Here’s about an 8 Thousandth deep cut, about 3/4” long. And, look at the ribbon produced.



Enlarged with shop glasses cobbled together. See those Shark Teeth???!



Well .... let me get back to it!

Gary

I handle them with a Barbecue Fork I made several decades ago!!!

Hey Gary,

Good thing you have that long bbq fork. Those type of shavings are nasty and dangerous.

A little story that those shavings pics brought to memory. When I was about 17, I worked after school at a agricultural manufacturer. My dad was there for over 20 years and was teaching me basic machining. I was turning something and he cautioned me on the ribbon of steel shavings. "Never ever reach into the lathe and if the shavings catch to make sure I am not in direct line with the chuck. The shavings can be grabbed by the chuck and and spun around with the lathe," said my dad.

Well, I don't remember how much time had gone by but my dad came up to me and said, "you have to drive me to the hospital". I don't remember if he was machining something or had just tried pulling a long shaving away from a large project he had been turning; but his one finger had a lot of blood dripping. The shaving had sliced into the finger to the bone and cut about an inch or so.

Anyway, glad to see you are cautious, do not need more injury and a trip to any hospital.

Stay safe,

Pedro

It’s true. As you know, you have to stop often to let the curl break. The darned things will curl around and snake up to you from another angle. If a thing like that catches you while its running - horror show.

I moved one (lathe off) once. Circa “Pre Fork”. Blood everywhere. Fortunately everything still worked so no tendon damage. Just a Glue Job.

There are so many things that aren’t thought of. And the self taught machinist learns many of them thru “object lessons” that bleed.

A tip. I don’t want anyone to get hurt!

When turning this horrid stuff, remove bulk by starting at the left, and PULLING the bit to the right. Same rotation. Same speed. Make a severe angle to engage. Take lighter cuts. Start, rotate toolhandle clockwise. Stop. Repeat. Repeat. It will make a zipping sound. That’s why the surface looks a little rough.

When you reach within a couple thou of your diameter, feed in the normal right to left direction.

This process will toss the curl away from you (mostly).

Stay safe

Gary

Great tips Gary.

Thanks

Like snakes, you have to have a pretty good reason to touch that, and only under the right circumstances. Otherwise… Hands off!