Has anyone washed a Myford lathe cover?

Has anyone successfully washed a Myford lathe cover?

The ML7 doesn't get used much or at all these days, but it's still there as a standby and for cutting gears with the dividing head and home-made arbor.

It lathe got a jolly good clean up today, since it was rather grubby.

The lathe cover (genuine Beeston Myford), which wasn't on it, is also rather filthy, with a layer of dust glued on to it with old oil etc.

Could I stick it into the washing machine on a gentle wash with plenty of detergent or am I going to need to carefully wipe it many times with cloths soaked in the detergent or swarfega?

I can't buy a new one because it's a long bed ML7 and RDG/Myford have only got the short bed variety available.

If you are still wedded, I wouldn't try washing it in the washing machine, I doubt its efficacy in any event. I would try giving it a good brush over with Gunk or Jizer type degreasers leave to soak and then if you have a power washer rinse with that. Or go to the local Car wash and use the Jetwasher there.

Robert Butler

I don't see why not, but I wouldn't go above a 40 degree wash.

Rob

Isn't it waterproof plastic? I would turn it inside out to make its own water container and put pater + detergent in it and manually swish it around with a scrubbing brush. A general washing machine relies on cloth being very water permeable so the water goes through it and especially out on the spin cycles.

Dhobi advice from ex sailor

Wash it by hand in a basin twice to get the worst out and rinse well

Then put it into the machine on a cool delicates wash

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Never done this, BUT, I have cleaned some filthy, baked on greasy domestic ovens. Get a large container - baby bath, plastic dustbin etc. Chuck a good cup full of washing powder into it followed by hand hot water. Put the cover into this mix, stir it about a bit and leave overnight. Next day, remove, rinse out and dry well. I wouldn't try a wash machine.

Bob

I have washed mine a few times by soaking it in warm water and washing up liquid in a bowl for a while. Then swishing it about in the bowl, then rinsing several times in warm water and then drying outside on the line. I took care to handle it gently as there is no reinforcing fabric in the plastic, so no wringing etc, it has to drip dry.. Easiest to do it in summer when it is warmer. It looks better after a wash, though the "Myford " logo is starting to fade, the plastic does not seem to come to any harm.

When it finally gives up the ghost, I am thinking of giving it to my talented neice to make a pattern from so she can sew up a new one in leatherette table cloth type material. Many bright patterns seem to be available in our local market and I rather fancy one with a pattern of Smarties. ( Like M&Ms)

Rod

Well, it went into the bath after I got out.

The cover doesn't look all that much cleaner even after copious ammounts of fairy liquid and some of the dog's evil smelling shampoo got rubbed into it. There must be a difference because there seemed to be about a pound of cast iron grit and a number of MoS2 stains in the bath after I'd finished.

It's currently hanging on the washing line.

I don't think it'll shrink, so I don't need to buy a Seig C0 for it to cover...

As an excuse to buy new kit superb (even if you were not being serious!)

Perhaps we should start a thread on excuses to self and significant others to justify buying new kit that have worked in the past?

Share and enjoy!

I think this is what the English call American cloth and the French toile ciree.

Pity my poor lathe, which is lucky to get a brush-down, never mind a fancy cover.

Even my dogs dont get that !

Cruel World !

To be fair, the ML7 hasn't been used for about 10 years now. It got cleaned because I had to move it and the HLV out of the way during a solar power installation. Having moved it, I thought that I really ought to clean all the swarf, oil dust and grot off it. With the cover on it, it might stay clean for the next decade.

If I had my druthers, I'd probably sell it, since they seem to fetch silly money!