Thread: How to clean up a lathe

Try a cloth soaked in Metho.

Hold the soaked cloth over the stain to soften it.

You may have to do it a few times but it should remove it.

Thanks for your reply and suggestion. I had tried metho but it seems I had not left it on long enough - I have just now cleaned up most of the splatters so thanks very much
Gloria

You say 'finish that's spilt', so I'm assuming it's your bedbars that need cleaning.

Have you tried a cabinet scraper to remove the worst and then the Meths for the final clean up?

I have a piece of wood (veneered chipboard, if memory serves) about 50cm x 30cm that I put over the lathe bed when polishing pens... I learnt this trick 'cos I did exactly what you've just done

Cheers,
Dave

Wait, you are supposed to clean up your lathe????

Most of the time, I use a painters multi tool thing, almost like a chisel, but thin blade, and scrape any finish/super glue/wood glue/gunk that gets on the ways. Other than that, I don't mess with anything that can't be blown off with the air hose.

robo hippy

WD 40 & silicone sprays & a wipedown sometimes help loosen a stubborn blotch of the yucky,
but I must have attended the same school of housekeeping that Robo Hippy went to. If I can find it
I sometimes use a piece of thin foam or cardboard laid over the bed to avoid the nasty.
Don't forget good ventilation when using both finishes and solvents.

Yep the pneumatic broom and a scraper is all I need as well

Hi Gloriac,
Yes, well I just use one of my Wood Chisels, if it gets that bad, then most likely clean the Bed down with a bit of 320 Grit Paper, wipe with a cloth to get the dirt off , then apply very little " Silbein Gliet " ? ( Silver Glide ) to the bed, & everything work beautifully again.

Thanks everyone!! I am not sure how people put excerpts/quotes from a lot of different people in their posts as I seem to be only able to get one.

dr4g0nfly - Maybe I should have said splashed rather than spilt? As it is mainly on the painted part of the bed not on the bed rails/bars. So the cleanup is cosmetic only not operational.

I am going to follow the suggestions of Ozkaban and ticklingmedusa and cover the bed when applying finishes - makes very good sense and saves on the clean up. Thanks also for the tip on ventilation TM.

Wait, you are supposed to clean up your lathe???? - LOL @ robo hippy

I like the sound of the Silver glide issatree - I will have to invest in some of that as the bed could do well with it.

Oh by the way - thanks for not telling me I should have stopped the lathe and applied the finish!! I did slow it right down! but from now on it will be stopped for each application, and the lathe bed covered .

Thanks again ~ Gloria

My lathe is pretty clean but the wall behind it and the person in front of it generally cop a spray, especially if I'm not paying attention to how much glow is coming out of the bottle.

I do what Ozkaban etc do and place a piece of (in my case) vinyl (leather lookalike) over the bed

And the lathe does get cleaned occasionally - usually when I can't find something on the shelf under it

Once you have cleaned up all the stuff on the painted parts, you might want to rub on a fairly thick coat of paste wax. Even with care, a drip here and there accumulates. It will come off the wax easier.

A good cleaning and light coat of wax on the bed and sliding parts might keep things working easily.

I did find that after I did this, my tailstock did not grab as firmly and needed to take up the adjustment a bit.

Most professional turner's lathes I have seen are well encrusted with finish and sanding dust. If one is going to upgrade one day and hope to sell the old lathe at a decent price, a good looking lathe will bring more.

Wow! I dont think I have ever cleaned mine.

Know the feeling well!!!!!!!!!!!!