Catching lemel while grinding

[ps_bond]

When I've been working with most of the mokume billets I've made, I've generally not worried about saving the lemel when patterning it. As I'm now considering going up a level on materials cost, I'm going to be quite keen on grabbing *every* little metal filing that the pendant motor throws off. I've got an idea that some sort of box arrangement would be good (and an improvement on my working in an open-fronted plastic crate - does anyone have any suggestions? Being right-handed, the filings tend to be chucked towards me; otherwise I might consider the engravers' trick of building a paper tent to catch everything.

I suppose this would be just as applicable for polishing too.

[Carl Grigg]

I did once make a blasting cabinet out of a cardboard box, a sheet of perspex, some carrier bags and a small drinks bottle. The drink bottle had the base removed and was taped over a hole in one of the corners of the box so it was very easy to shake the sand into the bottle then remove the lid to return it to the spray gun. will probably include a light inside next time I need one. easy and cheap to prototype with card.

[Goldsmith]

Peter, I have a perspex angle shape that clips under my bench peg and forms a screen in front of my face for use when I am using grinding burs in a flexshaft. I looked online and couldn't find them offered anywhere, I bought mine from a Hatton Garden toolshop about twenty years ago.
Thinking about something home made, how about a large clear plastic drinks bottle with the ends cut off to leave you with a 6 inch tube that you could secure to your bench in a way that allows you to insert a hand into each end and work inside the tube, which would collect the lemel.

James

[Wallace]

I use a bottle that has the ends cut off - it gets messy very quickly and is hard to see after a couple of uses if not cleaned out - it does keep the face clean though!

[ps_bond]

The bottle idea I quite like; I'd be very grateful if you could post a pic of your perspex shape please James - heat bending perspex isn't beyond me.

I've found something similar to what I was after - grinding boxes as used by dental technicians. Not so keen on the price though...

[Wallace]

quite like the idea of this 'collecting box' and as my lad is up for getting me a pressie for the season this year... I may have to see if this is a useful thing.. and get rid of my bottles I am collecting!

http://www.cousinsuk.com/catalog/5/1041/1222.aspx

[ps_bond]

Aha! Good find! I'm about to put an order in with them too.

[medusa]

quite like the idea of this 'collecting box' and as my lad is up for getting me a pressie for the season this year... I may have to see if this is a useful thing.. and get rid of my bottles I am collecting!

http://www.cousinsuk.com/catalog/5/1041/1222.aspx

I see stuff like that and it makes me think I'm doing my grinding etc all wrong. I think if I had one of those I'd be cursing as the disks whipped the item from my hand!

[Goldsmith]

The bottle idea I quite like; I'd be very grateful if you could post a pic of your perspex shape please James - heat bending perspex isn't beyond me.

I've found something similar to what I was after - grinding boxes as used by dental technicians. Not so keen on the price though...

Here is my perspex eye shield, it has a fitting that screws to the bench which is sited under the bench peg which the shield slots into for use, but I can't find it to show.

James

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[ps_bond]

Many thanks, James. Being angled like that I guess means the lemel will bounce downwards more than back?
Looks a doddle to make too.

[Goldsmith]

Yes Peter, my bench has a bench skin under the peg and any lemel from grinding either collected in the base of the perspex shield under the bench peg, or just spilled out it's sides and into the bench skin.

James

[Patstone]

I use a cut off plastic bottle for polishing stuff with rouge with my pendant motor, it stops me from getting a chicken pox look.



I use a bottle that has the ends cut off - it gets messy very quickly and is hard to see after a couple of uses if not cleaned out - it does keep the face clean though!

[ps_bond]

Well, I've got one. Overall - pretty good. Not an expensive piece of goods to make, all told; the thing to watch out for is the edges of the aluminium, which are quite sharp. Quick & easy to assemble too - there's a spanner included and you need a cross-head screwdriver.

In use it seems to perform well. One issue I've got is that it isn't all that big, so if you've got large hands it can feel a bit restrictive - so I tended to only have my hands partway inside the box. But... It does catch lemel, the little sweeps tray seems to work and it isn't dependent upon anything else to catch the stuff.

[Wallace]

Well, I've got one. Overall - pretty good. Not an expensive piece of goods to make, all told; the thing to watch out for is the edges of the aluminium, which are quite sharp. Quick & easy to assemble too - there's a spanner included and you need a cross-head screwdriver.

In use it seems to perform well. One issue I've got is that it isn't all that big, so if you've got large hands it can feel a bit restrictive - so I tended to only have my hands partway inside the box. But... It does catch lemel, the little sweeps tray seems to work and it isn't dependent upon anything else to catch the stuff.

Thanks Peter,


really clear info so, I will definitely be putting this on my Christmas tool list!