wood chips under my DVR bed

[ebrannon]

I recently added a used Nova DVR XP to my shop and am pleased with its performance. I built my own bench, but one issue is wood chips collecting between the rails. Takes a fair amount of effort to continually vacuum them out at the end of a turning session (I usually work with green wood, so I am concerned about moisture).

One suggestion was to use hardwood spacers under the bolt locations to raise the bed 3/4" off the bench.

Any other suggestions?

 

[MichaelMouse]

Yep, make space for cleanout access. Plywood spacers are more uniform in thickness and response to moisture changes than solid wood. http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d160/GoodOnesGone/P3140057.jpg But I'm biased.

 

[n7bsn]

I lifted my DVR a "full" 2x (1-1/2 inches) and it's still sometimes not enough... Still thinking about raising it another 2x in height, but haven't yet

 

[Jim Killen]

I would go way more than 3/4" in order to provide sufficient clearance. I'd go at least 3". I added 3/4" to my DVR, because I had a height problem and couldn't go higher. It's still a major pain to clear chips.

 

[Joe Greiner]

In lieu of building an entire new bench, like Jim, I'd raise it high enough to allow placement of a sloping ramp (plywood or sheet metal), to encourage the chips to fall. The ramp could be hinged at the front, to allow access to the underside of the bed for whatever purpose.

If the resulting height of the lathe axis is too high, either:
1) Add a raised floor to walk on, or
2) Cut the legs shorter. I did that to a drafting table many years ago to facilitate access to the upper reaches of the drawing board; the boss was briefly annoyed, until I demonstrated it was better that way.

There's nothing unique about this problem or solution. My lathe (not DVR, BTW) has an open underside, with Visqueen "ramps" for chip drainage - only partially successful at that.

 

[Carole Valentine]

I'm not real sure why the Teknatool folks designed the XP that way. Torsional strength, perhaps? Maybe they "assumed" that all of them would be mounted on the cast iron leg sets which allows the chips to fall through? If that's the case, they should maybe rethink their assumptions because chip build-up is a problem on a bench. My DVR (Predecessor to the XP) has maybe an inch of clearance but even then it can be a pita to clear the shavings sometimes. I don't want to put it on blocks because it would be too tall and I don't want to be stumbling over a platform. I use a wooden backscratcher to rake the shavings out, but with the XP you don't have that option. I suppose you could build a bench that has a cutout below the ways (unless you want drawers in your bench) Sorry, not much help here...just sympathizing.

 

[Steven Antonucci]

Don't you have the red chip deflector installed? I have an older Nova 3000, and the red sheet metal deflector does a pretty good job of moving the shavings down to the floor.

When I am done, I don't vacuum them, but instead blow them to the floor with the compressor hose for sweeping. Takes about 2 quick shots of air to clear the ways.

S

 

[ebrannon]

Can you send me an image of the deflector?

Steve, mine does not have a deflector. Is this something you fabricated? If so, do you have an image?

This would save some issues with heigth of the center, since I carefully made my bench so the lathe center was elbow heigth. If I raise it 2 or 3 inches, it may be less stable as well as too tall.

3/4" is doable, but as some mentioned, it is not high enough to easily remove chips and shavings.

It is not a big problem, but takes an extra 10 minutes with a vacuum attachment to get it cleaned up after a turning session. I do not like leaving wet green shavings on the lathe.

e

 

[odie]

..........e.........

I don't have the problem you do, but like CV, am just following along for interest's sake.

As you can see there is plenty of space for chips to drop through my bedways.

Since you don't really want to raise up your dvr for ergonomics reasons, have you considered just making some sort of removable plug(s) to set on/between the bedways? I can conceive of such a thing being pretty easy to make. That way the chips would need to go on the outside of the bedways, instead of through the gap between them.......

good luck on this.....

ooc

 

[robert davis]

i made cardboard shields held in position by rare earth magnets.seeral lengths dependin on position of tool rest.

 

[John Black]

Yep, make space for cleanout access. Plywood spacers are more uniform in thickness and response to moisture changes than solid wood. http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d160/GoodOnesGone/P3140057.jpg But I'm biased.

i see you use the magnetic bars to hold/store ur gouges. doesn't that eventually magnatize them causing them to "drag" across the rest? i wanted to store mine that way but haven't yet for this possible reason.

 

[MichaelMouse]

i see you use the magnetic bars to hold/store ur gouges. doesn't that eventually magnatize them causing them to "drag" across the rest? i wanted to store mine that way but haven't yet for this possible reason.

Nope. I can feel a little bit of draw if I'm touching and lifting the very end of the tool, where things are strongest. But that's just down. I'm not cutting any lines of force to "drag" anything, and the weight of the tool plus my hand over it makes a fraction of a gram's worth of attraction inconsequential. I certainly don't notice them.

 

[John Kaner]

Ed,
Easy solution would be to redesign the stand where there is a gap under the lathe. This way the height is set for you and you can easily reach under and pluck out all the noodles... Looks like fresh pasta...

 

[Randy Smith]

Takes a fair amount of effort to continually vacuum them out at the end of a turning session (I usually work with green wood, so I am concerned about moisture).

One suggestion was to use hardwood spacers under the bolt locations to raise the bed 3/4" off the bench.

I used a 1-1/2" block of oak square. My crevasse tool on my shop vac cleans it all right out.

 

[Ian Thorn]

My 3000 is on 100 by 100 blocks the stand is 500 wide no problems cleaning and you can place tools in use under the ways. you could rip a strip of mdf or wood the size of the gap in the ways and tack some thin mdf on top as said you may need several to suite your need's.I use this to pace things on while sanding or polishing.

Ian

 

[Dave Hulett]

One of the reasons I bought my DVR-XP was because it did NOT some with a stand. I wanted to build my own and use the space underneath for storage. I raised the lathe up about 3 inches over the cabinet making clearing ships a cinch.

 

[John Torchick]

Interesting thread. Not completely familiar with the DVR but I try to keep my lathe clean. Once in a while, I'll fire up the compressor to get where a brush won't reach. BTW, we have dust bunnies under our bed.

 

[Gary Beasley]

Get some magnetic sign material and cut a few strips the size of the ways so you can overlap a few on each side of the tool rest for better coverage.

 

[Mike Adams]

If you do wet turning, try using PVC flashing instead of cardboard. Your local home center probably carries it. This link on Amazon shows what I'm talking about:

https://www.amazon.com/Flash-Roll-Vinyl-14inx30ft-Wht/dp/B06XCWBW4K/

You can make cutouts to fit around things on the underside of the bed and the PVC will hold creases/folds to fit. The magnets will hold it, too.

 

[Gary Beasley]

I generally get my air hose after the lathe when the bits and pieces start to accumilate.

 

[John Torchick]

Air hose or a can of compressed air used for computer keyboards. I just recently went to the baby department at Target and got an ear syringe. Puts out a bit of air to clear chips from drilling on the lathe or hollow forms. Saw this at a demo.