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Nuby question

Posted: Mon May 28, 2018 1:49 pm
by Sftyvlv
Working on my first machining project since high school.
I chose Kozo's A3 project. Lol Ive started on the first tender wheel......2yrs ago.
Hard to find time with family etc. My conundrum comes at the end of a session in the "shop". Do I completely clean and re-oil my machines? Or can I "walk away" from it for a while without causing rust, excessive dust etc from setting in.
Thanks

Re: Nuby question

Posted: Mon May 28, 2018 2:10 pm
by gwrdriver
The last part of your question will depend entirely upon your particular circumstances, workshop environment, etc. I doubt if very many people clean up completely and oil-around after every session - I know I don't. For instance if I'm working cast iron I usually wait until I've finished all the cast iron work I have to do (in a work session or maybe a group of parts which take several sessions) and THEN I clean up completely and oil around. I could also say that along those lines, I tend to clean up and oil when changing metals, particularly when changing to brass or bronze which I salvage. Every one of us is going to have a different approach.

If you are around here long enough you'll see the name Bill Connor mentioned. Bill is now gone but he built many "grasshopper" type locomotives which are now with owners around the country. Bill never cleaned the chips out of his workshop, NEVER, and the best I could say was that chips piled up like snowdrifts or "dunes' in his shop. He said cleaning out took too much time away from building stuff!

Re: Nuby question

Posted: Mon May 28, 2018 3:49 pm
by Harold_V
What is of uppermost importance is that you operate the machine only after being wiped and oiled. How it is left isn't nearly as important as how clean it is when you start moving slides. Settled dust and other "dirt" (including chips) will wear precision surfaces unnecessarily, so make it a habit to wipe and oil each time you start the machine, even wiping and oiling more than once each day if required.
Rule of thumb---if the oil on any slide surface is discolored, the machine should be wiped and reoiled. The discoloration of the oil is the result of wear, with the contamination in the oil exacerbating the problem.

H

Re: Nuby question

Posted: Mon May 28, 2018 8:04 pm
by Builder01
If you are making one wheel every two years, you probably will never need to clean up!

Seriously, as Harold says, a little oil on the ways before you move any slides is usually a good idea.

(Don't rush into your project)

David

Re: Nuby question

Posted: Mon May 28, 2018 10:51 pm
by Greg_Lewis
Everything gets wiped down at the end of a work session. I just don't like coming out to a messy shop the next day. There is dust that blows in from the field behind my shop, so I cover my machines with canvas when not in use.

Re: Nuby question

Posted: Mon May 28, 2018 11:21 pm
by SteveR
If machining cast iron outer surfaces with sand and grit, I try to clean as I go. If aluminum or bronze or brass or steel, then I will clean up when there is stuff starting to end up on the floor or when I change over to a different material. I segregate ferrous (4.5 - 5gal cans) from aluminum (1.5 - 5 gal cans) from brass (small amount) from bronze (1/2 - 5 gal can). And I have a small can for "sweepings". All trash goes into plastic trash bags because the last thing I want is for a bunch of slivers to end up in the street where a kid can step on it.

SteveR

Re: Nuby question

Posted: Wed May 30, 2018 4:56 pm
by Comstock-Friend
Greg_Lewis wrote: Mon May 28, 2018 10:51 pmThere is dust that blows in from the field behind my shop, so I cover my machines with canvas when not in use.
I find that old linen bed sheets make good machine covers (my wife has given me quite a few!). Even in SoCal my machines will acquire surface rust if left uncovered for awhile. If I'm not going to get to it for a week, I'll pull the cover over it.

John

Re: Nuby question

Posted: Thu May 31, 2018 7:41 am
by gwrdriver
Yes, I also cover my lathe when machining iron, especially in those early stages, but I never use cloth as a long-term cover for a machine tool. In my area we tend to have relatively high humidity, especially in Summer, and a fabric, and untreated paper, will attract and hold moisture between it and whatever it's covering. Even felt-lined toolbox drawers can pose problems if there's not air "conditioning" of some kind. My workshop space is a room attached to a typical residential garage. It's well insulated, has exterior door/window exposure, but has no active "conditioning", ie, a heating/cooling/ventilation system.

I've learned that the most effective rust deterrent in my situation is first, NOT to cover things up, and keep a small electric fan continuously running, to simply circulate air. This tends to prevent pockets of still air (and moisture) from forming and doing damage where you can't see it. In addition to this I run a small dehumidifier and this combination has essentially eliminated my problems with rust.

As usual, we all do what seems to work best for us individually.

Re: Nuby question

Posted: Thu May 31, 2018 8:13 am
by curtis cutter
Even though my little 12x36 Enco lathe is old and well used by standards here, I still wipe it down each time and re=oil the ways after each use.

I cover it with an old beach towel because lets face it, I would not be seen on it in public so I have found the best use for the towel.. :) I also cover my mill and drill press. Not professional stuff, but it is the best I have and I best take care of it.

Re: Nuby question

Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2018 3:16 pm
by Patio
The point Harold was trying to make, is to wipe your machine down, BEFORE you operate it, not after. Dust settles overnight onto the ways of machines, and if not cleaned off will add wear. I brush the chips off my machines after I am done for the day, but wipe and oil before I run them always.