Source for wiper felt

Hello

Does anyone have any suggestions where I can obtain suitable felt to make new bed wipers for a Boxford lathe? Everything I've found after a search on Ebay seems to be too soft and thin - also, I'm assuming that wool felt may be better than synthetic?

Thanks,

Rob

Try searching for industrial felt or felt for bearing seals. Possibly from bearing and shaft seal suppliers.

Paul.

I'd also be interested for the same lathe, does anyone know if there's a free design to 3d print the things that hold them? I'm not too knowledgeable on 3d printing, I'd have to get my brother in law to do it for me, I saw someone on yt print some a while back.

**LINK**

Maybe something like this? My lathe doesn't have the holders so I don't know what would be suitable for the originals.

I know its rather cheeky but when i needed  my southbend done , i ordered some free  samples from here , perfectly suitable.

Its the white technical felts you usually use.

**LINK**

If i remember they sent me 3 samples of around 2" x 3" of 18w,25w and 36w.

You can also get suitable felt from inside the ink trays on some inkjet printers.

Edited By mark smith 20 on 24/05/2020 00:30:36

Edited By mark smith 20 on 24/05/2020 00:31:08

Thanks for the tips, chaps - I may try the cheeky free sample approach, as I don't need much.

Pete - your link looks like there is a foam rubber backing attached to the felt, which would probably cause issues. The holders are just thin pressed items, I can take some photos if you want to make some.

Thanks again for all the suggestions.

Rob

Mark, which felt that they list would be most suitable?

Cowboy, yeah that would great, it was a job I had planned for the coming weeks.

Boxford list the wiper felts and holders for the 3565 series on their spares site.

I think it is about £20 for a complete set but when I went to order some a few months ago, chap on the end of the line sounded a bit exasperated at the admin involved for such a small order and said he would stick some in the post, which he did, with no charge.

I can't promise the same excellent service for anyone else, he may have just been in a good mood. I can't even promise that they still have them as their stock of spares for the 3565 range gets depleted. I have bought other, far more expensive parts from them in the past which may or may not have had some bearing, but in any case, it's got to be worth a phone call.

There is (was?) someone selling 3D printed wipers. I bought sets for my Colchester lathes, saddle and tailstock. They are exactly the same as the original at a fraction of the price of the genuine article and are lasting well, 20+ years.

A friend needed some for his Harrison lathe, the guy i bought from did not make them for that lathe bit on receipt of a satisfactory pattern he made a set.

Unfortunately I cannot find details of the supplier now but I think it shows that 3D printed wipers should be considered.

John

try this link - **LINK**

You could contact my wife - she converts good wooly jumpers into felt in the washing machine - Grrr !

I got some from the local 'Hobby' store they had several different thickness

H

This company supply industrial felt etc, and have information on types and grades on their website.

*LINK*

Rob,

Most "felts" sold online are 'soft' felts - good for hats and toys but unsuitable for use on machinery as oil retaining 'wipers'.

I had this problem a few years back when I needed to replace the wipers on my 7" Shaper. I spent a while researching this and eventually discovered that vintage car restorers had the solution in the form of "oil-felt" - which is a 'hard' felt and which has worked very well on my machines since then. I'm not exactly sure now where I got mine from but it was most likely from these people.

Oil Felt

As you will see it is not expensive and available in a selection of thickness. I purchased several thickness for my different machines and still have plenty of sheet left for further replacements.

I found it useful to draw my old felts out in CAD and print a simple paper template to work to - it also gives me a future reference for any replacements needed. The black parts are cut from Neoprene and act as front edge swarf wipers - the felt sits behind them to actually lubricate the slides. I used a leather punch for the holes. This arrangement seems to work and has lasted well. I had them off last week and cleaned them in spirit and re-oiled them as part of a table rebuild.

Regards,

IanT

Edited By IanT on 24/05/2020 09:28:22

This has been answered before and think it was for a classic car user group who supplied thick hard felt. I think bulkhead felt. May have been a BMC/Morris type user group. I will try and find it again as I need a some myself. I cannot find by search as I never seem to collect alternative words for the same thing.

This has been answered before and think it was for a classic car user group who supplied thick hard felt. I think bulkhead felt. May have been a BMC/Morris type user group. I will try and find it again as I need a some myself. I cannot find by search as I never seem to collect alternative words for the same thing.

Don't know if this is any good for wiper felt but certainly works as felt pads for furniture feet and the like. About 6mm thick with self adhesive in one side. Easily cut to shape with sharp knife, is fairly hard (not like milliners felt) but haven't tested it for oil bearing/wiping qualities.

John

Hi John,

I used a very similar felt on my lathe, been in use for over 12 months now, works great. To cut it use a sharp wood chisel works way better than a knife.

Cheers Kerrin

When we neeed some at my last employment it was supplied by Brammer (BSL as was) in pieces about 6" square IIRC. May be worth trying other bearing suppliers if you don't have a Brammer branch nearby.

Nigel B.

Wow, a lot of responses - many thanks to all.

IanT - I like the idea of the neoprene, I may add some as I have some neoprene sheet... somewhere...

John (Journeyman) - ah yes, the wife has some of that, I considered slicing off the adhesive as I didn't think it would mix well with oil.

Marischal - now you mention it, I recall that Morris Minors (and possibly classic Minis as well) use a piece of very suitable-looking felt as a bearing at the lower end of the steering column.

I searched further and found these which would probably do for the Boxford with one spare, and they are close to the correct shape already

Pete - I'll take some photos when I get out to the 'workshop' later (it's not really anywhere close to a proper workshop yet).

Thanks again for all replies.

Stay safe.

Rob

Hi Pete , the 40W is probably best ,its about the same as the supplied ones i received later from the US for the Southbend 9A