I've been turning a large piece of D. fir burl that is full of resin and it is quite dry. I've shavings and chips flung about the shop for miles and miles. They are literally in and on everything in the shop, again! And in my shop that ain't good. It is a small shop and I've a lot of 'stuff' on shelves and like that. There has got to be a simple(?) way to contain the debris. What do you all do? Turn in a tent?
One way to contain chips (but not fine sawdust) is to hang an (or series of) ordinary plastic shower curtain(s) around your turning area. The curtain(s) will cause the flying chips to drop to the floor, making cleanup much easier. I've used this to good effect by hanging as few as two (one directly out on a right angle from the axis of the lathe spindle on each side of the lathe, one about two feet beyond the back of the lathe, and another about two or three feet behind my typical turning position for roughing out bowl blanks. Once I get into hollowing, though, the long tools I typically use make a third curtain (directly out from the working end of the spindle) quite a ways out, and not all that helpful, because the energy involved doesn't throw the chips nearly as far in that direction. By the way, most of the time I've been turning green norfolk pine, and the initial roughing involves a lot of thrown water as well, so the curtains significantly reduce the amount of water that gets beyond the lathe area.
--Rick
Tom Storey wrote:
"Tom Storey" wrote: (clip) There has got to be a simple(?) way to contain the debris. What do you all do? Turn in a tent? ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ I just let the chips fall where they may, but I have a friend who pulls down a pair of window shades at the front edge of his workbench for just that reason.
Close! I put the lathes in a seperate room because I was having the same problem. Considering the amount of debris a lathe produces, it might be worthwhile for you to put up a couple of light dividing walls to isolate it. They don't have to be structural, just block the shavings. My turnery was already in place, but all it is is 2x4 framing with wood panelling to make two walls in the basement (the other two are the foundation). Works great, and keeps everything else clean.
I turn on centerline, or very close, so about 90% drops into a bag in front of the lathe when turning convex, same percentage onto my hands or the table which abuts the wall when turning concave. Chasing the other 10% can get to be fun if I've done a day of roughs. Can't imagine going bagless again.
Oddly enough, turning with angles that drop the shavings is easy on my forearm, and leaves better surfaces than throwing shavings or chips against gravity.
I prefer my chips with fish!
Alan
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