Guy on a forum told me to stop using air blast on my lathe chips

A machinist on Practical Machinist said I was ruining my ways by blowing chips off with air instead of brushing them, and I laughed it off for about 6 months. Then last week I noticed my cross slide had play and found a groove worn into the way from fine chips getting under the carriage. Has anyone else seen real damage from using air blast long term?

2 comments

2 Comments

jade_hernandez1mo ago

Yeah, that "brush instead of blast" advice sounds like something I wish I'd listened to sooner. I had a buddy who ran a job shop and he blew chips off his Hardinge with air for like two years straight... ended up with a .003" dip under the saddle on the front way. It's one of those things you don't see coming (but once you do, you can't unsee it). The fine dust just sneaks in there and grinds away slow, especially if you're doing a lot of cast iron or abrasive materials.

fisher.mason1mo ago

Wait, are you sure the brush is always better though? I've seen plenty of older Hardinge lathes that had way damage just from normal manual use over decades, not compressed air. @jade_hernandez, wasn't that dip more likely from dirty coolant recirculating or just plain swarf getting trapped than the air itself? My experience has been that a quick blast from a safe distance to move loose chips is fine as long as you aren't blasting straight into the ways or gaps.