David Jenkins
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| posted on 21/4/22 at 12:25 PM |
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Lathe swarf tray - looking for ideas
I have an ancient Ztyo lathe, probably made in the late 1930's. Originally I think that it was mounted on a bench, as the swarf tray is very
flimsy. After buying it I mounted it on a steel frame - and the swarf tray just wobbles around. It's made of very thin steel sheet, is patched
in a few places, and I'm looking for a replacement.
It will need to be around 85cm x 35cm (33" x 14" ) and made of a reasonably stiff metal. Probably around 25mm deep (not critical).
I've looked at a few places, tried to be 'random' about where I look (e.g. cooking trays) but I just can't find anything suitable.
I could get some steel sheet then cut, bend and weld it, but there's not too many places near me who'll sell just a part of a sheet - I
don't want to clutter my nice newly-tidy garage with a load of leftover metal! Bending sheet steel of 1.2mm or 1.6mm would also be a
challenge.
So - can anyone suggest where I could look for a ready-made tray - something I can adapt to my needs?
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Toys2
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| posted on 21/4/22 at 12:53 PM |
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Any use ?
https://www.commercialdehydrators.co.uk/product/50-x-85cm-stainless-steel-pan-trays
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coyoteboy
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| posted on 21/4/22 at 01:44 PM |
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Submit a drawing to Fractory.com - I was surprised by how cheap it was. If you can't find a baking tray to suit.
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gremlin1234
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| posted on 21/4/22 at 01:51 PM |
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might an upside down dexion shelf work?
this shows the size, but these ones are vented
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/224933623837?hash=item345f16b81d:g:weAAAOSwhE5iVTFX
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nick205
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| posted on 22/4/22 at 10:17 AM |
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Coyoteboy's Fractory suggestion seems a good call.
Alternatively are there any local fabricators local to you who might make you something suitable?
I found one local to me when building my MK Indy who helped me with metal supply and the odd bit of welding (didn't have a welder at the time).
Often for very little money! Might be a simple thing for them knock up for you.
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 22/4/22 at 12:34 PM |
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Thanks for the inputs so far - I'll try and respond to each one:
The dehydrator tray: way over-sized in the front-to-back dimension (50cm). I have only a little space behind the lathe because of the motor drive belt
& pulleys. At a pinch, it could be cut and welded at the back as I would need a near vertical piece there anyway, to support the splash/swarf
screen I plan to fit. Also, I'm not sure it would be sturdy enough - I suspect that it's quite thin metal - I'd have to handle one to
see how rigid it would be. Not writing it off completely though, as I like the shallow sloping edges that would be perfect for the front and sides.
Dexion shelf: Not sure how rigid that would be when off the racking and unsupported. Worth investigating though, as long as they don't have too
many inconvenient holes. I don't use free-flowing cutting fluid - too messy - but the current tray often gets covered in fine swarf that seems to
get everywhere, together with oil from the plain bearings.
Fractory.com: Nice idea, although I'd have to produce a decent drawing - maybe a DXF file? I can do that, but it will mean a lot of
head-scratching!
Local fabricator: Very good idea, if I can find one. Ipswich and its surrounding area used to be quite an industrial town, but there's not many
places left nowadays*. Worth doing some research anyway, and at least I can get away with a rough pencil sketch to illustrate what I want!
I should add that I don't intend to be a cheapskate about this tray - but it would be nice to get something off the shelf that I can use with
little or no modification. 
Keep the ideas coming - I need all the help I can get!
* UPDATE: I was wrong - I found three local fabricators, one of which is the sort of place that will turn their hand to automotive, domestic and
industrial work. Time to get a drawing together!
[Edited on 22/4/22 by David Jenkins]
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gremlin1234
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| posted on 22/4/22 at 08:26 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by David Jenkins
but it would be nice to get something off the shelf that I can use with little or no modification.
The dexion, is not quite off the shelf, - its the shelf itself! -
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 22/4/22 at 08:35 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by gremlin1234
The dexion, is not quite off the shelf, - its the shelf itself! -
D'oh! 
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nick205
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| posted on 23/4/22 at 07:09 AM |
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Get busy drawing what you need and off to that fabricator. Useful friends to have.
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suzcruz
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| posted on 24/4/22 at 08:33 PM |
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My benchtop RF32 mill had 1/2 of a 44 gallon drum split in 2 pieces with the front edge at 4oclock and back at 10.
It was sealed up near the base with patch and bolted on with 40mm x 3mm angle.
It held coolant and stopped 70% of the chips hitting the floor.
No brain, no pain!
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 25/4/22 at 10:41 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by nick205
Get busy drawing what you need and off to that fabricator. Useful friends to have.
Just visited the man - he's more than happy to do it, so I'll prepare some sensible drawings (rather than the 'back of a fag
packet' sketch I showed him!) and get back to him.
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nick205
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| posted on 25/4/22 at 10:58 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by David Jenkins
quote:
Originally posted by nick205
Get busy drawing what you need and off to that fabricator. Useful friends to have.
Just visited the man - he's more than happy to do it, so I'll prepare some sensible drawings (rather than the 'back of a fag
packet' sketch I showed him!) and get back to him.
Winner!
Get drawing and let him get making - then you can get turning
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 1/5/22 at 03:57 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by nick205
Winner!
Get drawing and let him get making - then you can get turning
He now has the drawing! It's being made next week. He's also including the cost of the metal for the splash-back, once I am able to work
out the size (I need the lathe fitted to the tray first).
I am trying to fix all the things that have annoyed me over all the years I've owned this lathe (more than 20 years now). It has a proper
toothed drive belt that doesn't slip (and doesn't need to be moved to a different pulley for speed changes), a VFD and 3-phase motor that
starts and runs so smoothly, with speed control (but still with the back-gear operational), a proper electronics cabinet to hold the VFD and all its
associated buttons, and the lathe itself is now up on raising blocks so that I can clear away all the swarf that drops inside the bed - it now falls
straight through to the chip tray.
I have a speed range of 27 rpm minimum in back gear, 188 rpm in 'normal' gear, up to a max of 938 rpm at full speed (theoretical/calculated
speeds). A bit of research has shown that 1000 rpm is a good maximum for plain bearings. At all speeds the motor is running fast enough to cool
itself (min motor speed in this setup is 560 rpm). I'm glad I didn't get too big a motor (1/3HP) as I have managed to stall it when
accidentally making a too-deep cut - all that happened is everything stopped. Sensible cuts work really well - even though they're far deeper
than I used to take before modifying everything.
I'll post a few pictures once I finish everything (only the tray and back-splash to go).
[Edited on 2/5/22 by David Jenkins]
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