Cleaning T slots

[WolfieParticipant @wolfie]

Does anyone have any brilliant ideas as to how you clean out t-slots full of damp swarf?

[WolfieParticipant @wolfie]

[martin perman 1Participant @martinperman1]

As an apprentice one of the tools we made were Tee’s the shape of the slot with a tang welded to it which then had a file handle attached which you then drag through the Tee to clear the swarf.

 

Martin P

[Mark P.Participant @markp]

Hi Wolfie,I use a wet and dry bag less hoover.

Regards Pailo

[Brian SelbyParticipant @brianselby80227]

Wolfie

 

What about a stiff brush and a vacuum.

 

Brian

[wheeltapperParticipant @wheeltapper]

I use a toothbrush.

are the slots open at one end or not?

I removed the plate from one end of mine so I can brush the swarf straight out.

 

Roy

[Clive HartlandParticipant @clivehartland94829]

Get a bit of 15mm copper tube, cut across it a bit higher than the depth of the slots.

Cut through the tube under the slot and flatten out the tube and the cut/file the flattened piece to the shape of the slots and then use it to rake through the slots to clean them.

The copper will not harm the steel/cast iron.

 

Clive

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Or if you have cash to splash you can buy Tee slot cleaners or make your own from a bit of plastic

Edited By JasonB on 13/01/2012 20:06:21

[Keith Wardill 1Participant @keithwardill1]

I get the wife to do it while I do something else – I was always told to delegate stuff when I was working – keeps her happy for hours I’ll have to ask her how she does it one day…..

[BERTOParticipant @berto]

Hi Wolfie .

There are two approaches to this .

1) let the swarf build up in the tee slots then drag them out with a tee slot cleaner or vacuum them up .

2) Stuff something into the vacant tee slots to stop the swarf collecting in there in the first place .

I found that if i’m only doing a small amount of machining to a part then i use the first approach but if i am removing a lot of material like cutting dovetails or deep slots i use some cheap garden hose or similar to fill the tee slots i am not using .

This takes but a few seconds to do ,makes the clean up much easier and the hose is re- usable { also works on lathe tee slots } .

Another thing i use is a small ice cream container {plastic type} to collect the swarf that i brush off the table , I just hold it under one end of the machine table them brush the swarf towards it – saves on having to clean up more from the floor .

A Vacuum cleaner{wet &dry is preffered } is a valuable item to have as this makes cleaning the remaining swarf that is left on the machine,bench and floor easy to collect and will suck out most of the swarf from the tee slots but i save this for the final clean up of the day .

 

Ian

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