Mills and chips

**Michael G** · 28th January 2012, 07:10 PM

This afternoon I was roughing down a slab of Al (it was an ex-weld qualification practice piece - 44mm thick and I want 24mm) and had a 75mm diameter carbide face mill doing the cutting. Chips everyhere!
I was sweeping them up as I hate stepping on swarf and while doing that wondered
a) Whether others just let them build up to the end of the job (ie sweep once) or sweep as you go (decrease the total volume of chips in stages) and
b) Does anyone use a covers/ chutes/ guards to collect chips rather than letting them fly everywhere?
The vacuum cleaner is not happy with sucking these things up, so I'm back to brushes and pans but I wondered whether there is a better way that I haven't got to yet.

Michael

Dave J · 28th January 2012, 07:44 PM

I suggested to Stuart a while back about using a baking tray under the vice to save the table from chips, but for jobs like you are talking about I would use card board/sheet metal or anything I had laying around to contain them as much as possible. You will still get chips thrown around, but a lot less.

As for cleaning up I leave it until I am finished, unless it's a 2 day job then I clean up at the end of the day/night.

Dave

**Bryan** · 28th January 2012, 07:57 PM

Love my magnetic broom. No help with ally of course. I have to stay on top of the chips, especially shaper chips, because I have children and pets (ok, one of each, but it seems like a plague) who are too stupid to stay out of the shed with bare feet, despite frequent single-syllable explanations. Besides, I hate walking on them too.

Dave J · 28th January 2012, 08:37 PM

Originally Posted by Bryan

Love my magnetic broom. No help with ally of course. I have to stay on top of the chips, especially shaper chips, because I have children and pets (ok, one of each, but it seems like a plague) who are too stupid to stay out of the shed with bare feet, despite frequent single-syllable explanations. Besides, I hate walking on them too.

Dave

**simonl** · 28th January 2012, 09:37 PM

Originally Posted by Bryan

Love my magnetic broom. No help with ally of course. I have to stay on top of the chips, especially shaper chips, because I have children and pets (ok, one of each, but it seems like a plague) who are too stupid to stay out of the shed with bare feet, despite frequent single-syllable explanations. Besides, I hate walking on them too.

I have the same problem with a certain 3 yo daughter who comes in to say hello with nothing on her feet. Needless to say her feet are a swarf magnet!

I used to really curse at her until early last year when I did the same thing (in a rush to get something quickly) and stepped on a rogue self tapper. It went in about 1/2 inch right into the meaty part of my heal. It hurt going in and it hurt evenmore pulling it out!

Now I know where she gets it from.....

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