Parting Off problems solved by an old handkerchief

May 18, 2009 3 Replies

Parting Off problems?



All you need is an old hankerchief!



Ever done a successful parting off but then wondered where your carefully machined pride-and-joy widget went when it finally parted from your bar stock?



Somewhere deep down inside your lathe, perhaps, where there are countless years of swarf and congealed cutting oil accumulated during the years of stewardship of the previous owners?



Well, all you need now is a handherchief, placed between the headstock and the carriage (but carefully checked that the rotating chuck isn't gooing to whip it round) cunningly placed to catch all the swarf, but more important, to catch your little widget!


--That's why I use aluminum foil; if something snags you're not out a finger!

If the parts are hollow, it's even easier - thread a wire up the inside to catch them as they fall away.

Cliff Coggin.

Or use a slightly undersize drill in the tailstock

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