martinez.kim•26d agoProlific Poster

Had a coolant line blow out right as I started a big job

So I was setting up a run of 500 parts on the old Haas VF2, first piece in the vise, coolant pump on, and this loud pop happens. The main line from the pump to the spindle just split open right at the fitting, spraying coolant all over the floor. Happened about a month ago on a Tuesday morning. I had to shut everything down, clean up the mess, and figure out if it was just the hose or if the fitting on the pump was stripped. Ended up being the hose clamp gave out because the hose was old and cracked. I had to run to the supply house, get new hose, and lost like three hours of machine time. What do you guys do for checking coolant lines? Do you just wait for them to fail or do you replace them on a schedule?

3 comments

3 Comments

leeshah26d ago

Man, that "loud pop" is the worst sound in the shop. I'm basically on the "wait for it to fail" plan, which is a terrible plan. I had one let go right over the electrical cabinet once, which was a real "what's my life choices" moment. Now I try to give the lines a good squeeze when I'm doing my Friday clean up, feeling for any that are getting soft or brittle. It's not a real schedule, just me trying to avoid another mess. How often do you actually check yours?

wendysanchez26d ago

Ugh, that sound is pure panic. Your story about it going over the electrical cabinet is a nightmare, @leeshah. I used to be on the same "wait and see" plan until a line sprayed oil all over a finished part. Now I do a quick visual and touch check every Monday morning, looking for cracks or that weird sticky feeling. It adds maybe five minutes to the start of the week, but it beats cleaning up that mess again.

phoenix_grant3423d ago

I get the "wait for it to fail" mindset, but that's playing with fire. A quick squeeze on a Friday isn't enough to catch a line that's about to go on a Tuesday. You need a real schedule, like Wendy's Monday check. Waiting for the soft or brittle feeling means it's already breaking down. Why not just pick a day and make it a two minute habit?