Swarf Bunching/Vacuum Clogging

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Greetings Fellow Trolls,

Long time listener, first time caller.

I seem to be experiencing some issues with swarf (surprise) on my VR T560, namely bunching on the diamond and clogging the vacuum nozzle/tube.

#1.) Can one (or more) of you fine folks please provide some insight as to why the swarf keeps bunching up on the diamond, and how to avoid this?

#2.) Please also let me know what steps I can take to reduce clogging of the vacuum tube and nozzle. I've read about talcum powder and anti-static spray, just not sure exactly how to apply either without making a huge mess.

#3.) Are there any other options for #2.)?


Much appreciated!

[SueDenim]

Hi - a couple of quick questions off the top of my head...
- as well as the bunching around the stylus, is the swarf becoming stuck in the vacuum tubing at all?
- if so, firstly completely remove all swarf clogged in the tube - secondly put a little talc on your finger tip and, with the suction running, bring it towards the metal tube letting the talc run through the tubing.
- have you checked the entire suction system for leaks?
- quite often with the VR, the bottom of the plastic swarf jar or tubing develops cracks which require sealing.

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Thanks SueDenim, this was a big help. I resealed everywhere I could find and gave it a healthy dose of talc.

Aside from what you recommended, could there be other reasons for this also? Maybe a sudden bump in volume/bass, lack of/too much humidity, excessive heat/lathe running too hot, etc...?

[SueDenim]

Without actually seeing the 'bunching' swarf in action, it's hard to know for sure.
Too much stylus heat would definitely not help the situation and also any static from the blank would prevent the suction from doing its job.

Try a test cut with:
- no stylus heat (leave the stylus heat switch in the off position as, even at 0 on the stylus heat dial, some current is sent to the stylus)
- reduce the temperature to which you heat the blank prior to cutting
- buy or make some fresh anti-static spray (just to rule this out as a possible cause)

Q. does the swarf problem occur all the time, no matter what audio material you're cutting (e.g. an unmodulated groove)?
Q. does it occur more when cutting the outer diameters of a 12", rather then a 7"?

This really is a matter of logically going through all the steps to rule out all possible causes, one by one.
Takes a little time but we should be able to get it sorted!

[e3sa934]

I've been having a similar problem, mainly on the outer edge of 12"s ... I've re-calibrated the head, installed new (shorter) tube from cutter to swarf jar, applied talc, inspected the diamond stylus, cleaned the diamond stylus, emptied the swarf jar, positioned the mouth of the copper tube 2mm above the blank and 2mm away from the diamond ... and still getting problems. I'm thinking it might be an issue of temperature being too low on the blank at the outer edge of the 12" ... I aim to cut at 45 degrees C. 7" and 10" are mostly ok

[SueDenim]

It could be a temperature issue, but bear in mind that you're trying to remove quite a bit more plastic per revolution at the outer diameters of a 12" verses a 10" or 7".

[e3sa934]

Agreed - could I do to anything else to reduce the risk of swarf spillout - or is this just an occasional occupational hazard?

[SueDenim]

Have you checked your suction system for leaks?
Are you able to increase suction pressure to see if that helps? if not then there's something else wrong.

[e3sa934]

Update: I inspected the cutting stylus under the microscope - seemed OK ... but swapped it out for a brand new one anyway, and re-calibrated ... and my swarf problem disappeared