Debate: Should you trust the coolant mix or mix your own? My 3am crash story

I run a small shop in Cleveland, and two nights ago I had a Haas VF-2 throw a trunnion error at 3am on a rush job. The coolant was factory spec, but I switched to a generic blend three months back to save money. Well, the coolant got too thin, the pump cavitated, and I lost a $400 part to a tool crash from poor chip evacuation. I'm torn because the generic mix saved me about $60 a month, but this one mistake cost way more. Some guys at my local shop say stick with OEM, others say adjust the concentration on generic and it's fine. What ratio do you run and have you ever had coolant issues mess up a run like this?

2 comments

2 Comments

patricia9051mo ago

My buddy runs a job shop in Akron and he had the same issue with a generic blend on his Mazak. He bumped his concentration from 8% to 11% and it worked good for about two months before the coolant started smelling like rotten eggs. Did you get any rancidity problems with that generic stuff, or was it just the thin mix that killed you?

karenw231mo ago

Tried 10% and added a biocide once a week-no smell problems.