Using compressed air on the lathe

[BERT ASHTONParticipant @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

[BERT ASHTONParticipant @bertashton57372]

[Brian WoodParticipant @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

[BERT ASHTONParticipant @bertashton57372]

The first photo shows drilling the holes for the 4 jaw chuck for the Stuart model lathe.

[Kenneth DeightonParticipant @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.

[frank brownParticipant @frankbrown22225]

Francis of Assisi ?

Frank

[Boiler BriParticipant @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

[Gray62Participant @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!

[BERT ASHTONParticipant @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.

[Gordon WParticipant @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.

[maurice bennieParticipant @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.

[BERT ASHTONParticipant @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.

[Ian S CParticipant @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

[Neil WyattModerator @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

[maurice bennieParticipant @mauricebennie99556]

Hi Bert , thanks for the information. I Have now got the book and when I have some spare time will read it

[clogsParticipant @clogs]

HI all,

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

many thanks Frank in France

[Gray62Participant @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

[JonParticipant @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.

[Author]

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