Thread: lathe bed way protector.

I have seen quite a few in different lengths on Ebay. They tend to go by the name "Accordion cover". They cost little ($28) compared to the H&F leadscrew covers ($400)..
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/CNC-Machi...-/151333361003

Thanks, just what I'm after. Can it be cut to length without damaging or weakening?

How will you manage the chips with these? I've considered ways of keeping chips/cast iron dust off my lathe ways, but I fear that the concertina covers would have to be cleaned/brushed continuously. I've been thinking about making sliding metal covers for a trial.
Any opinions?

While on the subject, I recently bought (but haven't yet fitted) concertina-type lead screw covers: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/301194249577 they look like they should work for me.

If your carriage ways continue past the front of the headstock you can make covers that attach on to the carriage were the wipers are, just like the C10 has. The VDF that is on ebay looks to have them made from aluminium angle.

With the ways going under the head however it is a little harder.

Ew

The only problem I can see is when working between centres using a dead centre and dog, the accordion may prevent the carriage being moved far enough forward . Cleaning should be a breeze with a simple brush. The swarf than gathers in the bed and on the webs is what annoys me most. There is another type accordion cover that has an overhang which may provide enough protection for the lead screw as well.

Originally Posted by th62

I'd like to fit a concertina type way protector between the apron and headstock on my lathe. Any ideas on who sells them or how to make one, best material, how to form the bends. etc.

So far, I have not seen anybody succeeding at inventing a functional concertina way protector for a lathe. For a mill yes, but not for a lathe.

The first thing that I think of, is what happens to the concertina when a shower or dark blue smoking chips comes down on it. I still have a blister where a chip fell on my hand last Saturday.

The next thing I think of is, that concertina would have to compress to near zero, or it would limit how close the saddle can approach the headstock. If working with a collet chuck, or between centers, or if turning a disk that is too wide to fit over the cross slide, you need to almosrt touch the headstock with the saddle. At the same time, the concertina needs to extend way down towards the tailstock. If you have to remove the concertina to get full travel for the saddle, you will soon stop using the concertina at all. And you should not cover the mounting holes for the travelling steady.

Then where do you go with the chips if they pile up on the concertina? If you allow them to pile up, they soon catch in the chuck and will be swirled in your face and all around. Whereas without any "way protection" the chips can fall through the lathe bed. The lathe bed is coarsely ribbed exactly for this reason: to let chips and coolant fall through. I use an old baking pan under the ways, to easily catch most of the chips.

Most lathes already have a way protection in the form of wipers. Cheap lathes have just chunks of plastic or rubber as wipers. Better hobbylathes have felt wipers. Professional lathes have custom made seals and pressure lubrication from inside the saddle. If turning cast iron or using a toolpost grinder, it is customary to use newspapers on the ways to keep the worst grit off (and of course careful cleaning including taking felt wipers off and washing them afterwards).

There are methods to protect the leadscrew from chips. Question is, if it is not for a CNC lathe or a production lathe, is it not far easier to clean the leadscrew?

Hi all,

I'd be interested to see what people here come up with. A couple of years ago I fitted a sheet of 1mm butyl rubber to the headstock side of my apron. It's about 300mm long and so protects the immediate area in front of the apron so that any saddle movement from the job at hand is done so with a (still) relatively clean saddle ways. It's width also allows for some overhang which somewhat protects the leadscrew just below the saddle.

It has worked reasonable well, the only caution is when turning close to the chuck, the rubber folds up and can sometimes be rubbed by the chuck, especially if using a large item when the jaws are extended or if using the 4 jaw, which is larger than the 3 jaw. Careful dressing of the rubber before starting up takes care of that.

It's certainly reduces potential bed wear from swarf under the saddle but it's not perfect. I'd certainly be interested in other peoples ideas too.

Hi Joe, I had looked at leadscrew covers but the prices at hairy Forbes has hairs on it! I have not seen that product on ebay before. Do you think it will work well? Does it compress reasonable easy?

Edit: I guess with the leadscrew, it can be as dirty as all get out, it's not going to be damaged unless you then use it without cleaning it. I tend to run a thin turps soaked rag along it with it turning before use but if it was covered it would be one less job!

Cheers,

Simon

You can also get a small accordion in a U shape, wouldn't be too hard to fit over the lead screw.

Chips building up on the accordion? Can't see a problem with that, simply brush them off into the swarf tray. If your doing a lot of turning, you still have to remove the swarf when it builds up on the webs of the bed anyway, you just have to brush the concertina more frequently, or should that be a lot more frequently.

As I mentioned, I have not quite yet installed the leadscrew covers yet - I intend to do that in the next few days. They compress and expand a LOT very easily. they are some kind of soft rubber or silicone with a spiral wire along the outside edges of the folds. I'm happy to report any future failures here.
I'd like to try and make some simple sheetmetal (maybe stainless for looks and to avoid having to paint them and the paint chipping) covers to try out, since I turn a lot of cast iron - my favourite material at the moment....
Maybe a simple U-shape with a slight ridge in the centre covering both ways, with some pegs to pull them along one after another and to push them back toether, but easily lifted off individually to deal with clearance issues if and when they appear. My lathe ways are both rectangular, by the way.
Any design advice appreciated!

Originally Posted by simonl

I'd be interested to see what people here come up with.

Come up with or actually built?

Take two 8m Stanley steel tapes. Mount to the top of the headstock above each way. Take the tape down the face of the headstock around a roller, bending backwards 90 degree, bolt to front of carriage. Easy

Though really I'd say 95% of the problem is within 4" of the carriage so coming that would be my first step if I ever got around to it. If one was to get excited I could see covers like Ewan talked about made out of chain so they curve up when you get near the headstock.

Me........ I use a plank of wood

Stuart

Originally Posted by th62

You can also get a small accordion in a U shape, wouldn't be too hard to fit over the lead screw.

Chips building up on the accordion? Can't see a problem with that, simply brush them off into the swarf tray. If your doing a lot of turning, you still have to remove the swarf when it builds up on the webs of the bed anyway, you just have to brush the concertina more frequently, or should that be a lot more frequently.

Hot chips do not tend to bake onto bedways. The metal mass quickly conducts the heat of chips away. A concertina on the other hand is not a good heat conductor. It certainly depends on the material it is made of. but I could imagine it may be not as easy as just brushing the chips off.

In any case, that is something easy tested. Just put a flat piece of the material you intend to use under the chuck and make some hot chips. If it bakes onto the material or even melts into, then it is the wrong stuff.



As for leadscews, there is the spring type cover:
http://www.spiroflex.com/pdfs/Ld_scr_grds_A_B_eng.pdf
Some low cost Chinese hobbylathes come with such a spiral around the leadscrew, so there has to be a cheap source for it:
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Then there is the roll-up guard idea:
http://www.rockfordsystems.com/onlin...protection.cfm

The concertina covers on my HM50 mill were a right pain to clean. I'd hate to have them on the lathe.

I have another solution....not a very economical one though! Buy a bigger lathe that has a wider bed so the chips fall straight through. Works for me

Ew

Originally Posted by Ueee

Buy a bigger lathe that has a wider bed so the chips fall straight through. Works for me

Ew

You with your big Anthrax lathe and your Blohm, You're such a poser!

Simon