# Chip control ideas for the mill



## Pcmaker (Apr 6, 2019)

I get chips everywhere when I'm using the mill. I have a precision matthews benchtop mill. I was thinking of making 4 plexiglass safety screens and somehow mount them to magnetic bases that I can move around on the bed of the mill. They'll at least control the chips to where most of them would fall on the bed, instead of the floor or my work bench. Any ideas?


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## JimDawson (Apr 6, 2019)

Here are the 2 methods that I use

Full enclosure



and floor storage, in this case plastic.  But I've had aluminum a foot deep on the left side also.




There is really no way to contain the chips without a full enclosure.

I do use a chip shield sometimes to keep it from throwing chips at me.  The chips are about a foot deep on the left side of the machine next to the wall.  When I finished the job on the table, I had about 55 gal of chips.


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## T Bredehoft (Apr 6, 2019)

Hot chips will stick to Plexiglass.


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## derf (Apr 7, 2019)

Machining is messy.....get a broom and a shop vac and get used to it.


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## richl (Apr 7, 2019)

Quick and dirty shield I made for chip control. I works well enough, I need to come up with something for the back.


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## Pcmaker (Apr 7, 2019)

Biggest issue is the hot chips coming at me. Burned my hand a bit yesterday when a chip flung unto my hand that's cranking the x axis wheel


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## SamI (Apr 8, 2019)

I use something similar to this on the lathe only the one I have is a little bigger.  In hindsight it being large is more of a hindrance because it gets in the way and can be hard to get right up close to the cutter.  Still, very effective at keeping hot chips off of my hands when using the handwheels.


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## AGCB97 (Apr 8, 2019)

Simple chip guards to keep them from you and maybe nearby sensitive stuff. But as someone said, shop vac used often and get a couple magnets, a handheld with striping cleaner and a Harbor Freight magnetic floor sweeper. Then keep after it!


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## rwm (Apr 8, 2019)

Pcmaker said:


> Biggest issue is the hot chips coming at me. Burned my hand a bit yesterday when a chip flung unto my hand that's cranking the x axis wheel


A real machinist can ignore burning chips and can estimate the rate of blood loss very accurately. As long as the finish is looking good you don't stop. It's sort of like welding when you have a good bead going and start to get burned through the glove. 
R


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## SamI (Apr 8, 2019)

rwm said:


> A real machinist can ignore burning chips and can estimate the rate of blood loss very accurately.



Surely a real machinist would be going at it hard enough that the chip would be hot enough to cauterise the wound allowing him to focus on the job at hand?


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## ThinWoodsman (Apr 8, 2019)

rwm said:


> A real machinist can ignore burning chips and can estimate the rate of blood loss very accurately.



It is seldom appreciated that the true purpose of those plexiglass "Chip" shields is to protect the workpiece from those corrosive bodily fluids that spray out of the machinist.

RIP Chip, whoever you were.


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## rwm (Apr 8, 2019)

If you use a chip shield how do you know when you are overheating the tool tip???
But we digress....as usual...
R

Edit: to contribute constructively- I used Lexan from this guy. It worked very well and can be heat formed if needed.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/POLYCARBON...UUM-FORMING-/271137335165?hash=item3f210b677d 




Robert


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## magicniner (Apr 28, 2019)

T Bredehoft said:


> Hot chips will stick to Plexiglass.



You'd think so but from experience I can tell you that it's a non-issue


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## Buffalo21 (Apr 28, 2019)

I once had a 3 panel, folding magnetic screen, that with an controlled air stream, the vast majority of the chips were caught by the screen. Hold the screen over the trash can and shut the magnet off chip fell in the can. It finally died of transformer failure, but obviously on worked with steel and cast iron.


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## RJSakowski (Apr 28, 2019)

After using fixed screens on my Tormach I started to use a "shower curtain".  It is a 12" x 30" piece of 7 mil clear vinyl that I hold in place with magnets.  It is adjustable to fit the situation, it yields to parts  as they are machined and it effectively stops chips and flood coolant.  I have used the same piece of vinyl for for seven years.


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## wildo (Apr 28, 2019)

RJSakowski said:


> After using fixed screens on my Tormach I started to use a "shower curtain".  It is a 12" x 30" piece of 7 mil clear vinyl that I hold in place with magnets.  It is adjustable to fit the situation, it yields to parts  as they are machined and it effectively stops chips and flood coolant.  I have used the same piece of vinyl for for seven years.



This is a very interesting idea! Have any photos of the setup?


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## wildo (Apr 28, 2019)

Frank Hoose has a good video on a chip enclosure for the mini mill:


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## RJSakowski (Apr 28, 2019)

wildo said:


> This is a very interesting idea! Have any photos of the setup?


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## wildo (Apr 28, 2019)

ha! That's not at all what I was envisioning!


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## uncle harry (Apr 29, 2019)

rwm said:


> If you use a chip shield how do you know when you are overheating the tool tip???
> But we digress....as usual...
> R
> 
> ...




Lexan can be cold bent without cracking.


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## Firstgear (May 5, 2019)

When I use my annular cutters on aluminum plate I end up with a massive inverted shower head of chips coming out.  I am looking at something like a clear plastic cake transport cover like you might get at Walmart with a cake.  I just need to have a place to get WD40 sprayed into the cut area.  Stay tuned


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## Mitch Alsup (May 5, 2019)

Pcmaker said:


> I get chips everywhere when I'm using the mill. I have a precision matthews benchtop mill. I was thinking of making 4 plexiglass safety screens and somehow mount them to magnetic bases that I can move around on the bed of the mill. They'll at least control the chips to where most of them would fall on the bed, instead of the floor or my work bench. Any ideas?



I use a broom and dustpan as <after the fact> chip control.


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## rwm (May 6, 2019)

Firstgear said:


> When I use my annular cutters on aluminum plate I end up with a massive inverted shower head of chips coming out.  I am looking at something like a clear plastic cake transport cover like you might get at Walmart with a cake.  I just need to have a place to get WD40 sprayed into the cut area.  Stay tuned


I'm pretty sure the WD40 will ruin the cake. Not sure I would  eat any.
R


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## Firstgear (May 6, 2019)

rwm said:


> I'm pretty sure the WD40 will ruin the cake. Not sure I would  eat any.
> R


I will save you some, you might find you like it!


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## Superburban (May 6, 2019)

I have several scraps of alumnium sheet, of various sizes, athat have about a 1" flange bent on 1 side. I pick some about the right size, and use some welding magnets to hold them in place. With the flange to the outside, and the magnet up ahgainst the edge, its fun watching the chips stick to the aluminum.


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## RobertHaas (May 7, 2019)

I use a couple different systems depending on the projects at hand

When using coolant I try to control the spray coming off the work mostly to keep the area drier then if I just let if fly everywhere. So I have a set of 90 degree lexan shields on some harbor freight switchable magnets that I can surround the work with and keep the mess on the table. 

One handy piece I built is almost too simple. A small 10 inch square piece of lexan that I can put between myself  and the work that keeps the hot chips out of my collar.


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