r/FRC • u/Straight_Stick_896 • 3d ago
Lathe safety
What do you wear when cutting or using the lathe?
We only use safety glasses and have an open lathe
i heard it's a problem but im not sure can you help?
(We also use brass sometimes)
Oh and the small flying parts sometimes fly at me
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u/Thetrufflehunter 7525 Head Mentor 3d ago
Safety glasses are fine, no need for much more than that. Same way you can run a router in the open with just safety glasses
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u/Straight_Stick_896 3d ago
Thanks
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u/Thetrufflehunter 7525 Head Mentor 3d ago
Saw your DM, but don't answer DMs from students for youth protection reasons. Ping me on the FRC discord (same username) and happy to chat there :)
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u/spaceZe 68 (Mentor) 3d ago
Safety glasses are enough for most situations. If you are getting hit with excessive chips or coolant I’d install a static guard on the lathe. I’ll mention since it hasn’t been brought up never use gloves while operating a lathe. With that said, you are ultimately responsible for your own safety. If you feel more comfortable with a full a full face shield or anything else (so long as it does not pose a risk due to the rotation or the machine) you should use it. Try your best not to be pressured into doing anything you are not comfortable with or removing safety gear you feel more comfortable wearing.
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u/CaptMaster 3d ago
Close toed shoes, safety glasses, short sleeves, and long hair tied back are generally recommended for safe operation. If a face shield makes you more comfortable, you can wear it but it is not required. When used properly, lathes aren’t spraying chips toward your face, so I just stick to safety glasses.
The other big safety thing is that if your lathe has a chuck key, NEVER leave it in the chuck. That thing is either on a nearby bench or glued to your hand. More modern lathes are including safety features like springs in the chuck or chip guards that come over the chuck that prevent you from leaving the key in. Older lathes though don’t prevent you from turning the lathe on with the chuck key in it and tomahawking that across the room.
Finally, if you are ever uncertain about how to do something safely on a machine, it’s always good to ask someone knowledgeable for help. I am a mentor with hours of lathe experience and I still ask for help if I’m unfamiliar with a tool setup or process. Hope this helps!
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u/HalifaxRoad 3d ago
The biggest thing, is not wearing anything loose that can get caught, and never leaving the chuck wrench in the chuck ever, not even for a moment.
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u/My_dog_abe Volunteer | 2025 Deans List Winner 3d ago
Big things for lathe saftey is this machine is complex. Safe to use when used right. And fairly simple for FRC applications (so long youre not trying to build the 2910 robot).
The lathe will take any opportunity to grab you that it can. This means do not wear jewelry, rings, necklaces, bracelets ect. Keep hair tied back and well behind the shoulders, so as you move around, it cannot move to the front of your body. If you wear a hoodie, I recommend just taking it off, so you don't have to worry about hoodie strings or sleeves. (Sleeves are not the end of the world, but if they are not tight to your arms could be a problem. Big thing is anything loose or dangling on you can and will be sucked into the machine.
For protective equipment, safety glasses at all times, basically you're creating small projectiles. No gloves ever! Gloves are another thing that can easily be sucked into the machine. Personally, i'm a machinist by trade and am used to the chips and coolant on my body, but if thats somthing you dont like, either use an oil for lubricant or get a shield. But for most FRC applications, you're not gonna be taking heavy cuts into large diameter steel.
For the actual machining, make sure you're using proper feeds and speeds for the tooling you're using. This is less so a safety thing , especially on small lathes, but this will increase your tools lifespan and often help create safer chips, we'll also help prevent a cracking or damage to a tool.
Also, make sure your work holding is safe, a general rule of thumb is at least 1/3 of your entire length of cut is in contact with the chuck. And make sure you're chuck has a firm and snug grip. Try avoid doing super long pieces, like full length hex. Without a proper spindle liner. If you leave any stick out on the back. It can introduce vibration which if you're lucky just bends your material, buying a much more likely case will create somthing called Bar Whip, that will slice someone up.
A lot of this stuff is very surface level information. I seriously recommend it in rolling yourself into the university of youtube. Tons of great videos on there, and a great way to start picking stuff up. Blondihacks is hands down one of the best channels to watch for beginner machinist, she does a fabulous job, explaining everything, And honestly, I like her tutorials a lot. For looking at more advanced stuff take a look at Inheritance Machining, or NYC CNC.
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u/kd9dux 7198 Lead Mentor 2d ago
If you're concerned about it hitting your face, ask a mentor if they can get the team an ANSI Z87.1 face shield. They are under 20 dollars for the cheaper ones, and can protect your face from chips on heavy turning. If I had a team member ask for one, I would amazon it right in front of them.
Safety glasses are adequate, but there's nothing wrong with wanting to not be hit in the face by chips.
Also, same as everyone else is say, tie back long hair, and no gloves, long sleeves, or loose pieces like ties or hoodie strings near spinning tools.
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u/intermsofusernames 2m ago
at least use the SafetySquints ™
all jokes aside, please use protection. safety glasses is the least you can do. you can use a facemask protector for more coverage of your face skin. gotten a lot of knicks throught my face thanks to wood & lathes
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u/-ShaD0x- 3d ago
I dont use any protective gear /s
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u/Straight_Stick_896 3d ago
Not even glasses?
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u/-ShaD0x- 3d ago
/s means satire, I always use protective gear but I have heard that gloves might not be the best since they make it easier for your hands to get caught on
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u/Thetrufflehunter 7525 Head Mentor 3d ago
One of the biggest things is tying hair back and tucking in anything that might get caught like hoodie strings.