This was the very first cut my turf has received since been laid (1 month) th-cam.com/users/postUgkxTPN04aT-Qdjr_KS3ql7ng8wnU3wwsCqk also recommend Very happy with the product and delivery. Was cut at the highest setting, I Was able to cut upto the boundaries with ease with exception of the corners for obvious reasons. Very little loose grass left ad the box was large enough to hold everything garden size roughly 24m2. There was no assembly instructions with it, it's not difficult to put together, TH-cam the item if your unsure. Would recommend for small gardens like myn.
Like some of the other comments, I like to use a vacuum rather than compressed air. For those who have a variable frequency drive I suggest putting the vacuum hose to the vents on the drive to prevent buildup of dust in the drive. Very good tutorial. My cleaning will be better after viewing the video.
I know a couple people with Nichols lathes. From what I understand, there are very few of these lathes and they were each made specifically for the user, in your case probably Richard Black. You'll probably need to figure out detail on your own because I doubt there are manuals anywhere. You have a one-of-a-kind lathe. Enjoy! All the best to you and Happy Turning!
The title should say Don't FORGET to do these things. How about... Don't forget it is a MORSE TAPER, not a Morris Taper. 1 syllable, not 2. These experts lose me when they call a Morse taper a Morris taper. You may spell it correctly but you say it wrong. The CC knows....
Years ago a machinest asked if I ever had stripped a thread on bolt & nut or any threaded item. OF course the answer was yes. He told me the way to never strip a thread was to start the threat by turning the bolt (in this case the hand wheel) in a counter clockwise position first until you just feel the thread of the bolt (hand wheel) push back toward the bolt (in this case, the chuck) or a click sound, then begin threading (change direction). I have never cross threaded any item since. Just a friendly suggestion.
As retired aircraft engineer I am keen on maintaining my lathe. I do all that you do Kent, however, I would not blow out dust and debris in the drive belt area as that spreads the stuff everywhere at high speed including onto the other wheel, the belt and any bearings and mechanisms inside the headstock. A soft brush is much better. However blowing out the chuck is ok because the debris is blasted out and clear of the screw mechanism.
Don’t forget about the lip under the bed ways, especially if you turn a lot of wet wood. I usually use my Robust tool rest, but if using a cast iron tool rest I’ve found that, rather than using a file, I use 220 grit sandpaper on a soft sanding pad on my drill, and evenly traverse the top of the rest. It’s faster and leaves a very smooth surface, more so than a file. Thirdly, I use WD-40 on the ways and under the banjo on a regular basis as recommended by John Jordan. If living in a damp climate, a light coat of WD-40 left on the ways between uses will prevent rust. Apply with a paper towel.
As always, love the channel. I’m looking at purchasing my first lathe next week. I have a limited budget. I’m not looking for a product endorsement but rather input. Any advice from anyone will be greatly appreciated. I’ve narrowed it down to either the Jet 1221, or the Laguna 1216. Please everyone feel free to let me know your thoughts. Thank you all in advance.
Keith, I had a Jet 1221 and it is a fine machine. I'd recommend it especially for a small shop space and if you are making small to medium projects. All the best to you and Happy Turning! Kent
I've been cleaning the surfaces of my table and band saw and the bed of my lathe in much of the same fashion. I do use 4 X0000 steel wool with WD 40 to clean the surface, wipe it clear with actetone, then give it a coat of wax. Maybe a bit overkill. Only reason I use a vacuum instead of air compressor is because I'd just have to vacuum more from the floor after.
hello Kent, I'm looking to get back into wood turning and I plan on making some bowls for some family members this weekend. I want to make four bowls. I'm trying to decide what wood i should use. I have some American Beach logs on my property. that I cut down maybe three months ago. I know American beaches are very hard. I can't remember if it's easier to cut hardwood or soft I also have some smaller bowl blanks that I might try and use. can't remember what type of maybe cherry and wormwood. would you suggest anything for me to try to get it done? always a pleasure to hear from you.
I would contact the manufacturer and see if there is way to lock the headstock. There might be a particular location where you can insert a pin to lock. I can't imagine it's not lockable. If so, it might be hard making bowls on this lathe. Usually, after turning for some time, the chuck with grip the headstock very tightly. So, you will have to have a way to counter that by locking the headstock or something. Hm? Let me know what they say. All the best to you and Happy Turning!
As a retired safety engineer, one part of your video sent shivers up my back due to the unseen dangers that most folks to not realize. Using compressed air to blow off the lathe is dangerous. It puts a lot of fine particulate matter into the air that is breathed into the body. This particulate matter can remain in the air for quite some time. Also, using compressed air can blow shards of metal, wood or other materials into the eyes. These materials can ricochet off walls or other flat surfaces due to the velocity of air used and back to you. In industry, using compressed air to clean is often considered a safety violation. It would be better to use a shop vac or a small dynamic blower to remove saw dust from the lathe. The vac would would be the best option since the dynamic blower still puts particulate mater into the air. The dynamic blower uses much lower air pressures at lower velocities than compressed air. A dynamic blower that looks like a miniature leaf blower would work better. And as a side note, never use compressed air to blow dust off clothing or skin. It only takes about 7 psi of air to rupture the navel and enter the body cavity and lead to very serious injury or death by entering the intestines. Compressed air entering into a cut on the hand can cause very sharp pain in the arm all the way up to the neck or cause embolisms in the blood stream leading to potential death. This can occur even through clothing such as a shirt. For nearly 40 years of my career, I have seen thousands of accidents in industry. Many of those accidents were caused by improper use of compressed air. I suggest doing an internet search on the dangers of compressed air to educate yourself. Those dangers are real and have dire consequences. Other than this, thanks for the tips maintaining our lathes!!!
I remember doing student holiday work in a rubber works in 1961 and being warned about risk of embolisms &c and strictly instructed not to pick up process workers' bad practices in cleaning clothes a nd skin with compressed air. It really should be common knowledge by now.
