I’ve seen where people have used a Vevor cooler for their spindle but has anyone just used a car radiator and fan? The inexpensive coolers are nothing more than a few bent aluminum tubes, a fan, and small tank. It seems like a car radiator (which I have access to several new ones for free would work as well. I already have a flow switch in place so it would just be a matter of connecting a pump up to it.
I was thinking of building a vacuum table using something like the lighthouse motors. Yet they tend to die if they overheat. So if I could make something that I can connect more than one pump to I could also cool them.
I had a bit of time to dig out spare parts I had to try and mock something up. I think this is going to work well. The white PVC pipe is 4" and should hold about 3 gallons of coolant. I have a spare over the range hood vent that is made out of sheet metal that I’ll use to pull air through the radiator. It’s rated for 600 cfm so it shouldn’t need the highest setting. I’m thinking the whole thing will be a box with casters and quick disconnects so I can roll it around as needed. I think I’m going to put a hardwood top on it so I can use it as a workbench to hold projects next to the CNC.
If I was to spend money to make it I’m sure it would have been more compact. But free is always good. The pump is the only thing I have had to buy so far. It’s similar to what we use where I work and they run for years nonstop so it should last for a very long time. I’m trying to decide if I want to spend a little extra time and make the frame out of steel or just use 2x4s.
