sneggysteve
Established Member
Any recomendations for rolls of tissue to apply/remove oils / waxes? I have been using rolls of white from Aldi but haven't seen any on sale for a while.
Tissue for lathe work
- Thread starter sneggysteve
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Inspector
Nyuck, Nyuck, Nyuck!
While I occasionally use paper towels, tissue as you call it, I have been using cloth torn from old T shirts, bed sheets, etc for a long time. There always seem to be some more to rip up before I run out. It is more durable too.
Pete
Pete
Jacob
What goes around comes around.
Yes thats it. All workshops need to have some old rags on hand and a lot of things benefit from a quick rub down with an oily rag. Natural fibres better, synthetic not so absorbent.
Blackswanwood
Still Learning
I thought (probably incorrectly) that it’s not a good idea to use a cloth when working with something on a lathe as there is a risk it catches and traps fingers?
Very happy to be educated if I’ve got that wrong.
Very happy to be educated if I’ve got that wrong.
I'm in with the old cut-up shirts, sheets, etc. Paper towel for CA glue finish.
The only way I can think of your fingers being dragged in is if the rag is wrapped around the fingers in the first place. The cloth should be supported from underneath by your hand/fingers. If it catches, and it will on occasion, it just snaps the cloth from your hand. Hope that makes sense. If not, watch some of the turners on YouTube and how they hold their rags, especially the pen turners who use CA glue because that stuff can be a b*gg*r for catching if not done right.
treeturner123
Established Member
As can Friction Polish, so I do exactly as stated above, finger under the cloth at the bottom of the turning
Phil
Cabinetman
Established Member
Tip I got on here from one of the clever people is to store the cut up rags in a shirt sleeve, hung up from the armpit and just stuff fresh ones in at the top. The cuff being slightly smaller retains the rags till you pull one out.
Ian
Ian
I would say DO NOT use rags / cloth when using a lathe , get a catch and your hand gets dragged into the lathe
Paper towel is far safer.
Paper towel is far safer.
Yorkieguy
Established Member
Chestnut Products sell 'Safety Cloth' designed to stay wet longer (i.e. it is not very absorbent in comparison to kitchen towel), therefore it assists the transfer of finishes to your chosen surface. It also tears very easily if it gets caught in revolving parts thus avoiding the calamity of damaging your work; or even worse: the danger of fingers being dragged into machinery. (I don't use it myself - I get on OK with a roll of blue tissue paper):
https://www.thetinyturner.co.uk/pro...th is a thick,finishes to your chosen surface
https://www.thetinyturner.co.uk/pro...th is a thick,finishes to your chosen surface
I like it
I agree, I never go near my lathes with a rag. Fine for static work though. My woodturning club shop sells what I think they call “safety cloth” for lathe work. I’ve not tried it though.
Agent_zed
Established Member
Cotton fabric can ignite from a chemical reaction with CA glue. https://firesafeliving.com/is-super-glue-flammable/
It can also ignite from oils, as many will already be aware.
It's worth thinking about how you store or dispose of old rags. Having a metal bucket would certainly help if it did decide to burn, ideally put outside the garage.
I use tissue when polishing on the lathe, but even thicker tissue/kitchen roll/blue roll is pretty strong when folded.
It can also ignite from oils, as many will already be aware.
It's worth thinking about how you store or dispose of old rags. Having a metal bucket would certainly help if it did decide to burn, ideally put outside the garage.
I use tissue when polishing on the lathe, but even thicker tissue/kitchen roll/blue roll is pretty strong when folded.
sneggysteve
Established Member
Thanks for thoughts - I use a rag sometimes as a final polish but paper towel for everythig else which I then put in a sealed tin until I dispose of them
Inspector
Nyuck, Nyuck, Nyuck!
The pieces of rag I use are at most 6"/150mm square and then folded into a small pad. Nothing gets wrapped around my finger and should it catch it is pulled out of my grip. Same sized paper towel behaves the same and if you use a big piece and it grabs it can wrap you up too. Spontaneous combustion is the same whether it is a cloth rag or a paper towel. Each to their own as long as you understand the potential pitfalls.
Pete
Pete
The situation was a little different but it bears saying over and over as people tend to think "it can't happen to me"
I personally know a guy who had his hand torn off the end of his arm while he was sanding using emery cloth.
Yes it can happen. As a veteran shop foreman he almost certainly had more experience than anyone reading this, but he still messed up.
If you are power sanding or polishing make sure that piece of cloth is small enough you can't wrap it round your fingers even if you try.
And short sleeves, hair, no gloves thicker than latex disposables, etc, etc.
It'a an occupational hazard and it can happen to you if you let it.
You'll here me tell this again every year or two. No apologies. You may not have anyone around to find a crisp packet for your hand / finger and drive you to hospital....
I personally know a guy who had his hand torn off the end of his arm while he was sanding using emery cloth.
Yes it can happen. As a veteran shop foreman he almost certainly had more experience than anyone reading this, but he still messed up.
If you are power sanding or polishing make sure that piece of cloth is small enough you can't wrap it round your fingers even if you try.
And short sleeves, hair, no gloves thicker than latex disposables, etc, etc.
It'a an occupational hazard and it can happen to you if you let it.
You'll here me tell this again every year or two. No apologies. You may not have anyone around to find a crisp packet for your hand / finger and drive you to hospital....
Lons
Established Member
I'm in the don't use cloth camp and I buy the cheapest kitchen rolls I can find from Aldi (still had them 2 weeks ago), Lidl or the £ shops. It's habit I guess and I'm not scared of injury, I'm an experienced turner and try to be ultra careful but there are newbies reading these posts who might just be injured and that's something we must be aware of.
I have an old galvanised metal bucket I throw oil soaked paper into then leave it outside until safe.
In any case I wear my T shirts in the workshop until they're not even fit for rags, gaffa tape is great for patching holes. When they get too bad I wear them for a particular mucky job like grinding metal, welding or fixing lawnmowers etc then chuck them in the bin.
I have an old galvanised metal bucket I throw oil soaked paper into then leave it outside until safe.
In any case I wear my T shirts in the workshop until they're not even fit for rags, gaffa tape is great for patching holes. When they get too bad I wear them for a particular mucky job like grinding metal, welding or fixing lawnmowers etc then chuck them in the bin.
Lons
Established Member
That's cheap Blister. The last blue rolls I bought were probably x3 that price.
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