Leadscrew concertina bellows.

That's about it Andrew. We can dazzle ourselves with science at times and the cover over the leadscrew is a "nice to have" but................. if we keep our machinery clean then it's never a problem. Surprisinly the ML7 I have is a 60s model bed/leadscrew and it looks like it has been rarely used. The bed is lacking the normal butcher user hacksaw gashes on the bed where they have "parted off" with a hacksaw and slipped as well.

I wish you had posted this earlier as I was there on Tuesday!! Bought myself a D-Bit grinder and have made an attachment for sharpening the gear tooth and other form cutters. Sure miss the old Cincinnati No2 T & C grinder at work for this stuff but it is nice to be retired

DH

I make custom concentinas for leadscrews and for DRO scale protection using polythene sheet (as per garden cloches) sealed using a heat sealer. Simply cut a strip wide enough and long enough to go round the item to be protected and then seal in place. Fasten off at each end of the item and it will compress and expand as needed. When it gets well grunged, work hardended or damaged I replace it.

Similarly all my silver steel is in custom narrow 13" poly bags with the size written on the bag with sharpie pen. Stops the rust and reduces frustration when trying do stock checks.

These are just some of the many uses of the heat sealer and I commend it to the house. See my album for images.

90% of my leadscrew swarf falls just in front of the saddle so I have a bit of loose plastic pipe which I fitted onto the leadscrew (removed and refitted)

Cost me about 0.01p and 45 minutes of my life 5 years ago

Edited By Ady1 on 09/12/2016 16:51:13

http://www.model-engineer.co.uk/albums/member_photo.asp?a=43051&p=709159

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... Now I'm really embarassed about the state of my workshop

MichaelG.

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 09/12/2016 16:52:52

Just for you Michael I have added two more images of my anal shop. Hope you don't go into spasm ....

I figured that if I got things in a known and marked place now, it might help just give me a bit longer to play once the grey matter begins to fade.

The storage boxes are shoe storage boxes as per DunElm. These are incredibly tough and seem to be a very a very convenient size/aspect ratio for workshop related bits.

Yes I know it's sad.

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I am duly humiliated, Alan ... The worst thing is, I know you are right.

MichaelG.