Pretty Chips, Pretty Slicers

[jack.39]

Long, long time ago, as a heavy cut produced those curly, continuous chips, like springy-thingies, they wrapped around the tool post, tool holder, etc., and I thought, "Those things will wrap around the workpiece and scratch the finish all up."

I learned that day the cost of grabbing that long chip with my fingers, and yanking it clear, till it broke off:

sliced 2 fingers clean to the bone instantly! I didn't know that the edge of such a coiled chip had little, razor-like serrations along its entire length, like a high-quality steak-knife!

And know what? "Die Hard" actually has done that several times after the BAD episode, but carefully enough to not get hurt as badly!

Jack has felt like a fool now & then............

 

[steamer]

A friend at work was clearing a long stringy chip with pliers at work....the string formed a coil and dropped over three fingers......he wasn't as lucky a you.

Always leave the chips alone....

Dave

 

[Artie]

Always always..turn the machine off, remove these streamers with pliers. Im sure most know this but some guys with that new lathe may not... ive had several small slices but nothing major.... fingers (stilll got 'em) crossed....

Cheers Rob (Artie)

 

[Twmaster]

Yup. Good advice. I like my fingers. Even when they are full of typing errors!

I nearly got bit by a long stringy chip. I stopped just as it grazed my skin and left a nice cut on my knuckle.

 

[Artie]

I guess we should take this one step further, had a heap of swarf building up on the bed of the lathe (major heavy cut metal removal job recently) and it got picked up by the fast spinning chuck. Crap went everywhere at a fast rate. Regularly stop the machine and clear up..... I do, mainly........... :

 

[Twmaster]

Oh good god.... Razor sharp swarf swirling about like a cyclone.... That's just looking to draw blood.

 

[Richard1]

The guy I bought my lathe from lost one of his thumbs to a ribbon of stainless swarf that caught a chuck jaw.