Using compressed air on the lathe

This topic has 17 replies, 12 voices, and was last updated 2 October 2014 at 19:57 by Jon.

Viewing 18 posts - 1 through 18 (of 18 total)

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30 September 2014 at 19:05 #165147
BERT ASHTON
Participant
@bertashton57372
Some years ago I was given a "Windy" type compressed air drill, I decided to use it along with my GHT Headstock Dividing Attachment. So I made up a right angle bracket, clamped it to the cross slide and bored a hole at centre height to suit the drill. I then drilled and tapped for a clamping screw. The photograph shows making a jig for making cylinder covers.

Edited By BERT ASHTON on 30/09/2014 19:31:05

Edited By BERT ASHTON on 30/09/2014 19:32:01
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30 September 2014 at 19:05 #17516
BERT ASHTON
Participant
@bertashton57372
30 September 2014 at 19:16 #165149
Brian Wood
Participant
@brianwood45127
Very nice Bert, but don't be tempted to use air blast to blow off swarf and turnings from the lathe; it is all too easy to force small swarf under wipers on the moving surfaces where they get up to mischief out of sight

I have always used a bannister brush to clean down machines after use, soft bristles in a longish handle about 3 inches wide, you can sweep away a lot of mess with it.

Regards

Brian
30 September 2014 at 19:35 #165152
BERT ASHTON
Participant
@bertashton57372
The first photo shows drilling the holes for the 4 jaw chuck for the Stuart model lathe.
30 September 2014 at 19:39 #165154
Kenneth Deighton
Participant
@kennethdeighton43272
Hi Bert, I agree with Brian , NEVER use an air line to clean your Lathe or any other machines,I brush down the heavy stuff then I use an old vacuum ( it has a very nice gentle mans name ) this I find is safe and adequate.

Ken.
30 September 2014 at 20:18 #165155
frank brown
Participant
@frankbrown22225
Francis of Assisi ?

Frank
30 September 2014 at 21:22 #165171
Boiler Bri
Participant
@boilerbri
I like the drill idea.

I may have to down size my workshop and remove my milling machine, ending up milling on the lathe so I like threads like this.

Gives me hope that I can still mill.

Brian
30 September 2014 at 22:05 #165173
Gray62
Participant
@gray62
well, I see the wanna be elfins are out in force already. Don't see any suggestion by the OP of using an airline to clean down his machine. Just a good example of how comp air can be used to advantage on a machine. Glad I've never mentioned that I use comp air all the time on mine, to run either a hilsch vortex tube or a fogbuster, cos then I'd have had the elfins on my back too!
1 October 2014 at 12:34 #165212
BERT ASHTON
Participant
@bertashton57372
I agree that cleaning machine tools with compressed air is bad workshop practice, but after spending most of my working life in engineering I remember machine shops where most of the men was on piece work, time was money so everybody cleaned down with a quick blast of the air gun. how times have changed.
1 October 2014 at 16:10 #165226
Gordon W
Participant
@gordonw
When I was a lad we had men come round to clean the machines, well the big ones. I use an old foot pump for air supply on the lathe. A bit of small bore tubing and you have an easily controlled blast for cleaning eg. chucks. Not enough puff to endanger anything.
1 October 2014 at 16:30 #165229
maurice bennie
Participant
@mauricebennie99556
Hi Bert . Please can you tell Me where you got the dividing machine from .It looks much simpler to make than others that I have seen , and I want to make one.

Thanks Maurice.
1 October 2014 at 17:31 #165236
BERT ASHTON
Participant
@bertashton57372
Hi Maurice, nearly all the extras on my lathe are the designs of George H Thomas, in the UK kits and drawings are supplied by Hemingway Kits. www.hemingwaykits.com GHT also wrote a number of books on model engineering, well worth a read.
2 October 2014 at 11:59 #165326
Ian S C
Participant
@iansc
There was an article In ME a few years ago for a low pressure air nozzle for use on machinery. I use a bit of plastic tube, and lung power, or a rubber bulb(solder sucker).

Ian S C
2 October 2014 at 13:27 #165330
Neil Wyatt
Moderator
@neilwyatt
You are probably thinking of Peter Spenlove Spenlove's 'puffer'. As i reacall it was for a short 'puff' and included an extra ring of holes to cerate an sir shroud and reduce blowback of swarf – goggles still needed of course.

Many commercial puffers have a long reach, one of the things the HSE advise for swarf blowers.Lots of sound advice on the topic on their website.

Neil
2 October 2014 at 16:13 #165348
maurice bennie
Participant
@mauricebennie99556
Hi Bert , thanks for the information. I Have now got the book and when I have some spare time will read it
2 October 2014 at 17:35 #165358
clogs
Participant
@clogs
HI all,

any chance of the ISBN no of the G.H.Thomas book please…..

many thanks Frank in France
2 October 2014 at 17:43 #165360
Gray62
Participant
@gray62
The book you are looking for is Workshop techniques by G H Thomas
- Publisher: TEE Publishing Ltd; Revised edition edition (Oct 1998)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1857611063
- ISBN-13: 978-1857611069
Available from Hemingway Kits or Amazon
2 October 2014 at 19:57 #165371
Jon
Participant
@jon
Posted by Brian Wood on 30/09/2014 19:16:51:don't be tempted to use air blast to blow off swarf and turnings from the lathe; it is all too easy to force small swarf under wipers on the moving surfaces where they get up to mischief out of sight

I can see what your thinking but logic says whilst machines in use those debris will do exactly the same without air blast.
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