Cast iron dust

[Maurice Cox 1Participant @mauricecox1]

Having just thoroughly cleaned my lathe after machining some cast iron, I was sorry to find that I had a little more of the same stuff to machine. To prevent it from messing up my nice clean lathe, I held a magnet, enclosed in a plastic bag, near the tool. Result, a small bag of iron dust ready for disposal! I can't believe I haven't done it before! I intend to make a dedicated fixture with a magnetic base, for future use. I am now searching eBay for a brass magnet!

[Maurice Cox 1Participant @mauricecox1]

[Thor 🇳🇴Participant @thor]

Yes Maurice, a magnet in a plastic bag reduces the mess you get when machining cast iron. A magnet (in a plastic bag) on a stick is aslo useful to fetch those small screws and nuts I tend to drop into a crevice.
Let us know when you find a brass magnet.

Thor

[Jesse Hancock 1Participant @jessehancock1]

Doh! = the Oh b****r of previous years. I've just been machining cast iron and now my carpet tiles are a lighter shade of grey. If you know Procul Harum's song I'll allow one run through the chorus.

So where to buy a few magnets then?

PS: Keeping the job wet stops the dust but then it gets messy to clear the sludge. Don't you just love working with cast?

[John RuddParticipant @johnrudd16576]

Posted by Jesse Hancock 1 on 29/07/2015 19:21:09:

 

Keeping the job wet stops the dust but then it gets messy to clear the sludge. Don't you just love working with cast?

Errrr. No….too messy……the cuttings get everywhere……!

I recently completed a cross slide project for the Mini lathe.  ( thank you Neil..   ).  And the dust/ debris that created was horrendous……  ( sneezing black dust for a while ….can't be good ! )

 

 

Edited By John Rudd on 29/07/2015 20:14:22

Edited By John Rudd on 29/07/2015 20:15:37

Edited By John Rudd on 29/07/2015 20:16:15

[KWILParticipant @kwil]

You can with advantage set up a vacuum cleaner nozzle nearby and suck the dust off the tooling as it arises.

[V8EngParticipant @v8eng]

Posted by Jesse Hancock 1 on 29/07/2015 19:21:09:

I've just been machining cast iron and now my carpet tiles are a lighter shade of grey.

If I did that, I would probably be looking for new accommodation (+ a new Wife).

[John RuddParticipant @johnrudd16576]

I did use a vac cleaner to remove the surplus , didn't get any one the carpet but the wife still got 50 shades of grey…much to my disappointment

[RobboParticipant @robbo]

A source of powerful magnets of all shape and sizes, and lots of other magnetic stuff, is here **LINK**

[Ady1Participant @ady1]

Upside down tool on the far side(like a parting tool). Use the backgear. Total Doddle.

Iron filings form a eat pile on the far side of the lathe

Sook up the mess with a vacuum

Edited By Ady1 on 30/07/2015 00:38:14

[Gordon WParticipant @gordonw]

I use a welding magnet- they can be bought with an on/off switch. Makes disposing of the stuff much easier, also any stray nuts etc. will be spotted before being lost forever.

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

Just be careful of which type of vacuum cleaner you use, if it's a cylinder type, and the bag leaks, the cast iron goes through the motor, and this rather annoys the brushes and commutator, so they usually give up with a Bang.

Ian S C

[mark costello 1Participant @markcostello1]

Breathing cast iron and carbon dust reminds Me of a long ago apprenticeship. Not all bad as it's what started Me on a machinist bend with a shop full of tools.

[Author]

Posts