Blowing dust about is inviting it to be lodged where it is not wanted. Apart from in your body, dust gets into the bearings, belts and electronics of your lathe. In addition wood dust is potentially explosive and one would need sealed light and power switches in our workshops.
Great advice Kent. I’m leaving for the weekend but when I get back, I’m going to follow your suggestions that I have overlooked. Have a very nice Christmas and New Year. Here is hoping for 30k subscribers:)
I find using a powerful vacuum for effective and safer cleaning than using compressed air. Bostik makes a very effective line of woodworking machine lubricants and protectants.
@@TurnAWoodBowl For a wood-lathe user-friendly professional vacuum set-up the industrial super quiet Tiger-Vac AS-400 MR HEPA (W+D) combined with the Oneida Dust Deputy Kit is a joy to use, so gets used more often! www.tiger-vac.com/product.aspx?itID=47 www.oneida-air.com/dust-deputy/wet-dry-vacuum-kits/dust-deputy-deluxe-cyclone-separator-kit
Maybe this is a dumb question, but on the 6” tool rest for my jet mini lathe, I thought about running it against my stationary belt sander with 120 grit to help remove a bunch of nicks. Filing is a bit slow. I feel like taking it gentle and slow would get it smoother, faster, and more even. Any thoughts? Is this a bad idea?
Good advice. I find that machine wax does an excellent job for lubricating the bedways and keeping rust at bay. Use it on my lathe, bandsaw, any place where there's a cast iron bed. Keep up the good work! BTW maintenance isn't that boring when you see something looking pristine again. We keep tools in good nick so why not machines?
One caution about silicone lubricants be careful to keep the silicone away from areas where it can get on your work (wood) where it can mess up the finish. Many finishes won’t stick if the surface is fouled with silicone.
I add a step between cleaning and the protection ... Clean - *Wipe with alcohol* - Apply wax And in the manual's trouble shooting section they pointed out the motor's fan can build up debris which will make it run hotter. It also points out dull tools make it run hotter too- go figure :) -Mike
Thanks for the video mike I'm glad I read the comments it reminded me about the hazard's of compared air the dust in the air, wood chips in eyes and air injection l like the idea of a vacuum i hope you read the comments I won't you to be safe so we can get more great videos thanks again
Great info...I always keep my lathe waxed and clean because I treasure it so much! One thing I want to work on while my shoulder heals is to clean and organize my work space because I can do that with only 1 goog arm.
Thats SWEET lathe ya got there! I’ve got one too, Robust Sweet 16.. expensive as hell but very nice. I’m guessing mine is a newer version because there’s a couple differences with the motor. But i love my lathe
We all do, me included. It's super easy to forget this stuff and just keep turning. The good side of putting cleaning off is that the lathe will look and operate some much better once you do clean it. I think you'll like the results. Happy Turning!
Thanks again Kent for the tips and insights. My lathe manual has no additional maintenance that you did not mention in this video. I would add to give your chucks a bit of TLC as well. I just recently finish a Padauk bowl and found orange dust everywhere. Had to do a deep clean of the lathe and chuck. Good guidance you provided here thanks again.
I am 0:28 seconds into the video, and already thinking, OMG! How did you know, my banjo stuck for the first time two nights ago and isn't fixing itself! I guess I better get a coffee and take notes, haha!
A lot of real good tips in this video, however, a few comments.... I prefer to use a vacuum and a paint brush to remove dust. It's a lot safer and less chance of blowing particles into bearing and other places you don't want them to be propelled into, like your eyes. Great idea using a brass brush to remove gunk from threads, but you should also clean the gunk stuck on the face where the your chuck butts up on the spindle, I noticed you had some stuff stuck right on that face on your machine. This could cause the chuck to sit off center. Probably not as critical on wood turning but very critical on metal lathes. Other than that, great video, nice lathe too, I've got an old lathe with a tubular bed way, old, but it works.
@@TurnAWoodBowl That too. I restored an old Carba-tec mini lathe. The tail stock quill required reaming out the #1 Morse taper. The locking mechanism caused a bump inside the taper.
Another is blow your motor out number one reason motors burn up and if like my lathe blow your vari speed controller cause there is a fan in it to keep it cool and it builds up fast like a computer fan
Great tips for all lathes. I use a hair dryer to blow my lathe off. I also have my air compressor turned back to appx 25% if I use a wax on my weighs I use a furniture polish & wipe it off, it's easier and lasts just as long.
Good information for things we all neglect. You touched briefly on quill maintenance and in my opinion this should be done on a regular basis too. Like you mentioned we usually wait until something is not working properly before we fix it. Also, when you were cleaning the pulley, a few shots of air on the backside of the belt is recommended as debris sticks to it too. Merry Christmas 🎄👍
Great tutorial, instead of the silicone spray and the paste-wax I use a spray "dry lube" aerosole, spray a light coat then in 10-15 seconds is totally dry makes things slide very nice without any gummy residue to catch dust & debris- Tyler
You should have noted that not only the head taper need cleaning, the one in the tail end need to be cleaned as well. Loved the video, keep them coming.
I made an Oak hand wheel for my Vintage Rockwell Lathe I just bought & refurbished. That said I was going to attach it to a 3" faceplate and thread it onto the shaft opposite of the chuck side and realized that it won't thread onto that side......I am assuming I need to get a Left Hand thread to attach to that side?
Quality, Warranty, American Made, Movable (with casters), Light fixtures option, and did I mention quality? I had worked on Powermatics, Jets, and several others and they were all in various states of apparent wear and disrepair. I didn't want to buy a cheaper lathe only to soon need to replace it. I wanted one lathe that I know will grow old with me. All the best to you and Happy Turning!
Thanks Kent. As a new turner I was looking through my manual recently about maintenance and noticed a couple vague instructions. One is to periodically (how frequently is that? treat the ways and some other areas of friction with a light coat of oil. What kind of oil should I use? Or should I be using wax instead of oil?
