How do you guys clean your lathe?

[Dirty_Vinylpusher]

Silly question perhaps, but what's the best way of removing the mixture of used cutting oil and little bits of metal shavings from the tray under the lathe?

Am actually thinking of redesigning the tray a bit.
Making it bigger and without the lip to make it easier to clean.
Or maybe just getting rid of it full stop and let the stuff gather on the bench and clean it up from there.



I also read somewhere about using motor oil instead of grease to lube the cross slide and those other bits.
Is that common practise?



Cheers.

 

[Tin Falcon]

Short answer make or find a removable tray or trays to fit under the lathe.
pull out the pan brush the major chips in the trash or recycle and then wipe the tray with a rag you will then have few chips on the actual lathe pan to deal with.
On my little 7 x 10 things stay dry for the most part so suck out the chips with a shop vac.
The south bend 9" i used to have a couple of old jelly roll pans to catch the chips. Now I have a couple of stainless pans I salvaged they work better.
Tin

 

[ksouers]

DVP,

I picked up a few cheap short-bristled paint brushes from Lowe's/Home Despot. I pull out what I can by shop vac (or hand if necessary) using the brush to get into the tight places. Clean up with WD-40 and a brush to loosen dirt. Wipe up with a paper towel.

Lube with synthetic transmission oil, 80W or 90W.

 

[ozzie46]

I use an old "cafeteria" tray. The type you use to put your plates of food on when you go thru the line. Works great. I cut a notch in it for the motor allow it to fit right up against the head stock foot end. They are made out of fiberglass but the lip has a metal rod embedded in it all around it for strenght.

Ron

 

[Lakc]

I use a wet/dry vac. The stand for my lathe gets the same treatment as needed, once I have removed the various bits and tools that congregate on any flat surface inside the shop. Still, I am forever chasing bits and tools I missed after they get sucked down the vacuum.

 

[krv3000]

HI its a wet and dry vac for me to and a mix of parafin and red diesel to wash up with then I re oil with light mashen oil from GB olis

 

[itowbig]

shop vac (a small one) the wd40 everything wd cleans too with a cloth or paper towels

 

[Peter.]

Silly question perhaps, but what's the best way of removing the mixture of used cutting oil and little bits of metal shavings from the tray under the lathe?

Am actually thinking of redesigning the tray a bit.
Making it bigger and without the lip to make it easier to clean.
Or maybe just getting rid of it full stop and let the stuff gather on the bench and clean it up from there.

I also read somewhere about using motor oil instead of grease to lube the cross slide and those other bits.
Is that common practise?

I use a stiff bristle hand-brush and sweep all the shavings off the front into a metal tray I hold against the front with my legs. After that I clean the bed and tray with WD40 and paper towel then re-oil the bed with way oil. Grease is not a good idea to use.

 

[Dirty_Vinylpusher]

Cool, thanks guys.

I'm thinking of removing the original tray and making some new legs for the lathe as it's a bit wobbly cause the "feet" are too close together.
Onve I've worked the legs out I'll look at making a new tray for it.


Oh, and I don't have a "shop vac" just a little second hand domestic vac I got for $10 so it looks like rags and paintbrushes will be the best option.

 

[AeroE]

Spread newspapers under the lathe to catch the swarf. Gather the edges, wad them up, and toss when cleaning up. That will catch 99% of the swarf.

 

[bentprop]

I use a cut down plastic bottle as a scoop to pick up most of the swarf,and use a plastic brush and pan for the rest.A quick wipe over the ways with an oily rag,that's it.

 

[T70MkIII]

With your lathe up on its new legs you might find some of those alfoil baking trays at a supermarket that fit. I'm thinking about using a couple - one for aluminium so I can smelt and re-cast, and another for the rest.

 

[stevehuckss396]

Silly question perhaps, but what's the best way of removing the mixture of used cutting oil and little bits of metal shavings from the tray under the lathe?

Can't beat the old shop vac. I usually do it once a month or when the swarf is just below the chuck. Just suck it up and give the lathe a wipe with a shop towel.

 

[DOC123]

I just use a dustpan and brush.
My problem mainly is my little mill.
How do you get the swarf out of the slots in the table?
It makes it very difficult to get T bolts to slide in when there is swarf there and it is difficult to get it out.

 

[stevehuckss396]

I just use a dustpan and brush.
My problem mainly is my little mill.
How do you get the swarf out of the slots in the table?
It makes it very difficult to get T bolts to slide in when there is swarf there and it is difficult to get it out.

Again, Shop vac!

 

[joe d]

How do you get the swarf out of the slots in the table?

Hi Doc:

I just use a small paintbrush. Some people cut a close fitting t-shaped bit of plastic and run that through, it would probably be
quicker than the paint brush, I've just never gotten around to making one...

Cheers, Joe

 

[Kermit]

I just use a dustpan and brush.
My problem mainly is my little mill.
How do you get the swarf out of the slots in the table?
It makes it very difficult to get T bolts to slide in when there is swarf there and it is difficult to get it out.

Just requires a few minutes and some stiff poster board

 

[jpaul]

For removing swarf from the bed tray I sweep the swarf with a paint brush on to a dry wall taping knife. I prefer the taping knife to a dust pan because it is easier to handle in the tight space between my lathe bed and bed pan.

Periodically I wipe the machine down with a solvent soaked rag.

 

[DOC123]

Just requires a few minutes and some stiff poster board

Excellent suggestion. I will make some. Thm: Thm:

 

[M.Barry]

WD-40 works pretty good, just soak the grease with it and scrub it off with a wire brush/rags. A cheaper version is just kerosene. Gasoline works good also but then you have to worry about blowing yourself up so I don't recommend that. The lead screws can be cleaned with a piece of string/rope soaked with kerosene looped over the feed screw while it's engaged (be careful not to let the machine suck you into it). The ways can be cleaned up with some maroon scotchbrite pads after you get all the grease/sludge off. They make a way oil to lubicate them with, that's what I always used (we had a mobil product) but I'm sure somebody has a cheaper alternative to that.
"Take two dead possums, soak them in diesel, run them thru a blender, add the special sauce and viola, instant cheap way lube "