Machining cast iron - do you cover your ways?

I've never machined cast but I do protect the way from swarf, when I remember that is, using a roll out blind I constructed. The blind rolls up as the carriage is moved toward the chuck via a cord attached to a weight enclosed in a PVC tube and a couple of pulleys. Been using it for a couple of years now and it still works fine keeping swarf from the bed. There are commercial concertina blinds made of a rubbery material which would do the same job.

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darkzero said:
I normally do mainly cause it makes clean up easier. As Groundhog said, I don't machine cast iron enough to where I think it will cause accelerated wear on my lathe. But sometimes you just can't cover up enough or prevent mess unless you want to stop & clean up every so often or sit there with a vacuum.

I'm actually machining some cast iron today, taking a break, it's lunch time. I didn't even bother covering anything nor did I use a cutter upside down. I just let the chips fly & I'll deal with the mess after. Plus I wanted to see how much of it gets past my new delrin/felt wipers.


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Hi There Darkzero , this has nothing to do with machining cast iron but I saw your pictures and Noticed you have the same machine as mine , I also see you have a quick change tool post ,I want to change my 4 way post to a quick change and have been looking at various types, May I ask what brand that tool holder is and model number etc also what size tool can the tool carrier hold as my main lathe tools I use at the moment in my 4 way post are 20 mm shank can these fit in this type of tool post ?
 
Moper361 said:
Hi There Darkzero , this has nothing to do with machining cast iron but I saw your pictures and Noticed you have the same machine as mine , I also see you have a quick change tool post ,I want to change my 4 way post to a quick change and have been looking at various types, May I ask what brand that tool holder is and model number etc also what size tool can the tool carrier hold as my main lathe tools I use at the moment in my 4 way post are 20 mm shank can these fit in this type of tool post ?
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My toolpost is a Dorian brand. The size is BXA. For Asian import QCTP size 200 would be the equivalent to BXA. For BXA standard holders you can use up to 5/8"/16mm shank tools. With oversized BXA holders you can use up to 3/4"/19mm tools. Dorian does make 1" capacity oversized holders for BXA but you will not be able to use 1" shank tools on this lathe, they will not site low enough to reach spindle centerline.

If interested this is my PM1236 lathe thread: http://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/my-pm1236.11475/

If you would like more help on choosing/buying a QCTP for your lathe, feel free to send me a PM. More than happy to help.
 
Something I've gotten a ton of flack on YouTube for, was using cutting oil when drilling and tapping cast iron. People seemed to have missed or ignored the fact that i said i was doing it to cut down on the fine airborne dust.
 
Dan_S said:
Something I've gotten a ton of flack on YouTube for, was using cutting oil when drilling and tapping cast iron. People seemed to have missed or ignored the fact that i said i was doing it to cut down on the fine airborne dust.
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That's cause when it mixes with fluids, that creates a slurry that is bad for sliding surfaces, can clog tools & parts, and is also harder to clean up. The high graphite content is why you don't need lube. I rather vacuum up all the dust than try to clean up slurry & sludge.

If it works for you then that's all that matters but it's not common practice & people will always tell you something about. I personally would rather use a vacuum to cut down on airborne dust. I also use dry wall bags in my shop vac which acts as an additional filter & keeps the inside of the vacuum as well as the filter clean. Just throw away the bag & replace.
 
I cut a chuck mounting plate yesterday. I just layed a piece of cardboard across the ways. It caught the majority of it. Used the shop vac when I was done. The lathe was built in 1942 so I'm guessing it's had CI cut on it before. It does make a mess. I dont usually wear gloves when machining but in this case I had the disposable gloves on. That stuff is hell to clean off your hands.
 
Just used a fly cutter on some in the mill. I used towels to cover the ways. During cleanup I the towels out in the yard to shake them off. The stuff went in my shoes, eyes and shirt pocket! Aluminum foil next time! Roll it up and through it away.
 
Alan H said:
The stuff went in my shoes, eyes and shirt pocket!
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Wait till you get it down your pants! It feels good, trust me! ;) And when you take big cuts & the hot chips fly on your head it feels good too! Luckily I got really short hair so no problem blowing it off my head. I don't wear an apron all the time but for CI & brass, I always do now! Oh and have you ever machined wearing slippers? I know bad idea but I do it sometimes when I just need to do something quick.
 
Bob Korves said:
Sometimes I machine small stuff wearing flip flop sandals. I certainly don't recommend it, but sometimes laziness overcomes what is smart...
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At least you are admitting it Bob! I wear a pair of Nike slip ons on in the shop so I can take them off when I go upstairs and sometimes do the same thing. BTW, I have learned not to machine hard steel without proper shoes since those blue chips and curly ques burn.
 
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