Swarf damage

Anyone got any neat tricks to prevent swarf damaging the ways, getting under the apron, abrading the leadscrew etc?

I tend to clean down the lathe or milling machine after each use but there is always the risk of chips getting into places you don't want them.

My ways on the speed 10 are quite scratched and I suspect that there is a lot of swarf accumulation under the apron.

Hi Jon,

This works well for me

A simple alloy tray, keep it low profile so it will pass under your largest chuck.

Two lugs are screwed to the back. These locate in the end tee slots and are secured in place with two brass screws, one through each lug.

The leadscrew guard is cheap and cheerfull but very effective. Other brands are available!!!

hope this helps Geoff

Hi Geoff

Let me get this straight the swarf tray screws into a couple of t nuts, which are themselves held in the slots by grub screws.....

Like the leadscrew cover, perhaps a famous brand of stout might be more to my liking.

No Jon,

They're not tee nuts just flat lugs cut from 6mm flat.

Cut to the same length as the width of the tee slot and attached to the tray with two small screws.

They slide into the tee slots. The round head screw is tightened which lifts the lug upwards and clamps it in place.

The tray is set up so it just clears the bed.

Geoff

I like it !

I am thinking about making some extensions that bolt to the saddle as used on Dean Smith & Grace lathes.

Geoff's idea is great though and I'll look into a version of that too...

On my ML7 I use a piece of rubber sheet attached to the chuck side of the saddle using a couple of cap screws and ally angle to clamp it. If I have lots of cuttings both sides I will attach by magnets a small sheet of newspaper with magnets.

Works for me!

Alan

I like Geoff's idea. Rubber sheet also works well on lathe or mill alike. If cutting cast iron or grinding use some extra coverings to keep chips & dust away.

regards

Stefan Goetteswinter on YouTube seems to favour thin leather sheet for these sorts of applications.

Similar to the rubber or leather mentioned above I use a short length of plastic DPC material on my WM250. Has the advantage of being stiff to keep the swarf on top but still bends if it hits the headstock. The bolts go into the holes for the travelling steady so also serves to stop them filling up.

There are of course felt wipers on the front of the saddle as well. Did try leather but found it was too floppy and tended to soak up the way oil.

John

Edited By Journeyman on 03/09/2020 16:54:13

Yes, but Stefan has one end of the leather sheet attached to the saddle and the other attached to the headstock casting with magnets, so it doesn't actually drag on the ways.

Which is fine if you only need to work within a limited distance from the headstock, spring loaded roller perhaps or a standard rubber bellows?

John

Picture shows the swarf trays on my Super 7. The front one is held on with a screw into the hole normally used for the travelling steady. I think the hole is there on the ML10 as well.

Mike

Like Journeyman, I also use plastic dampcourse material for this purpose, since it,s strong enough and dirt cheap, can be picked up in almost any skip and easy to replace. Plus, it will never cause any damage to your chuck.

Also works well on my mill.

When we did repair work on the Smart & Brown model A at the museum, I made a new leadscrew nut out of gunmetal, and to keep most of the swarf away, I bought some telescopic tubular springs to cover the leadscrew. I'm glad I did as the leadscrew always looks like it has just been washed. You just pull back the spring each side of the apron and squirt oil over it every six months.

They are available on that website we are not allowed to mention, so no helpful links from me anymore.