# those with a lathe: please be careful with swarf !!!



## wquiles (Aug 25, 2009)

This was just posted in the Yahoo 7x group. Since there are many of us with lathes here in this sub-forum, I feel it is appropriate to share this in our own forum. And note this guy is a 40 year veteran - please be very careful !!!

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Just a timely reminder about the dangers of swarf. Having just returned home from the hospital having five sutures inserted in my fingers. I've been using lathes for the last forty years and have avoided any serious injuries, that was until now! I was machining a .5 inch bar on my cnc converted 7 X 24 lathe when a trail of swarf was spiraling of the tool, in, a split second the swarf was 24 inches long an became wrapped around my hand it then caught the chuck and at 2500 revs didn't take long to snap it through my hand with catastrophic results. While the injuries are healing I'll be having a complete review of my operating procedures.
Regard
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## tino_ale (Aug 25, 2009)

Safety reminders are always good. Thanks for sharing.


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## gadget_lover (Aug 25, 2009)

While steel is much worse, you can still cut yourself on aluminum too. Steel not only has a sharper edge in the curls, they are stronger and stiffer too. 

You can hurt yourself in many ways;

I managed to cut myself a few weeks back when using my micro mill. The machine was off, all parts properly clamped. No 3/4 inch end mill in the collet. I reach around the back of the vice (swinging wide to avoid hitting anything) and whack my knuckle on the dovetailed column that supports the head. The edge of the dovetail sliced it like it was a (dull) knife.


I think my favorite so far was the "swarf shower" documented in another thread.


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## Torque1st (Aug 26, 2009)

I had a similar thing happen with a stringer off a stainless steel material. We could not get that material to break the chips no matter what we did. I was removing the stringers with a big steel hook but I had to get the ball of swarf off the hook by hand. I was wearing a welding glove but a new stringer tangled with the removed swarf and pulled a stringer thru the glove. In an instant it cut my index finger 2/3 of the way through right through the first knuckle. That stringer was just like a miniature band saw blade. I did regain the use of the finger but it is not quite right. Other than a few chip burns that has been my worst lathe related injury.

Remember even a little 3" lathe can rip your entire arm off...


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