Chip control ideas for the mill

[Pcmaker]

I get chips everywhere when I'm using the mill. I have a precision matthews benchtop mill. I was thinking of making 4 plexiglass safety screens and somehow mount them to magnetic bases that I can move around on the bed of the mill. They'll at least control the chips to where most of them would fall on the bed, instead of the floor or my work bench. Any ideas?

 

[JimDawson]

Here are the 2 methods that I use

Full enclosure


and floor storage, in this case plastic. But I've had aluminum a foot deep on the left side also.



There is really no way to contain the chips without a full enclosure.

I do use a chip shield sometimes to keep it from throwing chips at me. The chips are about a foot deep on the left side of the machine next to the wall. When I finished the job on the table, I had about 55 gal of chips.

 

[T Bredehoft]

Hot chips will stick to Plexiglass.

 

[derf]

Machining is messy.....get a broom and a shop vac and get used to it.

 

[richl]

Quick and dirty shield I made for chip control. I works well enough, I need to come up with something for the back.

 

[Pcmaker]

Biggest issue is the hot chips coming at me. Burned my hand a bit yesterday when a chip flung unto my hand that's cranking the x axis wheel

 

[SamI]

I use something similar to this on the lathe only the one I have is a little bigger. In hindsight it being large is more of a hindrance because it gets in the way and can be hard to get right up close to the cutter. Still, very effective at keeping hot chips off of my hands when using the handwheels.

 

[AGCB97]

Simple chip guards to keep them from you and maybe nearby sensitive stuff. But as someone said, shop vac used often and get a couple magnets, a handheld with striping cleaner and a Harbor Freight magnetic floor sweeper. Then keep after it!

 

[rwm]

Biggest issue is the hot chips coming at me. Burned my hand a bit yesterday when a chip flung unto my hand that's cranking the x axis wheel

A real machinist can ignore burning chips and can estimate the rate of blood loss very accurately. As long as the finish is looking good you don't stop. It's sort of like welding when you have a good bead going and start to get burned through the glove.
R

 

[SamI]

A real machinist can ignore burning chips and can estimate the rate of blood loss very accurately.

Surely a real machinist would be going at it hard enough that the chip would be hot enough to cauterise the wound allowing him to focus on the job at hand?