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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
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    Hobart, Tas
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    Default Containing the mess

    Gosh! I used to think that routers were messy, then I got a lathe and had at crack at turning bowls. The definition of a messy shed has taken on a whole new meaning.

    As is to be expected, the lathe bed and bench gets covered with shavings, but turning around with my back to the lathe reveals what can best be described as the aftermath of one of those huge Lord of the Rings tree people having sneezed a wet sneeze without the use of a handkerchief.

    Perhaps it's a technique thing that I'm getting wrong, but when shaping both the outside and inside of bowls, streamers of wood fly over my right shoulder and end up EVERYWHERE.

    How do others manage this? Technique, lathe placement, shower curtain, some other trick, or just acceptance of the inevitable?

    Oh, I used to chuckle at turners with their special turning jackets. After standing outside this afternoon striping layer after layer off to try and get rid of chips that found their way through my clothing, I think I will choose something with a tighter neck and arm cuffs next time. I'm sure there will be wood chips on the bathroom floor when I take off my undies this evening.

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  3. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Oberon, NSW
    Age
    63
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    13,354

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by LanceC View Post
    Perhaps it's a technique thing that I'm getting wrong, but when shaping both the outside and inside of bowls, streamers of wood fly over my right shoulder and end up EVERYWHERE.
    The "right technique" only ensures a good cut in a safe manner. At best you'll learn how to direct the stream of shavings at nosy beavers but that doesn't stop the flow.

    Unless you use scrapers exclusively.

    How do others manage this? Technique, lathe placement, shower curtain, some other trick, or just acceptance of the inevitable?
    Lathe positioning, shower curtains, etc. will mediate the mess a bit... but aren't really that effective. The best solution for easy clean-up is to make sure the firing line behind you is clear of obstacles that'll block a broom/shovel/DC hose with scoop.

    Me, I have a different approach. I tell myself that the piles of shavings and curlies all over my timber racks, work benches, table saw et al are "preventative measures" that protect whatever they're burying from excessive UV exposure, humidity changes, etc. etc.



    Oh, I used to chuckle at turners with their special turning jackets. After standing outside this afternoon striping layer after layer off to try and get rid of chips that found their way through my clothing, I think I will choose something with a tighter neck and arm cuffs next time. I'm sure there will be wood chips on the bathroom floor when I take off my undies this evening.
    SNRK! But... yeah. I think the worst is wearing an opened neck flannel shirt over a t-shirt. It sorta acts as a funnel/reservoir combination to direct shavings down and inside the front of your strides.

    Also... don't be surprised if you also cop flak for wood-chips inside the washing machine or, worse, needing to repair aforesaid washing machine when the pump fails from pulp overload.

    BTW, welcome to the world of bowl turning!
    I may be weird, but I'm saving up to become eccentric.

    - Andy Mc

  4. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Perth
    Posts
    27,757

    Default

    Bell Mouth hood and DC on 60Hz (so pretty loud) but even that only reduces the chip scatter.
    Instead of a 3-4+ metres the chips are mostly down to 2-3 metres and no fine dust.
    With the DC on 60Hz is very noisy so I wear muffs and grin and bear it.
    Then I vac the chips up with this.
    A use for 90mm stormwater pipe in workshop dust control

    Like Skewie I find a good pile of chips sort of satisfying

  5. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Tasmaniac
    Posts
    1,470

    Default

    Sometimes you have to surrender and accept the inevitable.
    After a big day I find shavings in my underpants too.

    DSCF6971.jpg

  6. #5
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    6,974

    Default

    Lance,
    Are you sure having a wood lathe is the right thing for you,???


    Cheers Matt.
    Ps when are we seeing pictures of these bowls.

  7. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    blue mountains
    Posts
    4,882

    Default

    All part of the joy of turning. When knee deep in shavings and having to wipe the sap off the face shield every so often I dont really think of it as mess. Just part of the process. Routing makes a mess but turning shavings in great heaps are a sign of progress. I usually only use the DC on the sanding part.
    Regards
    John

  8. #7
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Mareeba Far Nth Qld
    Age
    83
    Posts
    3,069

    Default

    Surrender and enjoy the fun. This photo was taken after two barrow loads of the stuff had been removed. Not to sure a 3hp dusty would be much help.''

    Jim

    NFI Pine Bowl2S.jpg
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    Sometimes in the daily challenges that life gives us, we miss what is really important...

  9. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Perth
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    27,757

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    Quote Originally Posted by powderpost View Post
    Surrender and enjoy the fun. This photo was taken after two barrow loads of the stuff had been removed. Not to sure a 3hp dusty would be much help.
    At the risk of sounding like a broken record (and for the sake of any newbies reading this) the primary use of a DC is to deal with wood dust that cannot be seen, the stuff that can be seen is far less of a health problem. With that much visible mess I would expect it to be accompanied by substantial amounts of fine dust.

    In a study of wood workers dust exposure to fine dust, wood turners stood out as one of the woodies at greatest risk. The average exposure of a wood turners was ~40X greater than the (old) recommend OHS limits.

