# Experimenting with a lathe way cover.



## opensourcefan (Jun 28, 2022)

It's a retractable window shade for a vehicle. $7 bucks at C Tire. I cut in down to size stuck it on there. Functions well, don't think the material will hold up but that will be easy to replace with something more solid and robust. I am in the planning stages of 3d printing a wiper to get the chips off before it retracts. I have a quick release bracket mounted to the follow rest bolt points.

Just playing, don't be too critical.


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## DPittman (Jun 28, 2022)

Good idea.  Maybe you can replace the material with something more durable when the original one fails.  Really nice that it retracts but you might have to have it retracting over the top so swarf doesn't get retracted up in the roll?


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## opensourcefan (Jun 28, 2022)

Ya, thought about flipping it but didn't want it to get any closer to the chuck. The holes in that fabric will make excellent swarf grab handles, it'll be a problem for sure I'm thinking.

Replacing with a very thin sheet of plastic would be best I think.


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## YotaBota (Jun 28, 2022)

Luv the concept. 
I think you may be better to use canvas or maybe leather to replace the fabric, something that doesn't melt. I use a piece of BBQ cover material to cover the ways and the hot stuff melts right into the material.
How much travel do you have before the fabric tightens up?


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## opensourcefan (Jun 28, 2022)

YotaBota said:


> How much travel do you have before the fabric tightens up?


I can go until the carriage crashes into the tail stock. Not past that though so maybe 14" or so.


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## Perry (Jun 28, 2022)

I'd hate to see a piece of swarf catch on that and pull it into the chuck.  Things can get busy , real fast.  Be careful.


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## opensourcefan (Jun 28, 2022)

Perry said:


> I'd hate to see a piece of swarf catch on that and pull it into the chuck.  Things can get busy , real fast.  Be careful.


Totally agree, that's why something smooth will be used. Actually I can guarantee that will happen, on a good day I get strands wrapping all over.

Was also thinking of adding something to keep it down just past the chuck. 

Or going back to nothing... idunno. It just gets so grimey under there.


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## Tom Kitta (Jun 28, 2022)

Other then the melting part, where will all the swarf go? If you say upgrade to steel mesh that can handle the heat, you still have to deal with having to remove a lot of swarf next to chuck. 

On my lathe the metal just falls in the holes made in the lathe bed to a catch basin at the bottom so I can have like 10lbs plus of cut metal before I need to worry.


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## DPittman (Jun 28, 2022)

I once used a silicone baking sheet that handled the hot chips real well but oil (or wd-40) eventually makes the silicone go funny.


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## Degen (Jun 28, 2022)

I must admit I seriously considered  way covers for my new lathe and started thinking about all the commercial lathes I see and they don't have covers......


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## Susquatch (Jun 28, 2022)

I think swarf accumulation is a problem waiting for an invention. Kudos to you @opensourcefan for giving it a try. 

I tend to let the swarf pile up until I can't stand it anymore or until I change stock material. I collect swarf in big garbage cans separated by metal type, and do a final cleanup with a shop vac before switching to another metal.

Ya, I live with it but I hate it. Love to find a better solution. Again, kudos to you @opensourcefan for trying.


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## Canadium (Jun 29, 2022)

opensourcefan said:


> It's a retractable window shade for a vehicle. $7 bucks at C Tire. I cut in down to size stuck it on there. Functions well, don't think the material will hold up but that will be easy to replace with something more solid and robust. I am in the planning stages of 3d printing a wiper to get the chips off before it retracts. I have a quick release bracket mounted to the follow rest bolt points.
> 
> Just playing, don't be too critical.



I've been toying with something like this for some time myself. Milling machines often have swarf protectors why not a lathe? How would you DIY a way cover for a mill and could the same thing be done with a lathe? Seems to me fine grit from machining CI or from grinding with a tool post grinder is a serious problem. I'm always imagining this stuff getting between the bed and the carriage and ruining my lathe. Better to prevent it from getting on the ways in the first place than to keep cleaning it off or letting it get under the carriage. I hope you come up with something really good!


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## Canadium (Jun 29, 2022)

How about a bellows cover???




__





						Bellows Covers Flexible Nylon Accordion Cover Rubber Bellows
					






					www.alibaba.com


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## opensourcefan (Jun 29, 2022)

Tom Kitta said:


> Other then the melting part, where will all the swarf go? If you say upgrade to steel mesh that can handle the heat, you still have to deal with having to remove a lot of swarf next to chuck.
> 
> On my lathe the metal just falls in the holes made in the lathe bed to a catch basin at the bottom so I can have like 10lbs plus of cut metal before I need to worry.


You know what, you're right. I want way covers, to cover my ways, why am I covering everything in the process, why not just cover the ways... I have an idea and it involves 3d printing, yippee. I'll be back. [Terminator emoji here]


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## whydontu (Jun 29, 2022)

opensourcefan said:


> You know what, you're right. I want way covers, to cover my ways, why am I covering everything in the process, why not just cover the ways... I have an idea and it involves 3d printing, yippee. I'll be back. [Terminator emoji here]


Why did I immediately think of a large tape measure. Metal, flexible, wide enough to cover the top of the way vee, cheap, indestructible, zero clearance required.


Off to the shop to fiddle…


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## opensourcefan (Jun 29, 2022)

That's a great idea. I'd have to remove the end so I wouldn't lose any height, or maybe upside down.


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## Susquatch (Jun 29, 2022)

whydontu said:


> Why did I immediately think of a large tape measure. Metal, flexible, wide enough to cover the top of the way vee, cheap, indestructible, zero clearance required.
> 
> 
> Off to the shop to fiddle…
> ...


I'm lost....... (Insert big pout lip here). 

But I sort like the big tape measure...... Four of them - one for each way?


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## Degen (Jun 29, 2022)

On a lathe it tends to fall through or on the opposite side of the carriage moving direction so it is not an issue.  As to grinding it is don at low speeds and most cover their bed with a cloth to collect it.  Changing chucks I was taught lay a small section of plywood on the bed to prevent a ding if the chuck slips from your fingers during the change.  Finally most drive components are out front, protected, easily inspected and cleaned.

Mills on the other hand generally have motion screws that are semi protected and not accessible for cleaning and inspect.   Ways tend to collect scarf and and during motion (mills in comparison move a lot more) tend to jamb scarf underneath the slides, up until recently I did not use covers on my mill because it was easier to clean constantly when it was a manual mill, now that its CNC I use bellows type covers (McMaster-Carr) between at the column and slide side, formed metal covers everwhere else. I still need to inspect and clean underneath regularly (daily during use), with the bellows cover having to be cleaned every 1 or 2 parts depending on the operation due to scarf build up.

3 months of machining resulted in about 28lbs of Aluminium scarf, yes I machine a lot.

Even true modern CNC machines need help in keeping scarf under control with human intervention.


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## garageguy (Jun 29, 2022)

I was thinking about a retractable cover for the mill. Would have to be some special material that wouldn't wrap swarf into the roller.


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## Degen (Jun 30, 2022)

garageguy said:


> I was thinking about a retractable cover for the mill. Would have to be some special material that wouldn't wrap swarf into the roller.


Let me know if it works


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