Need help with 8520 deciding which felt to order

These folks seem to know what they're talking about. There's a page that lists the different types and weights for various uses, may be of help to you even if you decide to buy somewhere else afterwards.

http://www.brandfelt.com/

-frank
 
This is only my opinion, but I would tend to think that you would want a more dense felt, which typically translates into a harder felt. The reason being is that a more dense felt is, the less likely it is to collect any small metal chips and retain them. The felt wipers should help spread way oil, but should also do a good job of sweeping chips off of the ways without retaining them.

I made some rubber wipers for my Logan lathe, using the rubber strip from an old window squeegee. The felt wipers are still used and retained by the sheet metal cover, but the hard rubber wiper is mounted on the outside of the sheet metal cover, using a longer screw and a washer. I have no clinical proof that the new setup works any better than the original design, but I tend to think that it should.

I have not made any rubber 'pre-wipers' for my Clausing 8520 just yet. I have considered it, but I am leaning in the direction of making some sort of way covers instead. I tend to think that keeping the chips off of the ways to begin with would be better than trying to wipe them off once they have landed there.
 
yea, I am going to add covers too. But traditional felt wipers, as it seems to work well enough.
I am also considering a single shot oiler. While oiling it is not a big deal, I think it's better to just make sure you don't miss a spot, like the back dovetail.. so with covers, that would make the whole deal much easier to deal with.

Still looking for a solid piece of info on the felts, when I rebuilt the SB lathe I ordered a rebuild kit that Steve Wells sells.. worked for me, but I just figure I should order a sheet of felt.

Thanks for the help guys
 
Felt makes a pretty good oiler. It doesn't make a very good wiper. For that, thin Neoprene is probably as good as anything else.

When Atlas added the feature to their 10" and 12" lathes, they made the sheet metal covers deep enough to hold both a wiper and an oiler. Anyone adding oilers to a machine that previously had none would be wise to also add wipers.
 
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