Lost a $400 endmill because of a stupid coolant line

Last Tuesday I was running a job on our Haas VF-2 and a coolant hose popped off its fitting mid-cycle on a 3 inch deep pocket. By the time I caught it the tool was glowing red and the insert broke off, which then gouged the whole sidewall. Had to stop the job, replace the $400 1/2 inch Iscar endmill, and spend 3 hours reprogramming to avoid that area. Has anyone rigged a better way to keep those cheap plastic Y-connectors from blowing off under pressure?

3 comments

3 Comments

ivan_harris19d agoTop Commenter

Did you try using zip ties to secure those plastic Y-connectors?

the_jake19d ago

Yeah I've tried zip ties on those plastic Y-connectors before. Honestly it worked okay for about two weeks until the plastic started cracking from the pressure. I ended up just replacing them with metal ones from the hardware store and calling it a day. My track record with zip ties is basically me hoping they'll hold things together longer than my patience does.

ward.anna19d ago

My zip tie adventures always end the same way, everything looks tight and secure until one random morning I hear that awful pinging sound of plastic shattering and water spraying everywhere. I learned the hard way after a cheap fix on my washing machine hose failed at 2am and flooded half the laundry room. Now I just bite the bullet and buy the proper metal clamps or barbed fittings upfront, costs like $8 more but saves me from waking up to a mini indoor swimming pool. My buddy tried using zip ties on his aquarium filter lines and ended up with a wet carpet and some very confused fish on the floor. Zip ties are great for cables or temporary stuff, but anything with constant water pressure is asking for a disaster.