My Laguna manual says stay away from oil as it attracts gunk (tech term for goop) and recommends dry Teflon or paste wax. *And* machine oil and wood don't play nice together !!! -Mike
Good question. Some others have brought up using graphic dry lubricant, which makes sense as it shouldn't collect dust and debris. Experiment and see what works best.
I use automobile paste wax (simply because I already had some when the lathe appeared.) I know other people who use furniture paste wax - the old-fashioned kind in the yellow can.
I try to keep my power tools clean at least three time a year and wax the table saw top about four times a year. I just got a Wen lathe and it's still in the box because I got to clean my garage out before a new door comes in and installed. I am thinking about making a stand for rolling it around so I can do a project or two just outside the door to play with my new toy. I have been binge watching your video's for several days now. I really like your mannerism in your why of teaching. Thanks for sharing your Wisdom and Knowledge.
Vary useful information. My lathe manual doesn't go into enough detail. It is less than a year old and although I vacuum it at the end of the day here in Florida the high humidity causes rust quickly. I found that Rustoleum Rust Dissolver cleaned it off in minutes with a Scotch Bright pad. I followed it up with silicone and then the Johnsons Paste wax. Looks and works like new again. If I don't clean the undersides of the tail stock and Banjo the lock levers compress the shavings and rise back up on their own. Took me about hour to do a really thorough job. Thanks!
I use a Scotch Brite pad on my rails, and sometimes a little WD-40 if I see any rust patches anywhere on them. Then I use automotive wax. For the straight support edges of my tool rests, I use a flat mill bastard file. I'll align it with the edge as I work it to make sure I keep the edge true, without high or low spots. Thanks for this one. It reminded me I need to check my belt and pulleys, and clean it out.
TH-cam will only let me like this once, but for the record I’m watching for the second time and I like it again. Hope adding a comment helps with the algorithm.
Great tips! I just bought a used lathe, cleaning it before I get started, looks like it has some bowl finish maybe or lacquer splatter, any good ideas on how to clean that ? Appreciate your response.
Try lacquer thinner or another solvent first. If that doesn't work, try using a wiring wheel brush on a drill. Hope it cleans up for you. Happy Turning!
Kent, it's essential to keep any Morse taper male and female components clean, but not so many folks would be aware that you should NEVER put oil on them! Keep them dry. It's *probably* ok to wipe over with a little WD40 on a rag, but no oil. If they're oiled and put together under any sort of pressure, you'll have a really hard time getting them apart again! As an engineer, I would also suggest sanding a tool rest surface on a flat plate, rather than hand filing. A smooth rest with wavy highs and lows could be even worse than one with a few nicks.
@@TurnAWoodBowl I second this. I never thought to bother looking at the manual. Brand new and first lathe last year. I want to keep it in tip top condition. Thank you again
I turn a lot of green wood for bowl blanks. The shavings that come off green wood is very wet, so I never leave those shavings to accumulate on the lathe. That’s a fast way to get rust everywhere. Also, a clean shop is a safer shop.
Well done Kent, I caught a couple things I haven't done, thanks. Now on the cross threading issue, my lathe doesn't have a wheel so I just put on my chuck very carefully. Happy New Year.
Sounds good. And it sounds like you are aware of the situation. That is the whole battle. As long as you are aware that casually installing the chuck can damage the threads, you'll be fine. All the best to you and Happy Turning!
Thank you! I have had a problem moving my banjo for ages and it drives me nuts. As soon as my shoulder is healed, my first time in the workshop will be cleaning my banjo. MY HERO!
You can use a red scotch-brite pad instead of steel wool so you clean & wax the bed / banjo / tailstock at the same time. Works great on other tools as well. Also, my factory tool rest is wedge-shaped. Found a piece of 5/8" cold roll at Home Depot for like $8, cut it up, and made 4 tool rests out of it - curved, S shaped, and 2 straight. (Drill a 5/8" hole in and it not only cuts the bar in half, but also provides you a perfect surface to weld the two pieces together as it cradles the crossbar; my Delta 46-460 has a 5/8" tool post.) The round tool rests are fantastic - very smooth & difficult to ding, even being mild steel.
Thank you for this wakeup call. I have purchased 2 Woodfast lathes that have been sorely neglected and I am bringing them back to usability This video has been a great help. I have bee using a product called Slipit to lube all bare steel, seems to work well.
I have to say, you seem to be a great guy. Too many turners seem to be pretty arrogant about their craft. I appreciate you sharing your knowledge. Thank you.
Really a nice, thorough job, Kent. I’d like to add that you need to clean up somehow (air compressor, vacuum, alcohol wipes) the residue from the steel wool once you’re done. Lots of steel wool scrubbing of steel WILL generate many, many pieces of loose steel wool. If you don’t remove them, then you’ve defeated the purpose of having cleaned things off to make them smooth. Once again, Kent - I enjoyed the video. Have a great holiday season and the same goes for all you other watchers......Randy
Good, common sense tips, Kent. Lathes are precision machines and are a considerable expense to most turners. These will keep them operating up to their capacity and reduce frustration and damage. These “little things” add up to make turning more enjoyable and productive.
