# Milling machine chip guards



## Janderso (Jan 23, 2022)

I find magnets to be a real PITA.
This method works for me.
I also made a quick no nonsense storage rack on the side of the mill.


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## WobblyHand (Jan 24, 2022)

Janderso said:


> I find magnets to be a real PITA.
> This method works for me.
> I also made a quick no nonsense storage rack on the side of the mill.


What are the blocks that hold the plastic on the table made out of?

I don't like too many magnets near my machines.  Everything gets magnetized, which can make it tough to clean.


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## davidpbest (Jan 24, 2022)

I did something similar.  1" thick Baltic Birch plywood stands with a dado to hold the plastic.  Plenty of configuration flexibility.




While I was at it, I decided to put chip control around the back of the machine using 3/4" EMT conduit and HD shower curtains.  This has worked exceedingly well.


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## MtnBiker (Jan 26, 2022)

David - the shower curtain thing is brilliant!!!


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## wachuko (Jan 26, 2022)

MtnBiker said:


> David - the shower curtain thing is brilliant!!!


It is.  I will be doing the same around mine... Great idea!


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## Aaron_W (Jan 26, 2022)

MtnBiker said:


> David - the shower curtain thing is brilliant!!!



It works really well. 

Somebody posted the same kind of thing a year or two back (might have even been David). I took the idea and put hooks in the ceiling to hang a shower curtain behind me while I run the machine. It has worked really well to contain the chips to a small area. With the hooks I can move the shower curtain as needed, or hang it in a corner when not needed.


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## Aaron_W (Jan 26, 2022)

Janderso said:


> I find magnets to be a real PITA.
> This method works for me.
> I also made a quick no nonsense storage rack on the side of the mill.



I like this. I bought some poly carb sheets and magnets to do something similar, but got bogged down trying to figure out how to deal with the chips sticking to the magnets. Yours and David's solutions are much simpler.


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## tjb (Jan 26, 2022)

Here's mine.  Very satisfied with it.  Use it almost every time I'm on the mill.

Regards









						Another Chip Shield
					

I made this chip shield out of clear plexiglass and some scrap aluminum.  I did a lot of head-scratching before beginning the build.  I tried to anticipate every conceivable application with regard to size of milling projects and safety.  Once I zeroed in on these criteria, I came up with a...




					www.hobby-machinist.com


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## tjb (Jan 26, 2022)

P.S.:  I don't like magnets either.


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## Janderso (Jan 26, 2022)

WobblyHand said:


> What are the blocks that hold the plastic on the table made out of?
> 
> I don't like too many magnets near my machines.  Everything gets magnetized, which can make it tough to clean.


Cold rolled steel. The plexiglass has a tight fit.
I didn’t contour the glass, I just cut it. Easy Peasy


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## Janderso (Jan 26, 2022)

davidpbest said:


> I did something similar.  1" thick Baltic Birch plywood stands with a dado to hold the plastic.  Plenty of configuration flexibility.
> 
> View attachment 393633
> 
> ...


Well, after using the face mill last time, I think I would consider a shower curtain as well. Chips go everywhere.


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## davidpbest (Jan 26, 2022)

In case anyone cares, here's the shower curtain I bought - it's pretty HD and has stood up to some aggressive face mill sprays.



			Amazon.com
		


Rings are here:



			Amazon.com
		


Make sure you set up the rod so that the curtain isn't tempted to get sucked up in the X-axis handles under power feed.  Actually, one of the first improvements I did to my mill was to install folding revolving handles on all the axis cranks.  




Here is a link to those folding handles if anyone is interested.



			https://www.carrlane.com/product/handles-knobs-screw-clamps/revolving-handles/foldable-revolving-handles-thermoplastic/cl-400-frh-s


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## mksj (Jan 27, 2022)

Just a general word of caution on the use of plexiglass (acrylic) is that with any impact or stress and it will shatter, so fine as a chip shield but terrible as a safety shield if something goes flying. Polycarbonate (Lexan) is much more resistant to cracking breaking and would be suitable as a safety shield. I use 1/4" polycarbonate for my chip shields on the mill because I am always a bit leary of something letting go. I made a recent mistake of cutting some acrylic thinking it was polycarbonate and it shattered into pieces, stuff scares me. I made a lathe hand swarf shield using 1/2" Lexan, a bit tricky to warm and bend to shape, they wanted $200 for a metal one.


