I have some projects coming up requiring turning of polyproplyne. I have turned
it before without any problems but am wondering if any of you have a method of
turning it without the long strings winding themselves around everything. It
just takes more time to stop every inch or so and remove the buildup.

GMasterman wrote:

I have some projects coming up requiring turning of polyproplyne. I have turned
it before without any problems but am wondering if any of you have a method of
turning it without the long strings winding themselves around everything. It
just takes more time to stop every inch or so and remove the buildup.
oh, thats nothing.. try to turn some wood... Louisiana Gum Tree wood..
the stuff they use for alot of pallets that they make in Louisiana...
when turning the wood nothing chips off, it all goes around the object
like a big coating of string... real cheap wood, but make good shipping
pallets...

If you are talking about sweetgum trees, they are a real PITA, here in
Louiniana. Beautiful color in fall, but make tons of gumballs, and are damned
near impossible to kill. Only thing worse is the tallow tree!

I haven't tried, but have thought about mounting the shop vac hose so
it will suck up the long string. I don't do plastic often enough to
anticipate the problem before it reoccurs!

Paul

(GMasterman) wrote in message ...
I have some projects coming up requiring turning of polyproplyne. I have turned
it before without any problems but am wondering if any of you have a method of
turning it without the long strings winding themselves around everything. It
just takes more time to stop every inch or so and remove the buildup.

Paul wrote:
I haven't tried, but have thought about mounting the shop vac hose so
it will suck up the long string. I don't do plastic often enough to
anticipate the problem before it reoccurs!

Paul
I have used the shop vac trick with success.
Ken.

I suppose it depends upon the nature of the turning operation.

I do a job turning UHMW PE in which I turn the spindle much slower than the
tool/work is capable of, and stop periodically to remove the chips.

"GMasterman" wrote in message
...
I have some projects coming up requiring turning of polyproplyne. I have
turned
it before without any problems but am wondering if any of you have a
method of
turning it without the long strings winding themselves around everything.
It
just takes more time to stop every inch or so and remove the buildup.

On 23 Feb 2004 15:47:52 GMT, (GMasterman) wrote:

I have some projects coming up requiring turning of polyproplyne. I have turned
it before without any problems but am wondering if any of you have a method of
turning it without the long strings winding themselves around everything. It
just takes more time to stop every inch or so and remove the buildup.

Get a nice razor sharp two flute LEFT HANDED endmill and stick it in
your tool holder at a very slight angle away from your work piece, ,
adjust for proper center height. Feed at high rpms and fast feed rates
and when the long stringer comes off the tool,, toss it over your
shoulder and step back. If done quickly the long streamer of string can
be directed directly into a waste basket.

You can do the same with a Right Handed endmill, but it has to be put on
the far side fo the work, and the spindle run backwards (of course)

I taught this trick to a guy who had to run a moderate ****load of poly
parts about 8" long by 4" in diameter. He had problems with a standard
tool bit, gumming up the machine etc. He bought me dinner a week later
for showing him the trick, and making the job go like a champ.

Gunner

The two highest achievements of the human mind are the twin concepts of "loyalty" and "duty."
Whenever these twin concepts fall into disrepute -- get out of there fast! You may possibly
save yourself, but it is too late to save that society. It is doomed. " Lazarus Long

In article , Gunner says...

On 23 Feb 2004 15:47:52 GMT, (GMasterman) wrote:

I have some projects coming up requiring turning of polyproplyne. I have turned
it before without any problems but am wondering if any of you have a method of
turning it without the long strings winding themselves around everything. It
just takes more time to stop every inch or so and remove the buildup.

Get a nice razor sharp two flute LEFT HANDED endmill and stick it in
your tool holder at a very slight angle away from your work piece, ,
adjust for proper center height. Feed at high rpms and fast feed rates
and when the long stringer comes off the tool,, toss it over your
shoulder and step back. If done quickly the long streamer of string can
be directed directly into a waste basket.

Ha. "Chip control" was half the battle when I worked at night,
turning nylon parts. It was not uncommon to fill ten full sized
trash cans with nylon chips during one night. We had a baler,
and would bale all the chips and they were sold for injection molding
material.

At one point they began to use a material called Calumet which
had a formed-in aluminum center. Horrible stuff to machine,
strong, stringy chips that could not be broken.

They finally decided to a) rough the parts using a very fast
peck cycle, and b) to leave the door on the Okuma open during
the machining. Because the spindle turned the part in the
conventional direction, and the tool threw the chip up, the
peck cycles ejected five foot long strings of material up
and out of the machine, where they would land on the overhead
lights. After every few parts the operator would have to
stop and gather them up.

Jim

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