What do you think about Bee's Wax, instead of paste wax. I've used BW for years . I clean the surface with Denatured Alchohol. Then polish with steel wool or wet sandpaper while there's DA on it. Wipe really good. Then scribble some BW on surface. Usually to clean morse taper I'll use a shotgun rope with some cleaner on it. I file or sandpaper the tool rest, make it nice and smooth. I guess I mirror most of your method just use different tools . ....great info....thanks
@@TurnAWoodBowl I'll have to try the paste wax , it may be better. I learned from an old, really old machinist. He got me off using oil of any kind. So, I use BW on my drill press, jointer,table saw I also use it as a polish sometimes mixed with mineral oil. Well anyway. Happy turning to you , sir
Kent, Really? Rust on the bed rails of your Robust lathe?🙄 They are stainless steel, remember? 🤔 Just one of the many advantages of buying a Robust lathe.👍Cheers, Tom
@@TurnAWoodBowl I guess I’m biased. When I was looking to upgrade to a larger lathe I checked out all the major make available to me and at the time the one that had the features I was interested in and offered the additional advantages of SS bed-ways, 7 year complete warranty and made in the USA, well it was only Robust. I couldn’t be happier. It was an informative video (in spite of the rust removal for SS bed rails 😉), keep the videos coming. Thanks again. Cheers, Tom
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This was the very first cut my turf has received since been laid (1 month) th-cam.com/users/postUgkxTPN04aT-Qdjr_KS3ql7ng8wnU3wwsCqk also recommend Very happy with the product and delivery. Was cut at the highest setting, I Was able to cut upto the boundaries with ease with exception of the corners for obvious reasons. Very little loose grass left ad the box was large enough to hold everything garden size roughly 24m2. There was no assembly instructions with it, it's not difficult to put together, TH-cam the item if your unsure. Would recommend for small gardens like myn.
Like some of the other comments, I like to use a vacuum rather than compressed air. For those who have a variable frequency drive I suggest putting the vacuum hose to the vents on the drive to prevent buildup of dust in the drive. Very good tutorial. My cleaning will be better after viewing the video.
Good tips. Thank you and Happy Turning!
I have a lather made by John Nichols. It was made fore Richard Black. I do not have a users manual for it. Do these names mean anything to you?
I know a couple people with Nichols lathes. From what I understand, there are very few of these lathes and they were each made specifically for the user, in your case probably Richard Black. You'll probably need to figure out detail on your own because I doubt there are manuals anywhere. You have a one-of-a-kind lathe. Enjoy!
All the best to you and Happy Turning!
i would suggest always wearing goggles when using compressed air to clean equipment or any area in a shop where there are wood or metal shavings.
Good point, thanks!
My lathe is a Sweet 16. Your video sent me out to my shop to do some neglected maintenance. Thanks.
Is there a good inexpensive air compressor you would recommend?
Tip #7... DO NOT BLOW SHAVINGS ETC. OFF OF ANY EQUIPMENT WITHOUT UTILIZING PROPER EYE PROTECTION!!
Roger that!
The title should say Don't FORGET to do these things.
How about... Don't forget it is a MORSE TAPER, not a Morris Taper. 1 syllable, not 2. These experts lose me when they call a Morse taper a Morris taper. You may spell it correctly but you say it wrong. The CC knows....
Roger that!
Years ago a machinest asked if I ever had stripped a thread on bolt & nut or any threaded item. OF course the answer was yes. He told me the way to never strip a thread was to start the threat by turning the bolt (in this case the hand wheel) in a counter clockwise position first until you just feel the thread of the bolt (hand wheel) push back toward the bolt (in this case, the chuck) or a click sound, then begin threading (change direction). I have never cross threaded any item since. Just a friendly suggestion.
Ohhh, interesting. Thank you for writing and sharing! Happy Turning!
If I had your lathe I’d be rolling it out in the driveway every Saturday and detailing it 😂
Chris, LOL, want to come over? It could use some detailing. ;)
I would like to maintain my Harbor freight lathe with gasoline and a match
LOL. Oops! That is quite a visual.
As retired aircraft engineer I am keen on maintaining my lathe. I do all that you do Kent, however, I would not blow out dust and debris in the drive belt area as that spreads the stuff everywhere at high speed including onto the other wheel, the belt and any bearings and mechanisms inside the headstock. A soft brush is much better. However blowing out the chuck is ok because the debris is blasted out and clear of the screw mechanism.
OK, good to know. I'll do what you're recommending next time. Thanks and Happy Turning!
Vacuuming that area with a small nozzle might be a better idea than blowing it
Tanks for the video Kent. Some fine scotch-brite with a little WD-40 works well for the ways (rails) also.
Thank you for writing and sharing! Happy Turning!
Don’t forget about the lip under the bed ways, especially if you turn a lot of wet wood. I usually use my Robust tool rest, but if using a cast iron tool rest I’ve found that, rather than using a file, I use 220 grit sandpaper on a soft sanding pad on my drill, and evenly traverse the top of the rest. It’s faster and leaves a very smooth surface, more so than a file. Thirdly, I use WD-40 on the ways and under the banjo on a regular basis as recommended by John Jordan. If living in a damp climate, a light coat of WD-40 left on the ways between uses will prevent rust. Apply with a paper towel.
Good points. Thanks for sharing. Happy Turning!
As always, love the channel. I’m looking at purchasing my first lathe next week. I have a limited budget. I’m not looking for a product endorsement but rather input. Any advice from anyone will be greatly appreciated. I’ve narrowed it down to either the Jet 1221, or the Laguna 1216. Please everyone feel free to let me know your thoughts. Thank you all in advance.
Keith, I had a Jet 1221 and it is a fine machine. I'd recommend it especially for a small shop space and if you are making small to medium projects. All the best to you and Happy Turning! Kent
I've been cleaning the surfaces of my table and band saw and the bed of my lathe in much of the same fashion. I do use 4 X0000 steel wool with WD 40 to clean the surface, wipe it clear with actetone, then give it a coat of wax. Maybe a bit overkill. Only reason I use a vacuum instead of air compressor is because I'd just have to vacuum more from the floor after.
That sounds like a good work habit. Thank you for writing and sharing! Happy Turning!
hello Kent, I'm looking to get back into wood turning and I plan on making some bowls for some family members this weekend.
I want to make four bowls.
I'm trying to decide what wood i should use.
I have some American Beach logs on my property. that I cut down maybe three months ago.
I know American beaches are very hard.
I can't remember if it's easier to cut hardwood or soft
I also have some smaller bowl blanks that I might try and use. can't remember what type of maybe cherry and wormwood.
would you suggest anything for me to try to get it done?
always a pleasure to hear from you.
They will all cut fine with sharp bowl gouges. see www.TurnAWoodBowl.com/sharp All the best to you and Happy Turning!
