Home-made collet chuck and collets - some Q's

[awake]

Well, come to think of it, that would probably be a good idea! But I have to confess that I don't do it. I do wipe them when they seem dirty, and definitely wipe and blow off the contact faces if there is any hint of contamination that will throw off the reading.

It will be interesting to see what others do - it may well be that I am a Neanderthal in this respect! One possibly relevant factor is that I don't use coolant, so my micrometers are not exposed to anything water-based ...

 

[goldstar31]

ok thanks guys, I'll look into micrometers rather than calipers. I've read that you are supposed to wipe micrometers with a cloth before you put it away to remove the oil, water and dust? Is this true and if so, are there any that are more resilient?

I think that you mean (rust)'resistant'
Callipers and things want care especially if they are not going to be used for some time. I use something called ARP, no, not Air Raid Precautions but Anti rust protection. I bought 5 litres from an oil supplier a couple of light years ago. As for mikes, well my cheap-ish ones are stainless but dial gauges are treated with light spindle oil which I use on the bearings of my Quorn, my Stent and my Kennet tool and cutter 'cartridge' bearings.
Really, it is only a matter of good Housekeeping.

Oh, don't use sewing machine oil which tends to esterify!

 

[bluejets]

ok thanks guys, I'll look into micrometers rather than calipers. I've read that you are supposed to wipe micrometers with a cloth before you put it away to remove the oil, water and dust? Is this true and if so, are there any that are more resilient?

Why would one need to remove any oil...?

Dry off any cooling water and oil up obviously but dust..??

Maybe my workshop operates differently to yours.

All my measuring gear goes in a separate drawer away from any tooling etc.

 

[goldstar31]

Harry

I've been trying to think.
Are you actually raising questions on what might be called "ornamental turning?"
I'm going back over the years to holding things in 'catspaw chucks- and resin chucks.
I can recall Holzapffel and Tom Walshaw( Tubal Cain) in this. Oddly we , that is a couple or three of us were talking about Bagpipe making and me, still having a George Potts device for drilling, milling and a host of other things from the lathe saddle.
Purely a guess on my part, folks!


Norman

 

[stackerjack]

Harry,
That applies to all tools really. It all depends on how much time and care you want to devote to the hobby.

 

[clockworkcheval]

Micrometer readings are indeed almost always preferable to caliper readings for me. However, bitten by bitter experience, I now always first take a caliper reading to decide for instance whether the micrometer reads 20,22 mm or 20,72 mm.

 

[ALEX1952]

A previous post said they did not have to worry about rust as they don't use water based coolant, airborne moisture will create rust as will acid in sweat that I know as rusty fingers, one guy I served my time with could actually leave a very good finger print just by touching a surface and leaving overnight. It was so bad that he had to clean every thing he touched at the end of the day especially cast iron, surface plates machine ways etc.

 

[clockworkcheval]

It is my understanding that in the 1960's potential apprentices for the Dutch Instrumentmakers School in Leiden had first to hold a small blank steel testplate. If after a week the testplate did not show a fingerprint the apprentice was deemed free of rusty fingers and fit for the school.

 

[Harry.]

Harry,
That applies to all tools really. It all depends on how much time and care you want to devote to the hobby.

Yes I just wondered if there was a version that could handle more neglect and if I should be looking for a certain brand or material that is more robust/durable so that it lasts longer.

 

[ALEX1952]

I'm going to lecture you now, I think you should consider that it is delicate precision instrument and as such should not be neglected, even a low quality instrument should give long service if looked after. Or is this a result of the disposable society we now suffer with? As for cleaning we were taught to lightly pinch paper in between the anvils and pull out that's it apart from a light rub down.

 

[Larry G.]

It is my understanding that in the 1960's potential apprentices for the Dutch Instrumentmakers School in Leiden had first to hold a small blank steel testplate. If after a week the testplate did not show a fingerprint the apprentice was deemed free of rusty fingers and fit for the school.

When Kodak of Rochester, NY, USA was manufacturing cameras using very thin sheet steel for shutter and aperture assemblies, workers were tested for rust-promoting finger prints before being allowed on that production line. This was also about 50 years ago.
But times change...
Silicones are now the boogeyman in automotive paint lines. Cosmetics, hair products, and "rubber" jewelry often contain silicones which can cause orange peel defects.