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DIY Lathe Coolant - Flow Control
FASTdan - 17/7/13 at 02:15 PM

I am looking to rig up a coolant feed on my lathe - thinking a simple upside down squeezy bottle (so gravity feed), hose and I have the magnetic flexi-nozzle for mounting on the carriage.

All I now need is a flow control valve - just an inline tap to slow the flow as required. Can anyone suggest a suitable tap? I was thinking something from a garden center would do, but I cant find anything. Google just brings up air products which I've already tried a pneumatic valve but the orifices are tiny and restrict it too much.

I suppose I could use a washing machine tap, but its a bit of a ballache as my hosing is only 10mm so would need to turn up some reducers etc.

nick205 - 17/7/13 at 02:40 PM

If you're using an upside down washing up liquid bottle you could control the liquid flow by the rate you let air back into the bottle into the bottle.

Bladerunner - 17/7/13 at 02:44 PM

Get yourself to one of the suppliers that do everything for miniature steam engines, they will have lots of small taps with control valves on top.

YQUSTA - 17/7/13 at 02:45 PM

http://www.seapets.co.uk/products/pond-supplies/pond-pumps/pond-hose-clips-and-connectors/flow-controls/lever-valve-tap-10mm.html?ref=googlebase&g clid=CI2m_JvhtrgCFUbHtAodUicAUA

owelly - 17/7/13 at 02:49 PM

As probably suggested...
Pet shop for aquarium air fittings or for a cheaper version, nip the tube with moley grips...

kipper - 17/7/13 at 02:51 PM

b&Q is your friend for this type of thing, look in the plumbing section and you will find service valves which are just ball valves, or in the gas fittings you should find brass gas valves.
Regards Denis.

FASTdan - 17/7/13 at 03:20 PM

quote:
Originally posted by YQUSTA
http://www.seapets.co.uk/products/pond-supplies/pond-pumps/pond-hose-clips-and-connectors/flow-controls/lever-valve-tap-10mm.html?ref=googlebase&g clid=CI2m_JvhtrgCFUbHtAodUicAUA


Thats exactly what I had in my head! There's another garden center that specializes in pond stuff that I'm going to try on my way home.

Had a look in B&Q today (before writing this post) but I was looking in the garden section which mostly consisted of over-priced hoselock products. I assumed the plumbing section would be limited to 15mm and 22mm stuff?

Did consider molegrips lol not very practical long term tho

The air supply back into the bottle idea is another option I guess - I have plenty of pneumatic fittings. Only downside is easy access for changing on the fly whilst operating the machine, at least with a tap it can be mounted on the carriage right infront of you.

designer - 17/7/13 at 03:41 PM

Home brew shops sell small taps.

A 2 litre plastic container with a small tap to regulate the flow.

rf900rush - 17/7/13 at 05:52 PM

I use a small ball valve.

Been in regular use for over ten years.
Used with coolant pump as well as a gravity fed water feed for milling plastic.


Similar to this

http://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/manual-ball-valves/7335233/





Also look at coolant fittings

http://www.rdgtools.co.uk/acatalog/COOLANT_PRODUCT_S_AND_SYSTEMS.html

SteveWalker - 17/7/13 at 08:54 PM

How about Gas Ball Valve

locogeoff - 17/7/13 at 10:54 PM

quote:
Originally posted by designer
Home brew shops sell small taps.

A 2 litre plastic container with a small tap to regulate the flow.


^^^

First thing that came to my mind!