really nice blade because it rusted and pitted while on the bench or in the work box for a month or so. Using a water replacement oil will greatly reduce the chances.
Just last month I took a nice tanto out of a work box where it had been sitting for at least a year waiting for time to make the koshirae. It had some rust on it that was deeper than just a wipe with 800 grit would remove. I had to sand it back to 120 grit and completely re-do the finish. I oiled it well before putting it away again.
Click to expand...
The dish soap is a great tip, thanks! I noticed that gunk built up on my wheels and everything when I used a spray bottle with baking soda water. I oil everything between sessions, I am more worried about my motor axle and bearings rusting on me if they get hit a bit by the mist. My drive wheel is made from steel too, if I remember right.
 
The Kool-Mist concentrate has a rust preventative in it. If the system is set up right, rusting of the grindr should not be a big problem. If it worries you, get a gallon of WD-40 and a spray bottle (often sold as a package) and spray down the grinder after each use. Before spraying it with the oil, blow it off well with compressed air.
 
Tenebr0s said:
... you might want to look into the NOGA MC1700 Mini-Cool kit. I have found it to be much better built than my old Koolmist Portamist––and it's cheaper too.
Click to expand...

How powerful of a compressor do you need for it? I don't know anything about compressors, but I know I want one of these misting units. I went online looking at compressors and there are compressors all the way up to $1500 and maybe more. If I can get away with the bare minimum I will because I don't use compressed air for anything else.

Thank you.
 
Old thread but still relevant.

Any normal shop compressor should be able to provide 80-100PSI and 2-3CFM. I would think $150 would buy one more than sufficient. There are often great deals on used compressors in the traders and other listings. I used a small portable job-site compressor before I got the bigger Craftsman one for free.

The higher the pressure and more the airflow the colder and dryer the mist. I think most folks who have problems with it being a messy wet spray aren't pushing the mist fast enough. I see posts where people say they use 40 pounds of pressure from a little paint brush compressor. No wonder they get a sloppy wet spray.
It is basic physics, when the velocity and pressure drop, the temperature drops too. Also, the faster the airflow at the nozzle, the better the atomization of the water droplets.
 
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