This is an important step for achieving the conditions required to yield high-quality cuts.įor the exact oiling procedure, look up the manufacturer’s instructions in the machine’s user manual. Make sure that it’s the first thing you do when starting your shift and the last step you perform after cleaning up at the end of your shift. Make oiling as routine as powering the motor on and off. Despite this fact, this step is often overlooked. Lubricating the ways, the bearings and the feed screws is important for keeping your lathe machine running smoothly. Consider cleaning the spindle sockets using a soft cotton cloth when changing tools. It is also important to inspect the spindle tapers. Detach the jaws and clean the chucks regularly. The chucks will be damaged if the chips aren’t removed. The fine metal chips may also end up in the lathe chucks. Replace the way wipes as soon as they wear out. When working with cast iron, it helps to clean the dust off the ways. Dust also tends to cling to the machine’s lubrication. Use precaution when working with dusty material like plastic, cast iron or wood. Not only is this dangerous for your personal safety, but you also end up forcing the chips deeper into the bearings of the machine. Some people use a compressed air hose for blowing the chips away.

It also keeps the fine chips from scouring the surface of the lathe ways. Clean metal chipsĪs you progress with your workpiece, clean away the metal chips. When the machine is running, its vibration may knock them off the shelf and onto the lathe. Or use a shelf below the lathe for this purpose.ĭon’t keep the tools on a shelf above the machine. Keep tools off the lathe waysĭo not use the ways as a shelf for tools. If the chuck accidentally slips out of the hand, the lathe board keeps it from falling on the machine ways. To avoid accidental damage, make sure that you use a lathe board when changing the chucks or loading heavy workpieces. If the ways endure any damage to the surface, it prevents the carriage from seating properly. This is especially true for the ‘ways’ of the metal lathe. The first step in preventing machine parts damage is to operate the machine safely and in a clean work environment. Maintain a safe and clean work environment Machine tool maintenance should be incorporated into your schedule in a manner that combines routine machine adjustments with proper working habits on a daily basis. Machine tool maintenance requires a lot more attention than that. It’s improper to think of it in terms of say a 1000km oil change or a 10,000km tuneup. When it comes to machine tool maintenance, it is important to implement the right conditions for achieving high-quality cuts.

Cleaning atlas lathe parts