from our friends at Tormach
When using water based coolants, the water-to-coolant ratio is crucial. If the concentration does not have enough coolant, you will have trouble with corrosion, but if you are using more coolant than needed, you are just wasting coolant (and money). Using a refractometer will help you accurately maintain the correct mixture of coolant to water. A refractometer first needs to be set to the fluid concentration you are checking. To set the refractometer, very accurately mix a solution of coolant and water to the manufacturer’s recommended ratio. Fill the refractometer with the solution and set the screw on the refractometer so the middle of the scale lines up with the shadow line. Make sure the screw is never moved after it is set, or you’ll have to mix a new solution sample and reset the refractometer.
By setting the shadow line to the middle of the scale, it’s easy to know at a glance whether to add more water or more coolant to the tank, depending on whether you are above or below the scale.
Depending on your coolant usage, you may only need to add water if the coolant is left unused for long periods so the water can evaporate. If you are not sure what to add, just mix in a small amount of coolant and take a reading. You will then see what direction the reading moves. From this you will know whether to add water or coolant to get your mixture correct.
If you maintain the correct mixture of coolant to water, you won’t need to wipe down or dry off your machine when you are finished using it. The water will evaporate and leave behind a sticky residue of coolant that acts as corrosion protection. This will rehydrate when you start using coolant the next time. Remember, this only works well if you are using the correct ratio of water-to-coolant, so keep that refractometer handy.
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