  10. #9
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Sth Gippsland Vic
    Posts
    4,355

    Default

    The shavings all around on the floor I don't mind so much . But down my neck and in my clothing I hate .

    When doing short bursts of turning like a knob or two or Knob repair like I do sometimes ( A patch that's been glued into a broken knob being turned off) I manage to stand one side ( Left ) and with spindle turning, the chips can be directed off to the other side of center to the right. Sometimes placement of the thumb lifted at the chisel helps direct them away .

    For longer runs of turning like a set of table legs, I made what I called my Wood Turning Poncho .

    Cut a hole in the center of a trimmed Bed sheet so My head only just squeezes through the. Pull it on .
    With a long torn off strip of sheet tie a belt around waist to pull in the loose flappy bits .
    Get a long piece that wraps around my neck like a scarf and tuck the end in so no loose bit hanging off . Ya got to eliminate the chance of being dragged in by the neck .
    Then I put on my face shield and go for it .
    I did have a set of Earmuffs that played radio as well that was nice. When they worked.
    I also like setting up a fan at my right and have it set on the fastest setting . All shavings go left and out.
    When I used to wood turn out under a lean to with two walls, off the back of the workshop and in the garden on a nice sunny day with all this set up it was very pleasant ! A bit like meditation at times .

    Since my new workshop set up there is no lean to and its all inside . It is next to a roller door though . My dust extraction is in the process of being put together and Ill be investing the time in BobL,s recommendations with the BMH asap too .

    Rob

  11. #10
    Join Date
    Jun 2018
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    940

    Default

    I appreciate this post;

    I was given a lathe and tools but have not started to use it due to thinking it would make a big mess in my small workshop.

    Seems like I was correct.

    My thanks to all those that contributed a reply.

  12. #11
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Hobart, Tas
    Posts
    1,211

    Default

    Thanks all for the responses. I guess the conclusion is that it is all part of the package of turning, and that the best course of action is just to do what I can to make the inevitable cleanup easier.

    My wife and I each turned a coupe off bowls today and made another big mess, but boy was it worth it. So much fun. But we both still managed to get chips all through our clothing. Finding the best clothing is going to be a journey I think. The weather was so warm I had the roller door up today, and I do fear what the neighbors will think if I dressed in Rob's fancy garb.

    Verawood, don't miss out due to fearing the mess. Small spindle turning really doesn't make much mess. Bowls on the other hand, are messy but so much fun.

  13. #12
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Mareeba Far Nth Qld
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    83
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    3,069

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by BobL View Post
    At the risk of sounding like a broken record (and for the sake of any newbies reading this) the primary use of a DC is to deal with wood dust that cannot be seen, the stuff that can be seen is far less of a health problem. With that much visible mess I would expect it to be accompanied by substantial amounts of fine dust.
    Point taken Bob, I should have added that there is a wall fan that is set up beside a window, that blows from right to left along the lathe. There is a large double door at to the left of the lathe. Dust, seen or unseen, is not an issue except for any unseen dust that comes in from the outside environment.

    I think that is by far a better arrangement than a dust collector.

    Jim
    Sometimes in the daily challenges that life gives us, we miss what is really important...

  14. #13
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    blue mountains
    Posts
    4,882

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by LanceC View Post
    Thanks all for the responses. I guess the conclusion is that it is all part of the package of turning, and that the best course of action is just to do what I can to make the inevitable cleanup easier.

    My wife and I each turned a coupe off bowls today and made another big mess, but boy was it worth it. So much fun. But we both still managed to get chips all through our clothing. Finding the best clothing is going to be a journey I think. The weather was so warm I had the roller door up today, and I do fear what the neighbors will think if I dressed in Rob's fancy garb.

    Verawood, don't miss out due to fearing the mess. Small spindle turning really doesn't make much mess. Bowls on the other hand, are messy but so much fun.

    I use those paper overalls as they zip right up to the throat. In summer snip off the arms and legs. You can get many wears out of one. Saves a lot of itching. A full face shield is also good as larger bits than chips can fly off. They dont steam up as much as safety glasses.
    Regards
    John

  15. #14
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Port Sorell, Tasmania
    Posts
    592

    Default

    Ive set my lathe up so I can move it outside to turn. Using the lathe inside the shed, the slightest breeze would push fine shavings throughout the shed. Even with good dust extraction and a bell mouthed hood I was getting blocked sinuses at the end of the day, but I have developed a bit of a sensitivity to dust over the years. I wear a full face powered air respirator when turning to give face and breathing protection. Face protection is a must, have had a couple instances where a bowl flew apart when turning. Has the potential to cause serious head injury.
    When roughing out green blanks I find fine dust is not much of an issue and I can get away with just using a face shield.
    You can't use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have. ~Oscar Wilde

  16. #15
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Port Sorell, Tasmania
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    592

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by orraloon View Post
    I use those paper overalls as they zip right up to the throat. In summer snip off the arms and legs.
    I cant help myself from smiling at visions of this, one if the good things about getting old is not giving a rats @%$! about how you look.
    You can't use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have. ~Oscar Wilde

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