Who uses a milling machine for slotted guards

jhiggins said:
I use it on my lathe and my mill whenever I suspect a work-hardening/heat buildup is going to happen. This typically will happen when I machine my shoulders on the blade, or when using NS or stainless guard material. The mist is a little funky to get used to, but very little mess afterwards. Definitely no smoke, and no weird fumes in the shop. I used to flood cool, but its a pita. Now I use my little Kool Mist rig, and I am happy as a clam at high tide!

Michael, if you start shopping for one, there are a few different types out there now. I bought the kit that comes with a stainless steel reservoir, magnetic stand, hose, and nozzle. It was something like $150 or so. There are cheaper versions out there that you could just dunk the siphon hose into a jug and go for it.
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Where did you get it? I am assuming it is portable and you are moving it from machine to machine?
 
The Kool Mist Rig is by far the best I have ever tried. They don't use a lot of air or coolant either. You can even reuse the coolant if you catch it in the drain on your table.
A two flute endmill is much stronger than a 3 of 4 flute. They dull quicker though.
 
When milling slots for hunters, rather than fighters, one end of the slot is open. With this being the case, i can use a 4" diameter slotting saw, at slow speen on the grizzly mill. The cut is clean and precise. I have slotting saws on their individual arbors in 1/8, 5/32, 3/16/and 1/4". when I do them in batch, I use an undersize width saw, and bring up the width with a carbide end mill. I like to run it at fairly high speed, where it will cut more like a fordem, or dremel, Leaves a reall nice smooth finish. I mill to .000, or +.oo1. if you want to solder, this isn't enough for good flow. On the saw speed, slow is for s/s, ans n/s. you can cranke it up for brass. Mike
 
Yep really quick.
Just remember You don't have to crank the handle as fast as you can. You spent 3 hours making a guard. Take 7 minutes with your mill and crank it slow. I do my 1/8 and 3/32 all in one pass and haven't broken a mill yet. Just take it easy.
TJ
 
Michael, yes the Cool Mist is very portable. I love mine and move it from the Bridgeport mill to the Hardinge lathe and if I ever get around to making folders, I intend to use it on my tiny surface grinder too. You do have to be careful becaus eif you don't use it often, it can grow some fungus in teh small stainless tank. It's much more useful in a small shop than flood coolant, although I'm sure that there's jobs that flood is the only answer for, I'm just not doing those jobs.
 
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