Project #4 from Trip - Lathe coolant guard

So I found a great coolant/lubricant for working stainless, SynKool. Water soluable, sump compatible, but I'm using it in a squirt bottle. Problem is, when you get within 2-3 inches from the chuck, it starts slinging it 3' out at low speed. A guard is in order, a curved one would be nice, but I want something easy to assemble, easily replaceable lexan panels, etc.

Octagon!

I'm using 3/4" angle I had laying around. After some measuring, I came to 14" diameter (is a 12" lathe) Still deciding on the width. Each side will be welded, the panels attached with two screws per side per panel.

So far, pieces cut and mill scale removed. I'll be blasting them once they're welded.

Left side

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-O...1065D01EF7.JPG

Right side

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--...4ADCBAF329.JPG

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-f...09D19BDAE6.JPG

Sunday it'll get welded up and I'll figure out how to mount it to the lathe

Looks like some clean work so far! Keep posting pics!

Are you going to have a hinge to rotate the guard or flip up/ over the chuck?

It may be nice to have it movable using a wing nuts or something to clamp it on the lathe so you can move it around. I had something machined the other day at work and the guard the lathe the machinist was using only protects the vicinity around the chuck, this would not be helpful if you were machining the end of a tube.

Not done yet, but I got a couple hours of welding and grinding in today.

Got them welded up, started cleaning them up past the welds

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-H...CD3346ABDE.JPG

Held up to see fitment

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-v...A4860BFA9B.JPG

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-J...31A0A1B32F.JPG

Welded on some square tube to space and reinforce the front and provide a location to attach a mount in the rear

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-L...08355FC684.JPG

I'm still trying to decide the best way to mount it, it should be easily removable for times when I'm not using the flood coolant. I'm thinking about a 3/4 square that slides into a 1" square and have that rigidly mounted. Should come either tomorrow or next week.

yes, it occurred to me after burning/grinding/burning/grinding that I forgot to drill the holes to mount the lexan. I still need to sharpen a drill to drill the lexan properly, I'm thinking about drilling and tapping the frame rather than drilling through and using a screw and nut.

Hi Trip59
Great idea to cover lubricant sling but I would add another section of Lexan to cover the hand wheel from the dripping lubricant.
Have fun
Tom

Tom, great idea, and I'll definitely look at it closer. The width and extension laterally from the face of the chuck mean that the handwheel is probably not going to wind up under it all the way. After reading your post and seeing your drawing, I think what I may do instead is put one that slants from right to left to direct the runoff like a gutter, towards the headstock. That would preserve the clearance needed for the compound and toolpost and direct it from the handwheel.