To blow or to suck, how do you clean your lathe or mill?

Vacuum and a Brush. On ocassion if air is needed I use the stuff in an aerosol can you get at the Stationery store for computers. It goes on sale here every other month or so.

"Billy G"
 
In addition to all the other rubber covers I mounted a piece of aluminum angle with a piece of rubber bonded to it on the back of the table to keep any chips or fluid from getting on the X dro scale.

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OldMachinist said:
In addition to all the other rubber covers I mounted a piece of aluminum angle with a piece of rubber bonded to it on the back of the table to keep any chips or fluid from getting on the X dro scale.
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For chips i grab big stuff by hand into can. Small stuff left gets shop vac'd.
Got air hanging and available but rarely use it.
I did the same as Oldmach with the dro cover...
Also made a couple mill table covers out of 1/8" masonite. Profiled the edges to snuggle up tight to the vice edges L&R sides. $2 elcheapo mini c-clamps to the aluminum angles keep em tight to the vice. Its not a perfect solution but sure beats cleaning t-slots and fishing out drill bits that roll in.
I made a set for my kurt vice and rotab as well. For the occasions where mounting far off center on table is called for well its the good ol fashioned way.
The clamps arnt on here but its only pic in my phone at the moment.
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refinery Mike said:
I would be real careful about using a vacuum cleaner if you use light oil like WD-40 or kerosene. The fumes could turn your vacuum into a flame thrower. They make cyclone vacs that would be safe if you do not put saw dust in there. A vacuum full of oil and saw dust can burst into flames with time as well. Just suggesting that you think things out before you use a vacuum.
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I see a lot of the guys use vacuums so I thought I would throw in my two cents worth on that. Mike raised the concern about oils into the vacuum being an issue. He mentioned that "light" or combustible oils such as "WD40 or kerosene" should not be vacuumed. I agree with this as their vapors could be ignited by a spark from the vacuum motor. In my younger life I have made potato guns using WD40 and a grill spark/lighter to set them off. Not what you want to happen with your shopvac. The normal machine oils such as cutting or way lubricants should not be an issue except for possibly attacking the plastics in the vacuum and attachments. I believe the oil/saw dust bursting "into flames with time” refers to drying oils such as linseed which oxidize as they dry. These are not likely to be used on a machine except as paint.

Personally I use a combination of hand, putty knife blade, and brush, followed with a quick oil spray and wipe down to clean the machines. I don't really want the mess in my shop vacuum.


Benny
The Orphanage Never Closes
 
Air is a tool. Use a tool to get work done, not at the expense of the equipment.

Same argument for pressure washing the dirt bikes. I've done it for 40 plus years, critical openings are capped and some body work removed. The bike is fired after washing. Just one tool in the first step of regular maintenance.
 
I have a small air regulator mounted on the machine set at 10psi. I use it when changing tools, on parts in the chuck and dusting off inserts. I brush off heavy chips and use a bag in my shop vac for end of job clean up. The little bit of oil eats the bag by the inlet, so I change it more often. Keeps the vac cleaner also.
Darcy
 
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I have used all the above methods, but for the past 15 years I have also been blowing down my machines with compressed air and haven't noticed ANY increased wear on any of them. I really don't see any reason not to blow them down as long as some common sense is applied.Those brushes and rags can also push minute wear causing chips, etc. into the wrong areas.

Randy
 
I use air to clean pretty much everything but a surface grinder or grinder's in general. Turning up the air will not increase the capacity of the nozzle, they are all fixed to regulate air at 30psi max. Been doing this for 30+ years, never ever wore out or damaged machine ways from doing this and have no clue how anybody would get chips in the scales of readouts unless you held the darn thing up to it and blasted air right on the rubber and felt seal, the same goes for the way wipers on the machine.

A little common since goes a long way when cleaning the machine with air.

Every shop I have ever worked in used air to clean the machine's off, but as said, common since should be your guide in how you use it!!
 
randyjaco said:
I have used all the above methods, but for the past 15 years I have also been blowing down my machines with compressed air and haven't noticed ANY increased wear on any of them. I really don't see any reason not to blow them down as long as some common sense is applied.Those brushes and rags can also push minute wear causing chips, etc. into the wrong areas.

Randy
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You said it, compressed air, (in the right hands); is not going to destroy your machines.

I don't think anyone got past their apprenticeship without using air.

Just got to have enough horse sense not to blow towards the wipers, and some of the old iron had to be blown off, or the shop would have down time.

Time is money, ya know.

Use a little common sense and you'll be fine.
 
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