Hard felt alternatives for wipers?

[IanTParticipant @iant]

Hallo Dias, yes – I believe you are correct in that it should be a "wool" felt – and although industrial felts are often mixed with other materials, I believe even these are still 90-95% wool based. As an aside, my old Myford Super7 simply has felt wipers on the way but swarf does get embeded in it. The Atlas has this two layer approach – felt "oilers" and plastic wipers in front of them – so Atlas obviously thought this was advantageous. I'm now thinking of adding a leather "wiper" in front of the Myford felt retainer and see if this has a useful effect. Regards, IanT

[Chris TriceParticipant @christrice43267]

Surely any wicking action of felt happens between the fibres rather than inside them. How much oil can you hold inside a wool fibre? I think there’s a bit of over analysis going on. Regular applications of the oil gun probably do more good.

[AndyfParticipant @andyf]

You might buy a hard felt buffing wheel, and cut it up.

My Chinese lathe has synthetic rubber wipers, like windscreen wipers, and they seem to have worked OK for the last 6 years.. You could try cutting up lengths of wiper blade, if you can devise a way to mount them.

Andy

[Russell EberhardtParticipant @russelleberhardt48058]

Posted by IanT on 27/05/2013 09:21:14:

The Atlas has this two layer approach – felt "oilers" and plastic wipers in front of them – so Atlas obviously thought this was advantageous.

My Atlas lathe had rubber and felt wipers when purchased in the 1970s. The rubber wipers had degraded somewhat with the oil so I replaced them with a synthetic rubber (butyl rubber I think) and they are still in use. Perhaps it's time I made a new set!

Russell.

[John McNamaraParticipant @johnmcnamara74883]

Hi Ian T

I had to replace some perished rubber wipers on my lathe. I had some medium soft leather sheet to hand about 2mm thick and temporally cut some leather wipers (face side up the soft back touching the V ways. On my lathe the wiper is retained on the saddle by a metal clamp and a couple of screws.

I cut the leather so that it formed an L, so it goes down under the clamp then turns about 5mm along the bed forming a good dirt seal over each V way.

That was about 5 years ago… So I guess it is not temporary fix any more. it is still not worn much

The leather absorbs oil without a problem. I am not sure how it would work with alkaline soluble oil, leather being organic? I dont use it so no problem.

Cheers

John

[david newman 9Participant @davidnewman9]

I have some of the real stuff came from a print works 30 years ago over the years have made wipers from it and it is perfect . If it's only a small ammount you require let me know and i'll send you a piece.

David

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

DIY it. Any old moth eaten bit of genuine wool jumper or sock stuck in the washing machine with every wash for a month will shrink down ot a nice bit of felt. Useful for polishing cloth too.

Felt making is a craft hobby these days. That is the actual making of felt from the fibres so I guess one could get custom made wipers!

If I'd thought of it when that blasted sheep got into my garden last month I could have given it a good combing in exchange for the wallflowers it ate.

[Gordon WParticipant @gordonw]

Another source is door draught proofers, look at some in DIY shops etc., some are near ideal. My Grandma made felt, so it can't be too difficult.

[Russell EberhardtParticipant @russelleberhardt48058]

Posted by Bazyle on 27/05/2013 17:13:51:

DIY it. Any old moth eaten bit of genuine wool jumper or sock stuck in the washing machine with every wash for a month will shrink down ot a nice bit of felt. Useful for polishing cloth too.

I thought you had to put it in a bucket of urine and stamp on it for a few hours – not tried it myself

Russell.

[IanTParticipant @iant]

I think I'll pass on the bucket Russel – my Manager already complains about the pong from cutting oils etc – although I find it quite aromatic. Anyway – I've ordered 6mm and 4mm sheets of 150mm square oil felt from Vintage Cars as suggested. There was a minimum postage charge of £4.50 – so I splashed out on an extra sheet! Last of the big spenders – but we have to keep the economy turning over! Thanks again for all the help. Regards, Ian T

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

Not sure how it goes, but there is something about felt hats, hatters, and mercury = Mad Hatter.Ian S C

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

Mercury was only used to add a glisten to the knap of top hats as a finishing process, not as part of felt making.

[Russell EberhardtParticipant @russelleberhardt48058]

Posted by Bazyle on 28/05/2013 16:31:00:

Mercury was only used to add a glisten to the knap of top hats as a finishing process, not as part of felt making.

.. and in "carroting" a process that removed fur from pelts before making it into felt.

Russell.

[Mike DonnerstagParticipant @mikedonnerstag]

I realise this thread is old, but for those interested, I found this on eBay. It's 100% wool and used for oil seals:

nAAAOSwGeFbhk9d">https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Wool-felt-fabric-100-natural-2-30mm-thick-white-beige-ivory-pressed-plain-sheet/202418889991?hash=item2f211b2507:gnAAAOSwGeFbhk9d

Mike

Edited By Mike Donnerstag on 22/07/2020 10:02:45

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