Rant: My coolant mix was a total mess for a year because I never checked the refractometer

I was running my old Haas VF-2 for months, always thinking the finish looked a bit off and the tools were wearing fast. My buddy Mike from the shop over in Dayton finally asked to see my mix, took one look through my refractometer and just said 'Bro, you're reading it upside down.' I'd been adding way too much water this whole time. Anyone else ever have a simple tool trick them for way too long?

3 comments

3 Comments

lindag3316d ago

Oh man, that hits home. I did the exact same thing with my first refractometer, felt like a total goof. I was so sure the line had to be at the top of the scale, not the bottom. Ran my machine for like six months before a coolant smell tipped me off. How did your tools hold up after you fixed the mix?

linda_dixon4916d ago

About that coolant smell, mine got lucky with just a good cleaning.

the_linda16d ago

My old boss in Cincinnati made us do a weekly coolant check and write the number on the whiteboard, which felt like overkill until I saw how much it could swing. After a mix-up like yours, I'd pull the sump and give it a full clean-out before you get the new ratio dialed in, otherwise you're just diluting the old bad stuff. Those worn tools are probably toast, but at least you caught it before you started getting rust on the table.