I always click the like before watching the video because I have yet to see you make a bad video.
Thanks a ton, Jeff! Happy Turning!
So I have a lathe brand. Mc-900 or wl-900p from carbatec here in Australia. It doesn't lock or have a hand wheel. What can I do ?
I would contact the manufacturer and see if there is way to lock the headstock. There might be a particular location where you can insert a pin to lock. I can't imagine it's not lockable. If so, it might be hard making bowls on this lathe. Usually, after turning for some time, the chuck with grip the headstock very tightly. So, you will have to have a way to counter that by locking the headstock or something. Hm? Let me know what they say. All the best to you and Happy Turning!
Boring, but important. I've only had my lathe for thirty years. When do you think it is appropriate for an initial maintenance session? 😁
Perhaps. Ha!
As a retired safety engineer, one part of your video sent shivers up my back due to the unseen dangers that most folks to not realize. Using compressed air to blow off the lathe is dangerous. It puts a lot of fine particulate matter into the air that is breathed into the body. This particulate matter can remain in the air for quite some time.
Also, using compressed air can blow shards of metal, wood or other materials into the eyes. These materials can ricochet off walls or other flat surfaces due to the velocity of air used and back to you.
In industry, using compressed air to clean is often considered a safety violation. It would be better to use a shop vac or a small dynamic blower to remove saw dust from the lathe. The vac would would be the best option since the dynamic blower still puts particulate mater into the air. The dynamic blower uses much lower air pressures at lower velocities than compressed air. A dynamic blower that looks like a miniature leaf blower would work better.
And as a side note, never use compressed air to blow dust off clothing or skin. It only takes about 7 psi of air to rupture the navel and enter the body cavity and lead to very serious injury or death by entering the intestines. Compressed air entering into a cut on the hand can cause very sharp pain in the arm all the way up to the neck or cause embolisms in the blood stream leading to potential death. This can occur even through clothing such as a shirt.
For nearly 40 years of my career, I have seen thousands of accidents in industry. Many of those accidents were caused by improper use of compressed air. I suggest doing an internet search on the dangers of compressed air to educate yourself. Those dangers are real and have dire consequences.
Other than this, thanks for the tips maintaining our lathes!!!
I remember doing student holiday work in a rubber works in 1961 and being warned about risk of embolisms &c and strictly instructed not to pick up process workers' bad practices in cleaning clothes a nd skin with compressed air. It really should be common knowledge by now.
@@bernardfutter5327 Regrettably wishful thinking. But yes it should be
@J Armstrong Great advice and warning
Roger that! Vacuum over compressed air. Got it. Thanks.
I will now have nightmares about ruptured navels forever. 🤨
Blowing dust about is inviting it to be lodged where it is not wanted. Apart from in your body, dust gets into the bearings, belts and electronics of your lathe. In addition wood dust is potentially explosive and one would need sealed light and power switches in our workshops.
Great advice Kent. I’m leaving for the weekend but when I get back, I’m going to follow your suggestions that I have overlooked. Have a very nice Christmas and New Year. Here is hoping for 30k subscribers:)
Sounds good. Thank you so much and Happy Turning!
I thought as much as a Robust cost, it had an automatic cleaning cycle, lol. I use 10w40 and then pam on my ways (rails). Good job buddy. Larry
You're right, it should! I'm going to contact them about that. LOL Thanks and Happy Turning!
I find a vacuum cleaner much better than compressed air. The vacuum cleaner does not cause the fine dust to become air born.
That's a great solution Jack. Thanks for sharing.
Great job I know I should do better now I have no excuse
Right on! Happy Turning!
0000 Wire wool for everything and WD40 works a treat ,no fancy products to be bought
That can work too.
Have you ever tried spray silicone lube?
I find using a powerful vacuum for effective and safer cleaning than using compressed air. Bostik makes a very effective line of woodworking machine lubricants and protectants.
Ditto on the vacuum vs compressed air.
I think I'll be vacuuming more. ;)
@@TurnAWoodBowl For a wood-lathe user-friendly professional vacuum set-up the industrial super quiet Tiger-Vac AS-400 MR HEPA (W+D) combined with the Oneida Dust Deputy Kit is a joy to use, so gets used more often! www.tiger-vac.com/product.aspx?itID=47
www.oneida-air.com/dust-deputy/wet-dry-vacuum-kits/dust-deputy-deluxe-cyclone-separator-kit
I already play banjo, now I have to clean it too? I know.
Yup! LOL! ;) Happy Turning!
Maybe this is a dumb question, but on the 6” tool rest for my jet mini lathe, I thought about running it against my stationary belt sander with 120 grit to help remove a bunch of nicks. Filing is a bit slow. I feel like taking it gentle and slow would get it smoother, faster, and more even. Any thoughts? Is this a bad idea?
That can work, just be careful not to reshape it too much. Happy Turning!
Good advice. I find that machine wax does an excellent job for lubricating the bedways and keeping rust at bay. Use it on my lathe, bandsaw, any place where there's a cast iron bed. Keep up the good work! BTW maintenance isn't that boring when you see something looking pristine again. We keep tools in good nick so why not machines?
Thanks for the info and the perspective! All the best to you and Happy Turning!
Informative, as always!
Thanks again! Happy Turning!
One caution about silicone lubricants be careful to keep the silicone away from areas where it can get on your work (wood) where it can mess up the finish. Many finishes won’t stick if the surface is fouled with silicone.
That makes sense. Thanks for sharing!
I add a step between cleaning and the protection ... Clean - *Wipe with alcohol* - Apply wax
And in the manual's trouble shooting section they pointed out the motor's fan can build up debris which will make it run hotter. It also points out dull tools make it run hotter too- go figure :)
-Mike
Nice tips. I think dull tools also make tempers run hot as well. Maybe it should say that too. LOL All the best to you and Happy Turning!
