Info

[Marc Moreau]

Hi boy's they told me before never use blow gun with compress air to clean milling and lathe ? I alway's use a paint brush but sometime I will like to use air where the paint brush can't go. What do you think about compress air ? dangerous or could damage machine by pushing dirt on wrong spot ? Thank you wait for your answer.

 

[DPittman]

Yup I've read that you're not supposed to use air to blow off machines also....personally I think that's being a bit silly. Yes I guess you can blow chips and dust up where they wouldn't normally fall but you can blow them out also.
I'd be surprised if the majority of machinists do not use compressed air for cleaning.

 

[kevin.decelles]

This should be good! I expect a 50/50 weigh in on this. Great question though, as you see as many you-tubes w/respectable guys doing it as not.

 

[PeterT]

I brush and/or vacuum for the most part. I do use compressed air on very specific applications, blind tapped holes & pocket milling, but I have the nozzle on a very light low psi setting. Yes, the issue with air is it can blow into machine nooks & crannies it doesn't belong. But shards can also deflect back & into your face, eyes etc.

 

[Chipper5783]

I'm with Peter on this one. I have a shop vac (2-1/2" hose) set up right where it can reach most of the machines. I made it easy so I would use it. I have air, but only use it in a very limited way on the machines. I have cleaned up several old machines - with chips deep into very difficult to access locations. I've had my lathe for over 30 years, I've made a lot of chips - and the chips are not everywhere inside. All my old machines came out of professional shops, I'm not impressed how they were cared for. I think quickly blasting the chips off is a false economy - you'll spend more time fixing the machines than you saved in the cleaning. When you are set up with a couple good brushes and a vacuum, it does not take long at all to clean 'em up. Again, credit to Peter, blasting little sharp bullets around makes the room clean up a little more difficult and really is a safety hazard.

BRUSH and VACUUM.

 

[Tom Kitta]

As with an rule there is some truth to it - you can blow chips of your machine in a way that makes them get stuck somewhere - so make sure you know where the chips will end up after you dust things. Also for a lot of dusting it may not make much sense to remove the metal from your machine onto your floor - eventually you have to clean it up & spreading it over wider area may not make sense - unless you like to clean.

I frequently blast with air fresh parts - it works great to clean freshly threaded part with air. I do not recall last time I blasted a machine itself with air - I usually just brush stuff to a side where it is easy to clean up. For a shaper stuff is already all over the place so I am not sure whatever air could even make a bigger mess.

Lathes have collection under them - so I am not sure why one would blast things - blasting a chuck is a two edged sword - you know you remove 90% of stuff but 10% will get deep and can only be removed by de-assembly. I guess it just prolongs inevitable moment when you need to clean and re-assemble.

Grinders? I guess if you do not like yourself - spread the mess even more.

Drilling? Similar to milling - but swarf is even bigger and I just do not see the value of sending it 10ft away from me - easier to pick up when its all close.

Also if operating air to blast some chips off make sure to either close your eyes or get glasses on.

 

[Chicken lights]

Pressure washing and an air gun are the two tools that while they do clean what you’re working on, tend to make more of a mess of everything around them including the operator.

 

[DPittman]

Yup, like many things air can be used excessively and in harmful ways, but I still maintain that if it is used judicially in the right places and times there is nothing wrong with it. I hate blanket statements and NEVER say never. LOL.

 

[Swharfin']

I'll chip in 2 cents worth of humble opinion for a worthy question. My thought being the only dumb question is one that doesn't have a voice.
Chips/Swarf are generally made harder than the parent metal by the machining process being used. You do not want these miniature scrapers anywhere near your cast iron gibs or surfaces where there are sliding surfaces table vices, eye lids, S of your navel etc. Me I prefer a shop vac. as a first line of defense, mounted on the mill or manually then, brush or t slot scraper vac. up the little piles, then air @10 psi. The next time you disassemble your machines for the yearly PM (hint) fabricate & install wipers on your ways. Just my view.
Thumbs up to all

 

[Dabbler]

I don't mind air when you can control where the ditritus will go. I prefer to use a vacuum and a brush.

I have been warned with dire stories about swarf getting embedded where the oil don't go, and that the machine will be ruined in minutes if you use air.

I think that there is a grain of truth in not using air around your lifelong lathe chucks and around measuring equipment. I don't chastize anyone from doing whatever they think is right in their own shop.

 

[RobinHood]

I use a combination of compressed air, vacuum and brush.

Compressed air is very useful to clean blind holes before/after threading. If I need to use compressed air around a chuck (other than for cleaning blind holes - as that is a very controlled air blast) it gets torn down for a complete cleaning after the job is finished. See maintenance recommendations from Röhm below (there is an error in the English translation: point 5.3.1 should say “.... every 500 hours....” not ”50” - they forgot the second zero in the English version).

Working with cast iron, I like to use the vacuum to suck up all the chips (even while turning, as much as possible).
I also use the vacuum when grinding.

Every machine has its designated chip brush(s) - I go through a lot of them and buy them by the dozens.