Chip and "noodle" collection?

[Mike Davis]

Do you have good waste collection on your lathe? Does it work?

Show pics PLEASE!

Not that I am concerned with it myself, I let the noodles fly. But someone else asked and raised my curiosity.

 

[Bill Clemmons]

Good thread, Mike. As we discussed yesterday, I have DC at my lathe, but it is far less than desirable. I am VERY interested to see the responses to this question on how others have addressed this problem. Hopefully, someone has found the answer.

Its hard to tell from this pic, but there is a "slot" in the table running the length of the lathe bed. At the far end of the table you can see a silver pipe coming up through the floor, w/ a blast gate on top. That leads to the open cavity below the lathe bed. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but it doesn't work.

View image in gallery​

Bill

 

[CarvedTones]

Well, following Bill's lead I will post something else that doesn't work, though it helps far more than you might think at getting fine dust.

The picture is not as accurate as it could be; in use I would get it positioned better. Then I bought one of the flex tube arrangements with the larger diameter, shown below:

Besides being larger and more positionable, I now also have it going through a chip collector before the vac. It gets more, but it is much more of a pain to adjust and gets in the way a lot. However, if I am turning very dry wood I put up with the hassle to get the fines, which it does surprisingly well. But roughing out a big green blank is followed by shoveling noodles.

 

[Trent Mason]

On the top of my tool stand, I put a piece of...... :icon_scra...... some type of laminated wood with a slick surface at an angle and it redirects any of the shavings that fall through the bed and behind the bed to the floor behind the lathe. Not exactly DC, but it works ok.

My biggest complaint before that was that I would want another tool and have to dig through a bunch of shavings to find it. :BangHead: This does a decent job of solving that problem. :thumbs_up:thumbs_up

 

[Rob]

I have one for sanding only, the "noodles" I let fall where they may. They had the same set up at the John C Campbell school and I asked the instructor about, he pretty much said the same thing, good for sanding only. I did add a vacuum attachment to mine to make cleaning around the floor easier.

 

[Mike Davis]

Bill,

I think yours could be improved by sealing the bottom edge of the lathe bed against the cabinet. It looks like the whole length of the bed has a large gap at the bottom. Try to seal that with closed cell foam or cardboard or wood blocks even. Then make something to lay on top of the bed gap in areas away from where you are working. The the suction should be directed up toward the cutting point. May help some.

 

[FredP]

I've found dust collection for the lathe to be a useless proposition. I have a home made box that attaches to the banjo for dust when sanding and that works ok but the rest was made for the broom and shovel approach.:gar-Bi

 

[Bill Clemmons]

Bill,

I think yours could be improved by sealing the bottom edge of the lathe bed against the cabinet. It looks like the whole length of the bed has a large gap at the bottom. Try to seal that with closed cell foam or cardboard or wood blocks even. Then make something to lay on top of the bed gap in areas away from where you are working. The the suction should be directed up toward the cutting point. May help some.

I think you're right, Mike. As I've been pondering this problem for awhile now, I believe I've got way too much open space feeding into the dust collection trough, thus reducing the suction. I need to find a way to channel the majority of the chips and fines into the trough directly under the bed, while cutting down on the amount of open space leading to it. More suction in a smaller area. I've sorta got one idea in my head that would incorporate what you said, plus force the waste into a smaller area. I've just got to get the details worked out before I begin.

Thanks for the input. I'm wide open to suggestions on what WILL work. So far I've only come up with what doesn't work. :icon_scra Whatever I do, I want to keep the cabinet it's sitting on. I made it years ago, and it's got 100# of sand in a false bottom to absorb vibration. That part actually works pretty well. :thumbs_up

Bill

 

[Mike Davis]

Thomas Edison found about 1500 things that didn't work for light bulbs, I hope you find many less that don't work for dust collection.

 

[MarkE]

What's a lathe??? :dontknow:

 

[boxxmaker]

I have a DC system that I use when I am sanding (always) and when I am turning very dry wood,as for chips,fergit it.I just turn untill I have to start bending over to reach down a turn,then scoop it up in a trash can an then start over.:gar-Bi

 

[Ken Hensley]

I have a DC system that I use when I am sanding (always) and when I am turning very dry wood,as for chips,fergit it.I just turn untill I have to start bending over to reach down a turn,then scoop it up in a trash can an then start over.:gar-Bi

I do the same I have a small DC system I put on the tool rest for sanding and shovel up the rest.

Ken

 

[woodArtz]

I have a DC system that I use when I am sanding (always) and when I am turning very dry wood,as for chips,fergit it.I just turn untill I have to start bending over to reach down a turn,then scoop it up in a trash can an then start over.:gar-Bi

+2 :icon_thum

 

[Bill Clemmons]

Mike, this was a good thread. Thanks for starting it. Unfortunately, it sounds like the consensus of opinion is that dust collection for lathe's still has a way to go. As I mentioned earlier, I've got a couple of ideas for mine that I still need to work out in my head. Whether they work or not, I'll try to post some comments and pics. But it may be awhile; they're way down on the shop priority list. :wsmile:

Bill

 

[woodturnerdon]

I just bought a Jet DC off fellow member Dan Morales. Bought it just for the lathe (for now). Hopefully, I can get it hooked up next week and report back. I got it for dust collection only. I don't expect it to suck up shavings, they get tossed in every direction. Kind of impossible except for a vacuum attachment. I sweep them out side the shop now, and when the pile is big enough, I transfer them to the back of my property (woods, mostly) to keep the weeds down. It sure will be nice to get most of that dust out of the shop (and lungs) though. Can't wait!

Don L.

 

[flyrod444]

I have a 5" flex hose that is hooked up to a 2 1/2hp dust gorilla, mounted behind my lathe on a stand that lets me move it anywhere I need it. It catches some of the dry chips when I turn small stuff like turkey calls or crow calls. I don't think any thing will catch chips off a larger stuff like bowls. Where this hose shines is when one is sanding or drilling on the lathe. I drill holes in my crow call bodies on the lathe. Being that most of my crow calls are made of cocobolo it is very inportant that I not breath much of it or even smell the wood. I use a respirator when turning cocobolo still. When drilling the blanks I don't even where a mask since putting in the Gorilla, I can't even smell the wood when using the dust collector. It also removes all sandiing dust even on bowls. The only problem I have is that the system keeps sucking sand paper or steel wool out of my hands when I don't have a good grip on it. It has even sucked one small HF and a turkey call into the hose and into the dust barrel under the gorilla. Both made it thru the duct work with just a few small dings in them. The dust gorilla is the best thing I ever put in my shop.
Jack

 

[Rob]

My set up, I have a "Y" with gates, one going to the dust collector for when I'm sanding, one going to a pick up for vacuuming large stuff off the floor around the lathe. Works well.

 

[boxxmaker]

Jack won't run that monster he's got when his son is around,afraid it would suck em up in it.I saw that sucker and it is huge,probably would suck up a VW :gar-La;

Hey Don,just roll that little Jet next to the lathe and let er rip.I guaranty that your lungs and sinuses will thank you everytime you use it. :gar-Bi

 

[Glennbear]

I own 3 lathes and do not have any waste accumulation at any of them. Then again, I have not placed any of them in service yet. :embaresse :rotflm:

 

[Mike Davis]

Well, that's one way to keep the shop clean. Don't think it will work for me though. :nah: