My equipment

A few days ago my wife said to me "Have you seen the state of your equipment?" In total shock, I was about to panic, when I realised she meant my lathe and mill. While they are not cosmetic masterpieces, they are never-theless lubricated and adjusted as needed and are simply there to do the work I want. I think this is what most model engineers do. Having said this, some of the remarkably clean and painted machines in M.E.W. leave me in awe, especially when they are shown doing actual work. Finally, and as a consolation to my wife, I asked her if she would like to have a look at me collets as I keep them very clean and tidy - She told me to bugger off.

Steve Mackie

In theory I'd like my workshop clean and tidy - like an operating theatre.

Unfortunately the flesh is weak so it's always a tip

My good mate and mentor who was a REME armourer for 22 years really despairs of me...

I was a professional motorcycle mechanic before I got into machining so I have a lot of quality ( Snap On, Britool, Facom ) hand tools, they do get organised quite carefully. I'm a bit like the persona that James May from Top Gear projects in that respect.

One of the things I love about living in Spain is the lack of humadidity I don't have to spend hours oiling stuff so it doesn't turn into a ball of rust overnight.

Edited By Siddley on 25/11/2012 02:00:28

I'm sure that some of these people here have two workshops, one to work in, and another to mount up their stuff to photograph it. I usually end up with buckets full of swarf.

This place must be like Spain, I don't have trouble with rust, my workghop is an unlined tin garage, pretty much the standard (Skyline) sort of thing here in NZ. Ian S C

The main reason for keeping my machines fairly clean is money. 95% of what i do is with brass or ally, if i keep them seperate i can then weigh them in at the local scrap yard. Yesterday i weighed in a bag of brass swarf and came away with £29.00. A good incentive to clean up when changing from one to the other material.

Cheers Derek.

I often thought about seperating out the non-ferrous and actually made the effort once or twice but as I machined a lot of steel as well it got to be a pain.

Do you have a way to handle brass shavings without getting multiple splinters in your hands Magpie ? I used to hoover it up.

I've been meaning to clean down my lathe for months now.. but I keep getting distracted and continuing on project Simplex.. its now got a molehill of swarf under the bed.. but everything is well oiled up.

Hi Siddley, i use baking trays under the chuck to catch most of the swarf, then to clean the rest i use a small brush that women use for putting dye on their hair and a small home made shovel, but being a thick skined sod i do'nt get too many splinters anyway

Cheers Derek