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## wachuko (Jan 27, 2022)

davidpbest said:


> In case anyone cares, here's the shower curtain I bought - it's pretty HD and has stood up to some aggressive face mill sprays.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Oh I want that!!  I need to figure out what thread mine has...  I will remove the handwheel, recondition, and replace that handle for the foldable one you shared.  Very cool!






Back to normal programming...


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## ConValSam (Jan 27, 2022)

Have any of you successfully bent plexiglass for chip shields?

I tried for an unrelated project and made a royal mess of it. TIA


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## Cadillac (Jan 27, 2022)

ConValSam said:


> Have any of you successfully bent plexiglass for chip shields?
> 
> I tried for an unrelated project and made a royal mess of it. TIA


Slow and low heat works great.


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## MtnBiker (Jan 29, 2022)

Cadillac said:


> Slow and low heat works great.


Heat gun or some other method?


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## WobblyHand (Feb 3, 2022)

I've yet to copy @Janderso's chip guards, but think this will be my very next project!  In the interim, I had to make this fast and dirty one out of lexan.  Was fly cutting cast iron and decided I had to do something immediately!  Figured out the Kurt vise hole spacing and hand drilled a couple of holes.  Plopped in a couple of 3/8 screws and at least I wasn't being pelted.  Had to mill down the piece from 2.25 to 2".  Made the rest of the day so much better.  That's aluminum foil on the table.


Now that the table is free, think I will make some of those holders.  Today proved their worth!


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## ACHiPo (Feb 3, 2022)

Janderso said:


> I find magnets to be a real PITA.
> This method works for me.
> I also made a quick no nonsense storage rack on the side of the mill.


Nice Jeff!


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## 7milesup (Feb 3, 2022)

davidpbest said:


> I did something similar.  1" thick Baltic Birch plywood stands with a dado to hold the plastic.  Plenty of configuration flexibility.
> 
> View attachment 393633
> 
> ...




That does not look like a Gucci curtain...  What the heck?


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## Chipper5783 (Feb 4, 2022)

ConValSam said:


> Have any of you successfully bent plexiglass for chip shields?
> 
> I tried for an unrelated project and made a royal mess of it. TIA


Harold Hall figured out a heater for straight line bending of plexiglass.






						Hot Wire Plastic Bender 1
					

Design for a simple Hot Wire Plastic Bender.




					homews.co.uk


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## keeena (Feb 4, 2022)

Nice design @Janderso - I also have a love-hate relationship with magnets. I also did something very similar as far as having small, movable guards. I like how the bases on yours aren't permanently attached - makes them a bit more universal/flexible.

I've seen that curtain idea before; such a good idea and 100% on my list if/when I ever get to finishing my garage. For now I use a few huge sheets of cardboard from a big-screen TV box.

I made a quick-n-dirty plastic bender so I could make some slightly more complex shapes. It works well and pretty simple to make. Plenty of videos on the interwebs.


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## Firebrick43 (Feb 4, 2022)

Note, plexiglass(aka perplex aka acrylic) does bend well with a heat gun or nichrome wire.  

Lexan (aka polycarbonate) does not.  Poly carbonate needs heated up very slowly to drive out the moisture and brough down slowly as well or it will get bubbles in it.  

As previously noted, acrylic will shatter and is not a safety shield for large flying objects.  

Also acrylic is very noted to crack at drilled holes if you use 118 degree drill bits.  They make special drill bits to drill and the edges of the holes should be touched with a countersink to deburr and not allow a stress riser.


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## 7milesup (Feb 4, 2022)

Lexan can be cold bent depending on thickness and desired radius. 
Heating Lexan to 250 for a couple of hours (depending on thickness) to drive out moisture and then bending at a high temperature (550F-ish) works very well. 

I mean, we are talking chip guards, not space craft applications.


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## Shotgun (Feb 4, 2022)

MtnBiker said:


> Heat gun or some other method?


I've used a propane torch to heat it.  Just keep the flame moving.  A few scorched spot, and lots of bubbles, but it gets the job done.


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## rwm (Feb 4, 2022)

If you are going to use a shower curtain, I recommend this one.


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## davidpbest (Feb 4, 2022)

rwm said:


> If you are going to use a shower curtain, I recommend this one.



[Edited]

Or a shop safety reminder.




Details were _*posted here*_ a while back.   For the curious, this is what happens when you get your finger caught between the vice and a 3/4" end mill.   Be safe.


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