@@TurnAWoodBowl 😁
Thanks for the video mike I'm glad I read the comments it reminded me about the hazard's of compared air the dust in the air, wood chips in eyes and air injection l like the idea of a vacuum i hope you read the comments I won't you to be safe so we can get more great videos thanks again
Should you wax your tool rest?
Yes can wax the top edge if it's not allowing the tool to slide well. But be careful it doesn't get too slippery. Happy Turning!
Bought my Jet used. Replaced all the bearings and lubricated/ cleaned it. Works like a champ. Hard to work through others abuse though.
Very timely! I was just thinking that I needed to do some maintenance and as a new turner I wasn’t sure what I needed. Thanks!
Glad I could help! Happy Turning!
Great info...I always keep my lathe waxed and clean because I treasure it so much! One thing I want to work on while my shoulder heals is to clean and organize my work space because I can do that with only 1 goog arm.
That's a great idea! I hope you heal soon. Happy Turning!
I know this is belated, but the metal file with handle is no longer available. Any alternative recommendations? Thank you Kent!
Great Information, I have been using Johnson paste wax on all my tools for years , No rust and they slide effortlessly. Keep up the good work.
Me too 👍🏻
Right on! Happy Turning!
Turning cut oak that"s not very dry will quickly cause rust on tools. And it happens fast, after only an hour or two rust will begin forming.
Thats SWEET lathe ya got there! I’ve got one too, Robust Sweet 16.. expensive as hell but very nice. I’m guessing mine is a newer version because there’s a couple differences with the motor. But i love my lathe
Right on, yes, there's a newer version. Enjoy and Happy Turning!
I kinda needed this kick in the ass. Thank you for all your videos.
We all do, me included. It's super easy to forget this stuff and just keep turning. The good side of putting cleaning off is that the lathe will look and operate some much better once you do clean it. I think you'll like the results. Happy Turning!
Thanks again Kent for the tips and insights. My lathe manual has no additional maintenance that you did not mention in this video. I would add to give your chucks a bit of TLC as well. I just recently finish a Padauk bowl and found orange dust everywhere. Had to do a deep clean of the lathe and chuck. Good guidance you provided here thanks again.
Thanks for sharing Scott! GREAT POINT! All the best to you and Happy Turning!
Morse Taper as in Samuel F B. Not Morris Taper. Yeah my name is Morris. LOL
I am 0:28 seconds into the video, and already thinking, OMG! How did you know, my banjo stuck for the first time two nights ago and isn't fixing itself!
I guess I better get a coffee and take notes, haha!
LOL. Oh no, you didn't order the self-cleaning banjo with your lathe? ;) Happy Turning!
I’m really glad I found your site.
Thank you!!!
A lot of real good tips in this video, however, a few comments.... I prefer to use a vacuum and a paint brush to remove dust. It's a lot safer and less chance of blowing particles into bearing and other places you don't want them to be propelled into, like your eyes. Great idea using a brass brush to remove gunk from threads, but you should also clean the gunk stuck on the face where the your chuck butts up on the spindle, I noticed you had some stuff stuck right on that face on your machine. This could cause the chuck to sit off center. Probably not as critical on wood turning but very critical on metal lathes. Other than that, great video, nice lathe too, I've got an old lathe with a tubular bed way, old, but it works.
Great points. Thanks for sharing. Happy Turning!
Build my own lathe,forgot to write the manual
Just a note on pronunciation. The taper is Morse (like the code), not Morris.
You mean like your last name? Got it, thanks. Happy Turning!
@@TurnAWoodBowl That too. I restored an old Carba-tec mini lathe. The tail stock quill required reaming out the #1 Morse taper. The locking mechanism caused a bump inside the taper.
Thank you. I was puzzled. Thought I had been saying it wrong. Oh, well, ‘A rose by any other name would smell as sweet...’.
Another is blow your motor out number one reason motors burn up and if like my lathe blow your vari speed controller cause there is a fan in it to keep it cool and it builds up fast like a computer fan
Good tip! Thanks and Happy Turning!
What about morris taper in the tailstock?
Great tips for all lathes. I use a hair dryer to blow my lathe off. I also have my air compressor turned back to appx 25% if I use a wax on my weighs I use a furniture polish & wipe it off, it's easier and lasts just as long.
Thanks for sharing Happy Turning!
If you do windows, I'll marry you.
Thank you fo a great tutorial, Kent! I'll be giving my lathe some TLC over the holidays. Merry Christmas and more power to your channel!
Excellent! I think we all need some TLC over the holidays. ;) Merry Christmas and Happy Turning!
Then there is DON'T used compressed air to clean debris near or at spindle bearings.
Great advice!
Glad it was helpful!
Good information for things we all neglect. You touched briefly on quill maintenance and in my opinion this should be done on a regular basis too. Like you mentioned we usually wait until something is not working properly before we fix it. Also, when you were cleaning the pulley, a few shots of air on the backside of the belt is recommended as debris sticks to it too. Merry Christmas 🎄👍
Good point. Thanks and Happy Turning!
Great tutorial, instead of the silicone spray and the paste-wax I use a spray "dry lube" aerosole, spray a light coat then in 10-15 seconds is totally dry makes things slide very nice without any gummy residue to catch dust & debris- Tyler
I might have to try that. Thank you, Tyler
You should have noted that not only the head taper need cleaning, the one in the tail end need to be cleaned as well. Loved the video, keep them coming.
Thanks. It would probably work well, but I don't care for uni-taskers. ;) Happy Turning!
Please send to me a list of the products you used. Although you mentioned a “list down below...” I can never find the list. Thanks. Vernon
Here you go.
