Compressed Air For Chip Removal

[Cautrell05]

Looking for something to help with chip removal on my benchtop mill. The idea I had was to use compressed air and something along the lines of 1/8" copper line. Between the regulator on the tank and the diameter of the tubing it should give me just enough controlled breeze to clear the work area. Plus the copper is easily bendable and fairly cheap. Thoughts or suggestions are appreciated.

Nick

 

[T Bredehoft]

Unless you can absolutely control (perhaps vacuum) the chips, I'd want full face shield, at least. And the clean up crew won't thank you.

 

[randyc]

Compressed air should be used only if there are no alternatives. Chips end up being blown into and lodged in obscure places that may eventually affect the function of the machine negatively.

A shop vac is always preferred for chip removal - the tools provided with the shop vac can be re-configured if necessary by placing them in the kitchen oven for a while and then re-shaping the nozzles while they are soft.

If you can configure air to gently clear the workpiece, then you should also be able to configure a vacuum wand to extract the chips, right ?

 

[george wilson]

Huge argument about this on another forum. Seems REAL machinists have sense enough to use compressed air w/o blowing chips into the wrong places. I prefer to use a vacuum since I also don't want oily chips and oil spattered all over the floors and walls.

 

[Boswell]

I use KoolMist as a lubricant and cutter temp control. It is delivered via compressed air so I just make sure they don't go into the wrong places and then use the shop vac to clean up the mess.

 

[KMoffett]

I use KoolMist as a lubricant and cutter temp control. It is delivered via compressed air so I just make sure they don't go into the wrong places and then use the shop vac to clean up the mess.

+1

Ken

 

[juiceclone]

old school .... vacuum up what you can, then it's common to blow the rest off (not in) in an intelligent manner... machine tools like lathes mills etc. LIVE in chips ... an air blast used correctly is not going to force any in where they could not get in normal machining ops.

 

[Something]

I bolted a momentary air valve with a flexible nozzle to my mill. It works well for me to punch the button when I want to clear chips. I run it at 50 psi and the cheap flex line stays put. I first had a copper tube on it for my first revision but it was too stiff to reconfigure as needed.

 

[thomas s]

Vacuum only chips will go where you don't want them. Plus all over the shop. thomas s

 

[JR49]

Does anyone have problems with the cutting oil on the chips being vacuumed up, eventually saturating the paper filter in the shop vac ? JR49