Morse Taper Cleaner

I already have a plastic MT2 internal taper cleaner and am making an MT3 internal cleaner from hardwood. Have made the blank 2mm undersize on the taper and am now asking for ideas of what to use for the wipers. I intend to cut 4 slots along the taper at 90 Deg. about 2mm wide. The MT2 one just has 4 felt strips glued to the taper but I have in mid to use Chammy leather? but am open to suggestions. Perhaps swarf will stick to the chammy? but felt may be better.

Clive

If felt works...

Neil

Try soft lavatory paper. I use this on a jag to clean the bores of my 12 bore shot gun. It is very effective and 100% disposable.

I use a length of natural fibre cord/thin rope with a piece of cotton rag tied in the end. Thread the rope through the mandel bore from the headstock end pull through. When the rag gets dirty, it is easily changed for a new piece.

Dave
The Emerald Isle

I use a cleaning kit meant for a 12g shotgun (for 2MT).

Chris

I use a 12 bore chamber brush for M2 taper, they are not steel brushes but do the job, not sure if they would do for M3.

Brian

Looking for felt I found that the stuff you can buy in the shops is Acrylic Felt and not a natural fibre.

I am still searching for natural felt but dont want to buy a mtere at £16. Looking now at pads that go under furniture so the Pond shop will have a visit today.

Clive

I think the furniture pads will be artificial fibre, Clive. Burn a bit of the fibre, and see if it smells like burning wool. You could do with with an old felt hat to cut up.

I wonder if felt strips could be wound round the wooden taper, like a fairly coarse taper thread. Turn the thing while gently inserting it, then pull it straight out. It might have more chance of dragging out chips that way than if the strips were longitudinal.

Andy

I have a kitchen roll holder over the bench and I "fill" it with stock pinched from my wife's kitchen cupboard. I use this for all light cleaning duties in the workshop - use once and throw away.

Norman

I raked around my cupboard of goodies and found a bit of grey felt 8mm thick which I was able to cut 3mm strips from, I then cut 4 slots on the woodsaw and superglued the strips in the slots. Job done and works a treat.

Clive

I just stuff a bottle-brush down - one that's about twice as big as the large end of the taper. Same thing for chucks .... and almost anything with a hole really. Keep a bunch around in any size I can get hold of. Even use mascara brushes (buy them by the 100 from China on eBay) for small threaded holes.

best thing ever invennted, round brushes.

Clive

you can buy self adhesive felt at chemists in 200mm by 60mm chunks ( About £4) in 6 or 8mm thick.

For cleaning why not use copper strips and put cuts at an angle so you dislodge the chips and draw them out ( kind of like a screw thread?) by rotating the cleaner.

Baby bottle brushes ( ex used by SWMBO to clean when children younger), work a treat !

Regards Ian