______________________________
EQUIPMENT USED
• Sandflex Sanding Block - amzn.to/2VD73lj
• Topsaver Rust Remover and Lubricant - amzn.to/2VyXnbL
• Bostik Top-Cote Rust Prevention/Sealant - amzn.to/36BpeON
• Morse Taper Cleaner Tool - amzn.to/3mEYORG
• Brass Wire Brushes - amzn.to/3mCZGpU
• Spray Tool Cleaner - amzn.to/2JnLVxj
• Paste Wax - amzn.to/2I5275G
• Small Headstock Thread Repair File - amzn.to/37wlv4f
• Metal File with Handle - amzn.to/33zZYqj
• Robust 12" Tool Rest - amzn.to/2JLx0fO
• Robust 12" Curved Tool Rest - amzn.to/3g59mHn
______________________________
I made an Oak hand wheel for my Vintage Rockwell Lathe I just bought & refurbished. That said I was going to attach it to a 3" faceplate and thread it onto the shaft opposite of the chuck side and realized that it won't thread onto that side......I am assuming I need to get a Left Hand thread to attach to that side?
Hm? I don't know the specifics of your lathe, but it sounds like you're asking the right questions. All the best to you and Happy Turning!
When you chose the Sweet 16. How did you make that expensive decision. There are many lathes that are less expensive.
Quality, Warranty, American Made, Movable (with casters), Light fixtures option, and did I mention quality? I had worked on Powermatics, Jets, and several others and they were all in various states of apparent wear and disrepair. I didn't want to buy a cheaper lathe only to soon need to replace it. I wanted one lathe that I know will grow old with me. All the best to you and Happy Turning!
Thanks Kent. As a new turner I was looking through my manual recently about maintenance and noticed a couple vague instructions. One is to periodically (how frequently is that? treat the ways and some other areas of friction with a light coat of oil. What kind of oil should I use? Or should I be using wax instead of oil?
My Laguna manual says stay away from oil as it attracts gunk (tech term for goop) and recommends dry Teflon or paste wax.
*And* machine oil and wood don't play nice together !!! -Mike
Good question. Some others have brought up using graphic dry lubricant, which makes sense as it shouldn't collect dust and debris. Experiment and see what works best.
I use automobile paste wax (simply because I already had some when the lathe appeared.) I know other people who use furniture paste wax - the old-fashioned kind in the yellow can.
Kent, watching you scrub the iron surfaces with the steel wool made my mind bring forth the odor of fine steel dust. Memories ....
I try to keep my power tools clean at least three time a year and wax the table saw top about four times a year.
I just got a Wen lathe and it's still in the box because I got to clean my garage out before a new door comes in and installed. I am thinking about making a stand for rolling it around so I can do a project or two just outside the door to play with my new toy.
I have been binge watching your video's for several days now. I really like your mannerism in your why of teaching.
Thanks for sharing your Wisdom and Knowledge.
Thank you, David! Yes, a clean space is the best. All the best to you and Happy Turning!
Good advise, thanks.
Vary useful information. My lathe manual doesn't go into enough detail. It is less than a year old and although I vacuum it at the end of the day here in Florida the high humidity causes rust quickly. I found that Rustoleum Rust Dissolver cleaned it off in minutes with a Scotch Bright pad. I followed it up with silicone and then the Johnsons Paste wax. Looks and works like new again. If I don't clean the undersides of the tail stock and Banjo the lock levers compress the shavings and rise back up on their own. Took me about hour to do a really thorough job. Thanks!
You're welcome. Thanks for sharing your tips too! Happy Turning!
Thanks
Welcome
Skip F
San Diego, CA
Wood Bowl Turning course
Thank you for entering! Happy Turning!
I use a Scotch Brite pad on my rails, and sometimes a little WD-40 if I see any rust patches anywhere on them. Then I use automotive wax. For the straight support edges of my tool rests, I use a flat mill bastard file. I'll align it with the edge as I work it to make sure I keep the edge true, without high or low spots. Thanks for this one. It reminded me I need to check my belt and pulleys, and clean it out.
Thank you for writing and sharing! Great tips! Happy Turning!
TH-cam will only let me like this once, but for the record I’m watching for the second time and I like it again. Hope adding a comment helps with the algorithm.
LOL, thanks Lois! Yes, you SHOULD be able to vote many times. Like an election. ;) Happy Turning!
(sorry , Typo) ... your Booster injection is useful and welcomed, Thanks for your pleasant council videos. (sorry for my bad English)
No worries! Thanks! Happy Turning!
Great tips! I just bought a used lathe, cleaning it before I get started, looks like it has some bowl finish maybe or lacquer splatter, any good ideas on how to clean that ? Appreciate your response.
Try lacquer thinner or another solvent first. If that doesn't work, try using a wiring wheel brush on a drill. Hope it cleans up for you. Happy Turning!
Kent, it's essential to keep any Morse taper male and female components clean, but not so many folks would be aware that you should NEVER put oil on them! Keep them dry.
It's *probably* ok to wipe over with a little WD40 on a rag, but no oil. If they're oiled and put together under any sort of pressure, you'll have a really hard time getting them apart again!
As an engineer, I would also suggest sanding a tool rest surface on a flat plate, rather than hand filing. A smooth rest with wavy highs and lows could be even worse than one with a few nicks.
Excellent points! Thank you so much for sharing!!! Happy Turning!
great tips :) you inspired me to go and clean and wax up my lathe bed :D
That is awesome! Your lathe thanks me too. ;) Enjoy and Happy Turning!
@@TurnAWoodBowl I second this. I never thought to bother looking at the manual. Brand new and first lathe last year. I want to keep it in tip top condition. Thank you again
My lathe never came with a manual, cause I made it. Lol
Also you should vacuum out any debris over using compressed air. Same idea for a computer, don't force the debris in deeper, suck it out.
Sounds good, thanks. You can write your own manual. ;)
I turn a lot of green wood for bowl blanks. The shavings that come off green wood is very wet, so I never leave those shavings to accumulate on the lathe. That’s a fast way to get rust everywhere. Also, a clean shop is a safer shop.
Yes, I agree. I'm a bit spoiled with the Sweet 16 stainless steel rails. Happy Turning!
Well done Kent, I caught a couple things I haven't done, thanks. Now on the cross threading issue, my lathe doesn't have a wheel so I just put on my chuck very carefully. Happy New Year.
