Keeping The Ways Clean

[Nick Hulme]

A while ago I had to do a lot of light, messy turning jobs and tried a strip of re-usable teflon baking sheet held in place with magnets in plastic bags to keep the ways clean.
The baking sheet worked so well I used it for 6 years but last year I bought some rubber protectors for the ways on my mill and had an off-cut left over and did this -

A screw fixes the bracket to the saddle and a plastic tongue fits back under the ways at the head end allowing quick fitting and removal.

- Nick

 

[DJP]

The application of expandable rubber for protection makes sense. I built a stainless tray that is attached to the bench under the ways. Most of the swarf falls onto the tray along with cutting oil and I only need to use a paint brush to clean the ways. My bigger problem is catching the swarf that missed the tray under the lathe and ends up everywhere. The long curly ones actually seem to wind themselves onto any object and they plug up the shop vac.

Keeping the ways clean solves only part of the problem for me. On the other hand, metal shavings on the floor show that the old machines are still doing useful work.

 

[Nick Hulme]

I only need to use a paint brush to clean the ways.

That's fine if you don't need to move the carriage whilst machining anything dirty like cast iron or using a toolpost grinder and don't use abrasive paper on parts in the lathe.
I'm guilty of all of the above and the ways remain beautifully clean and oily all the time ;-)

 

[Hopper]

I have an old piece of flat vinyl cut from an old handbag in the same application on my lathe. Looks like the concertina rubber sheet would work much better when up close to the chuck. Is it available other than as milling machine way covers?

 

[Nick Hulme]

I don't know if it's sold as anything else but you can often find it on ebay at a very reasonable price.

 

[Blogwitch]

I am not trying to spoil your post, but just looking at your rubber setup has me thinking back a few years when I first got my Crusader lathe.

My first problem would be, as I have a DRO fitted on the opposite side is where to fix it onto my saddle as I have done a mod that clamps up the cross slide (can't reach the normal one as the DRO covers it up), and that is exactly where where the operating screw is, so I wouldn't be able to reach it as it would be covered up by the securing of the bellows end as that would require some sort of support and holding bar where it fits to the saddle.

I did come to the conclusion that a set of metal sliding plates could be fitted, the sort to be fitted on a BP mill, my BP mini clone has the same system. This system is fitted to more expensive lathes as a way to keep the ways clean. Maybe I should look at it a little deeper this time as I am sure something could be easily fabricated from thin SS sheet and a few small countersunk screws. Another job to be added to my ever growing list of things to do.

I mention this as the mill and lathe have totally different types of swarf produced. The mill debris is usually of a much smaller size, plus I have yet to see my mill produce the curly whirly swarf as a lathe does. Not only does my mill have the sliding plates, but also the rubber covers as you have shown, and they work great, with the type of swarf produced by the machine.

If I was to fit a rubber bellows to my machine, as you have shown, the swarf produced would rip the rubber cover off in no time.

If anyone is really interested in folding and making their own bellows to almost any size, there are programs that you input the size you require and the program will print out the correct sized sheet showing all the score and fold lines, some even produce G code so that you can use a cutting plotter to help make them.

BTW, it isn't rubber that they recommend for such things, but more of a stiffer type of nylon or plastic, I was expecting to use Mylar before I changed my mind about it..

John

 

[goldstar31]

Not wishing to interfere but I'm still waiting for someone to sort out the grit problem especially on Quorn T and C's.

Having said that, the arrival of cheap vacuum things originally to do barbecues has merit. I'm quite happy to modify/bash ends to clean up stuff on my lathe and mill. However, I'm one of the 'lard oil brigade' especially on my lathes and many ideas propounded are inapplicable- for me.

Cheers

Norman

 

[Blogwitch]

Not lard oil for me Norman, but 68 grade slideway oil.

I have the stuff dripping off my machines and it looks awful, but the way I look at it, a few pounds spent on the correct oils, and not caring about the cosmetic mess it makes can save hundreds of pounds in the long run as I know I am not getting any metal to metal contact causing early wear.

It is not laziness, just good old fashioned common sense.

John

 

[goldstar31]

John
The lard oil is for cutting and tapping but I also use slideways oil on the lathes, the mill and whilst I ought to know better, sneak oil onto steel to steel ways on my little Stent. I suspect that I am lubricating with an intimate( oooh!) mixture which also includes ISO32 from the Myford spindle lubrication.
Confession is good for souls and neatsfoot oil on leather soles.

My best wishes

N

 

[Nick Hulme]

My first problem would be, as I have a DRO fitted on the opposite side is where to fix it onto my saddle as I have done a mod that ....

John, I looked at all the recommended DRO fitting options and they suck! I built an independent, integrated parallel sliding unit with round rails and linear bearings. This allows my X scale to mount at the back of the lathe, out of the way of chuck, work and tailstock but fully protected in it's own rigid slide system from any bumps or knocks.

If I was to fit a rubber bellows to my machine, as you have shown, the swarf produced would rip the rubber cover off in no time.

John, the time when I might produce curly swarf big enough to impinge on the rubber has now passed as with the correct speeds, feeds and tooling 8mm OD reductions on even gummy stainless steel alloys just produces a shower of blue chips, I've had to add hand guards though ;-)

If anyone is really interested in folding and making their own bellows to almost any size, there are programs that you input the size you require and the program will print out the correct sized sheet showing all the score and fold lines, some even produce G code so that you can use a cutting plotter to help make them.

This was just a test with leftovers, but it works
When the oil rots the rubber I'll buy something else to replace it.

BTW, it isn't rubber that they recommend for such things, but more of a stiffer type of nylon or plastic, I was expecting to use Mylar before I changed my mind about it..

Glass fibre re-enforced PTFE sheet is very good for resisting oil, heat and sharp swarf but tends to split on hard folds, ArcEuroTrade do some nice ready made bellows in suitable materials, I'll probably go that route ;-)

- Nick

 

[Nick Hulme]

Not wishing to interfere but I'm still waiting for someone to sort out the grit problem especially on Quorn T and C's.

Norman,
There are cylindrical rubber bellows available for exactly that kind of application,
Regards,
Nick

 

[goldstar31]

Nick
I was aware that there was 'something' from medical sources. Old dated stuff, I confess!
However this reduced the working space considerably and the only way( pardon) was to extend the 1" bed bars which meant ungluing, realigning and regluing and that was after re-machining the front vernier.

Mine has felt wipers- ex- an old felt hat.

So if there is something now which avoids all troubles mentioned, I'd be most grateful for details.

Meantime

regards

Norman

P.S. No intention to steal your most interesting post but I have now more time after a very difficult family loss. There is still lots left to do but not as urgent.

N

 

[Blogwitch]

Nick,
I made a mistake with my revelation about swapping over my clamping screw from front to back.

http://chestermachinetools.forumchitchat.com/post/locking-up-my-cross-slide-7284193?pid=1286083315

I can actually reach the grub screw but I would still refuse to use a bellowed system in that position.

I do still do the odd 'foreigners' for certain friends, but don't show them on here at this time.
Only a couple of months ago I had to turn the insides out of a 4" piece of stainless bar, and that produced swarf that could wrap around yourself and cut you in half, awful stuff, hence my quote about rubber bellows not lasting too long for the jobs I do.

Nothing personal or malicious at all, everyone has their own needs and views about everything we do on here.
What would the world be like if say we all liked the same music, food and model engines? Life would be so boring.

John