• Scam Alert. Members are reminded to NOT send money to buy anything. Don't buy things remote and have it shipped - go get it yourself, pay in person, and take your equipment with you. Scammers have burned people on this forum. Urgency, secrecy, excuses, selling for friend, newish members, FUD, are RED FLAGS. A video conference call is not adequate assurance. Face to face interactions are required. Please report suspicions to the forum admins. Stay Safe - anyone can get scammed.

Coolant recommendations

Dan Dubeau

Ultra Member
It's time to tackle the coolant problem in my shop. This is the brand that I am using. It came with the Tormach when I bought it, and I've done nothing aside from mix a few new batches from time to time to keep it up.
Jo0cdtB.jpg

Coolant King, from I'm assuming KBC. It works well as a flood coolant, in that regard I have no complaints, but if it sits for a while (which it does often), it forms a gel like flubber in the tank, that then wraps around the pump shaft and the Tormachs weak little coolant pump cannot spin fast enough to get it moving again. I have to pull the tank out, pull the pump give it a good cleaning, skim the oil off the top, and we're good to go again. Not a huge problem if I used it all the time, but for my sporadic use, it's always an issue. Anyone that's had to do this on a Tormach knows how much of an afterthought the old enclosure and coolant tank is, and how much of a pain in the everywhere it is to get out when it's full......The flubber issue could most likely be solved with a skimmer, and aerator for this brand, and something I will probably do moving forward anyway.

The other, bigger issue, is rust. Short of spraying everything down after use with oil (even worse for the coolant health), this coolant tends to promote rust on every bare steel surface it touches. That for me is a far bigger deal than the flubber. I've been really wanting to clean up all the rust all over this machine, but there is really no point, until I solve the coolant issue. So I've just been turning the radio up and ignoring it, even though it bugs me greatly...

I realize what I want might be a unicorn short of going to straight oil (which I don't want), but I figured a few of us here probably have the same problems and maybe some have found a solution. I did find Mcgyvers recommendation for Trim Microsol 585. Looks promising, are there any others anyone can recommend that don't cause rusting, and don't go bad, or cause gumming up issues before I buy a few gallons of Microsol 585 (xt? what's the difference?) to try out? Will it cause rusting on bare surfaces if left on and left to dry @Mcgyver? I'd really like to not have to wipe down and dry the machine after every use....

Thanks, Dan.
 
Last edited:
If I DO grab some Trim microsol 585, this is the cheapest source I've found so far, (that actually lists prices online)
https://dgisupply.ca/product-details/MTCMS5854G
but the min order of 4 gallons puts me at $232, or 274 for a 5gal pail. Not that terrible, but if it doesn't solve the rusting problem, it's money wasted. Would be nice to just try a gallon of it first but this is the only spot I've been able to find that will sell only a gallon @ $106 https://www.linenplus.ca/trimr-microsolr-585xt-semi-synthetic-coolant.html

I might call a few distributors from work tomorrow to check around. $60-70 for a gallon I could live with taking a gamble on.
 
My mill isn't CNC'ed so this may not be relevant but I like the Koolmist 78. A gallon at KMS was ~$80. Four oz in a gallon of water so it goes a long way.
 
My mill isn't CNC'ed so this may not be relevant but I like the Koolmist 78. A gallon at KMS was ~$80. Four oz in a gallon of water so it goes a long way.
I too bought a gallon of Koolmist #78 from KMS Tools. As yet, because of the shared air supply with the not yet project 42 rebuilt power draw bar I've not used it yet.
The band saw uses a water soluable oil mixture and I've had to take apart and clean the pump from sludge as the water evaporates when I don't use the saw for an extended time.
 
I'm strictly manual machines, I've been using the Princess Auto stuff (usually in with the bandsaw blades). Someone on here said they mix water /Methyl Hydrate with it to help keep the bacteria down. I've been mixing windshield washer fluid with it (-40 mix is 50/50).
No rust problems, so far (about 1 year) no stink. The washer fluid / water does evaporate, especially in summer but I just pour in another jug of washer fluid when it gets low (once in 1 year).
 
I'm strictly manual machines, I've been using the Princess Auto stuff (usually in with the bandsaw blades). Someone on here said they mix water /Methyl Hydrate with it to help keep the bacteria down. I've been mixing windshield washer fluid with it (-40 mix is 50/50).
No rust problems, so far (about 1 year) no stink. The washer fluid / water does evaporate, especially in summer but I just pour in another jug of washer fluid when it gets low (once in 1 year).
Good idea, I'm going to try that. I found the PA coolant got really gross pretty fast. I've been using some Texaco stuff somebody gave me and it seems to keep better but of course the water mix portion eventually evaporates out.
 
Back
Top