Cleaning Tubes

[JPG]

Sorry, what's 'BBS'?

De wax shellac works well as a metal coating, Zinzar Seal Coat, about $12 a quart at the BBS, a couple coats, but dries in a few hours. I prefer that and Pentrol over just JPW, but I use it over them. On Cast Iron Shellac and Pentrol seal the pores really well.

You were 'there' today.

[ERLover]

Sorry, what's 'BBS'?

De wax shellac works well as a metal coating, Zinzar Seal Coat, about $12 a quart at the BBS, a couple coats, but dries in a few hours. I prefer that and Pentrol over just JPW, but I use it over them. On Cast Iron Shellac and Pentrol seal the pores really well.

You were 'there' today.

JPG, if I got yours right? But a good one.

[dusty]

When using the headstock to polish tubes, do the tubes need to be secured at the distant end or will the tubes simply spin in 'say a "v" groove'.

When answering this question, please assume that the "v" groove is properly aligned (horizontally and vertically) with the drive shaft. I am trying to determine how much I have to control the distant end of the tube being polished.

I don't move very fast these days. I need to anticipate that sorta thing rather than experience it.

[JPG]

When using the headstock to polish tubes, do the tubes need to be secured at the distant end or will the tubes simply spin in 'say a "v" groove'.

When answering this question, please assume that the "v" groove is properly aligned (horizontally and vertically) with the drive shaft. I am trying to determine how much I have to control the distant end of the tube being polished.

I don't move very fast these days. I need to anticipate that sorta thing rather than experience it.

My experience is that they are remarkably well behaved as long as they are supported near the far end and the drive end is held securely.

700 is quite fast, but is usable. I would prefer slower.

I originally did something similar to Ed's set up in that I used a tailstock so as to prevent vertical takeoff. Lately I just go for support - two casters on a board.

Think your setup through, and I think you will not have to 'react quickly'.

[ERLover]

When using the headstock to polish tubes, do the tubes need to be secured at the distant end or will the tubes simply spin in 'say a "v" groove'.

When answering this question, please assume that the "v" groove is properly aligned (horizontally and vertically) with the drive shaft. I am trying to determine how much I have to control the distant end of the tube being polished.

I don't move very fast these days. I need to anticipate that sorta thing rather than experience it.

When I did an ER pair I used a plumbers freeze plug mod in the drill press chuck and a couple casters mounted to a board clamped to the tail stock. I think a John Burger copy from a pic he posted on on of his E R restores. I did a lot of eye balling and a Torpedo level on top of the tube for vertical and just an eye ball with the lathe center for horizontal.
Dusty on slow I was still apprehensive haveing ER tube spinning at 700rpm, I would have rather done it on an ER with SC at 400ish rpm.

[reible]

Back in 2010 I did this post showing the use of a woodworking chuck and a workmate with V notched board for end support. I've done several tubes this way and it works fine but you have to maintain pressure in the downward direction when working. If you are not working on it there is no reason for it to go anywhere.

http://www.shopsmith.com/ss_forum/begin ... t6007.html

When I did this I used the 700 rpm slow speed and watched to make sure the tube did not walk out of the chuck. My latest adventure I used the powerpro and ran at a lower speed. I also decided that while the V block works I'd take a little side trip and do a bearing for the tail stock made out of a Sam's Club cutting board. Since I have been turning more these last couple of years I was very conformable doing that project.

I really have no idea what would/could happen if a tube came off the lathe. Once the power is taken off I would guess it would settle down pretty fast and I see no way that it would fly off but more then likely just drop away. In fact if you happen to have your hand there I think you could catch it much like you do when cutting a part off. But I'm not going to try it.....

[ERLover]

Back in 2010 I did this post showing the use of a woodworking chuck and a workmate with V notched board for end support. I've done several tubes this way and it works fine but you have to maintain pressure in the downward direction when working. If you are not working on it there is no reason for it to go anywhere.

http://www.shopsmith.com/ss_forum/begin ... t6007.html

When I did this I used the 700 rpm slow speed and watched to make sure the tube did not walk out of the chuck. My latest adventure I used the powerpro and ran at a lower speed. I also decided that while the V block works I'd take a little side trip and do a bearing for the tail stock made out of a Sam's Club cutting board. Since I have been turning more these last couple of years I was very conformable doing that project.

I really have no idea what would/could happen if a tube came off the lathe. Once the power is taken off I would guess it would settle down pretty fast and I see no way that it would fly off but more then likely just drop away. In fact if you happen to have your hand there I think you could catch it much like you do when cutting a part off. But I'm not going to try it.....

Let me think Ed a 20+lb ER tube coming off, some dental work? A broken wrist/forearm blocking it b4 the dental work? Thats what I was thinking the whole time.

[dusty]

OKAY. I am going ahead with my plan to polish some tubes. I think I'll start with a couple short extension tubes and work up from there. It is my bench tubes that I really want to clean up. They definitely look their age.

[jsburger]

When using the headstock to polish tubes, do the tubes need to be secured at the distant end or will the tubes simply spin in 'say a "v" groove'.

When answering this question, please assume that the "v" groove is properly aligned (horizontally and vertically) with the drive shaft. I am trying to determine how much I have to control the distant end of the tube being polished.

I don't move very fast these days. I need to anticipate that sorta thing rather than experience it.

I have done two sets of thick 10ER tubes so far and have not found any problem/instability or any other problems. I did them on my Power Pro at 500RPM's. The first set was done with a tapered Popular plug I turned on the screw center and used that center with the plug to clean the tubes. The other end was supported by a pair of cheap Harbor Freight rubber castors mounted on a piece of plywood and clamped to the fixed aux table. The Popular is soft enough that the tubes chewed up the plug and the tube came loose. It never actually came off the plug but it just would not spin. I used painters tape to build up the plug and all was well.

The second set I did was after I bought the SS Nova chuck kit. No problem with the tube coming loss with the Nova chuck.

As far as the right end support I see no problem wit a V block or a set of castors. Obviously you should not apply cleaning pressure to the under side of the tube and there is no reason to do that. As long as the pressure is applied to the top (10-2 o'clock) there is absolutely no problem.

There is no chatter on the right end. The tube just runs very smoothly on the castors by itself.

[ERLover]

When using the headstock to polish tubes, do the tubes need to be secured at the distant end or will the tubes simply spin in 'say a "v" groove'.

When answering this question, please assume that the "v" groove is properly aligned (horizontally and vertically) with the drive shaft. I am trying to determine how much I have to control the distant end of the tube being polished.

I don't move very fast these days. I need to anticipate that sorta thing rather than experience it.

When I did an ER pair I used a plumbers freeze plug mod in the drill press chuck and a couple casters mounted to a board clamped to the tail stock. I think a John Burger copy from a pic he posted on on of his E R restores. I did a lot of eye balling and a Torpedo level on top of the tube for vertical and just an eye ball with the lathe center for horizontal.
Dusty on slow I was still apprehensive haveing ER tube spinning at 700rpm, I would have rather done it on an ER with SC at 400ish rpm.

Dusty now that I seen Johns pics that is how I did the tail end also, memory, as you know goes fast, but I did do the mod on the freeze plug that someone else posted pics of for doing theres.