Sounds good. And it sounds like you are aware of the situation. That is the whole battle. As long as you are aware that casually installing the chuck can damage the threads, you'll be fine. All the best to you and Happy Turning!
Thank you! I have had a problem moving my banjo for ages and it drives me nuts. As soon as my shoulder is healed, my first time in the workshop will be cleaning my banjo. MY HERO!
Wonderful! Yeah, it's really the simple stuff that makes life better. ;) Happy Turning!
I always read the manual. RTM. I do maintenance on all my wood working machines.
Right on, that's the way to do it.
Jason M. Crown City, Ohio. I would be interested in winning the bowl or course on from tree to bowl.
Thank you for entering! Happy Turning!
Kent - the specificity of your instruction is incredibly helpful. Thanks so much.
You are so welcome Joseph! Happy Turning!
You can use a red scotch-brite pad instead of steel wool so you clean & wax the bed / banjo / tailstock at the same time. Works great on other tools as well.
Also, my factory tool rest is wedge-shaped. Found a piece of 5/8" cold roll at Home Depot for like $8, cut it up, and made 4 tool rests out of it - curved, S shaped, and 2 straight. (Drill a 5/8" hole in and it not only cuts the bar in half, but also provides you a perfect surface to weld the two pieces together as it cradles the crossbar; my Delta 46-460 has a 5/8" tool post.) The round tool rests are fantastic - very smooth & difficult to ding, even being mild steel.
Thanks for sharing and Happy Turning!
Thank you for this wakeup call. I have purchased 2 Woodfast lathes that have been sorely neglected and I am bringing them back to usability This video has been a great help. I have bee using a product called Slipit to lube all bare steel, seems to work well.
Glad to help. Thanks for the suggestion, I'll check that out. Happy Turning!
You should clean your tapers with a proper taper cleaner and or 12 gage bore scrub works very well too. Happy turning.
Thanks for the tip!
Jerry B
Brantford Canada
Tool sharpening
Thank you for entering! Happy Turning!
Great advice for us beginners. Thanks. What about the lathe being level? Is this important?
Yes, absolutely. That's in the manual. ;) Happy Turning!
I have to say, you seem to be a great guy. Too many turners seem to be pretty arrogant about their craft.
I appreciate you sharing your knowledge. Thank you.
Thank you kindly. I just love sharing this stuff. ;) Happy Turning!
Really a nice, thorough job, Kent. I’d like to add that you need to clean up somehow (air compressor, vacuum, alcohol wipes) the residue from the steel wool once you’re done. Lots of steel wool scrubbing of steel WILL generate many, many pieces of loose steel wool. If you don’t remove them, then you’ve defeated the purpose of having cleaned things off to make them smooth. Once again, Kent - I enjoyed the video. Have a great holiday season and the same goes for all you other watchers......Randy
Thank you and good point. Happy Turning!
I use a block of beeswax on my rales every few months keeps the rust off plus makes the ways slick
Sounds like a good practice. Thanks for sharing and Happy Turning!
Exelant
Thank you, Bahram! Happy Turning!
Very helpful and informative! Thanks!
Glad it was helpful! Happy Turning!
Yeah I will be doing that today, I was turning sycamore which was a little too wet and left some wet saw dust
Yes, it's always good to clean up after those wet bowl blanks. Happy Turning!
Curtis C, Trafford, AL, froFrom tree to Bowl
Thanks for entering! Happy Turning!
Good, common sense tips, Kent. Lathes are precision machines and are a considerable expense to most turners. These will keep them operating up to their capacity and reduce frustration and damage. These “little things” add up to make turning more enjoyable and productive.
Very true! Thanks for sharing. Happy Turning!
I have a cast iron tool rest that had some small nicks and gouges in it. I used my slow speed grinder to smooth out the tool rest.
Sounds good and the grinder platform probably helps keep it nice and straight, I'm guessing. Thanks for sharing and Happy Turning!
Hi Kent
Thank you for all the great shop tips on lathe maintenance, and I will do a complete maintenance job. Please keep the videos coming.
You bet and thank you! Happy Turning!
Tom,C,Edinburg,VA,BOWL
Thank you for entering! Happy Turning!
What do you think about Bee's Wax, instead of paste wax. I've used BW for years .
I clean the surface with Denatured Alchohol. Then polish with steel wool or wet sandpaper while there's DA on it. Wipe really good. Then scribble some BW on surface. Usually to clean morse taper I'll use a shotgun rope with some cleaner on it. I file or sandpaper the tool rest, make it nice and smooth. I guess I mirror most of your method just use different tools .
....great info....thanks
Thanks for sharing. If BW works for you then great. I'll have to try that some time. Thanks. Happy Turning!
@@TurnAWoodBowl
I'll have to try the paste wax , it may be better.
I learned from an old, really old machinist. He got me off using oil of any kind.
So, I use BW on my drill press, jointer,table saw I also use it as a polish sometimes mixed with mineral oil.
Well anyway.
Happy turning to you , sir
Dave P. Tweed, Ontario Canada - bowl
Thanks for entering! Happy Turning!
What do you do with all of the shavings that are created?
Compost and yard filler.
Kent, Really? Rust on the bed rails of your Robust lathe?🙄 They are stainless steel, remember? 🤔 Just one of the many advantages of buying a Robust lathe.👍Cheers, Tom
LOL, of course I'm aware. How ever I'm helping everyone maintain their lathe. Not everyone has a robust. Thanks and Happy Turning!
@@TurnAWoodBowl I guess I’m biased. When I was looking to upgrade to a larger lathe I checked out all the major make available to me and at the time the one that had the features I was interested in and offered the additional advantages of SS bed-ways, 7 year complete warranty and made in the USA, well it was only Robust. I couldn’t be happier. It was an informative video (in spite of the rust removal for SS bed rails 😉), keep the videos coming. Thanks again. Cheers, Tom
This is a most helpful video. Thank you.
Glad it was helpful Gerry! Happy Turning!