Below are some tips for safety and routine maintenance to observe when operating a LeBlond RKL Series manual lathe:

Wear Appropriate Clothing

Wear safety glasses to protect your eyes from chips. Avoid loose clothing that can get stuck in the innards of the machine. Blue jeans are a good fit for pants and a flannel shirt is a good option for a shirt. The chips will not burn thru the denim on your jeans and the flannel material on your shirt. Make sure you wear safety hard toe shoes to protect your feet.

Empty Chip Pan Periodically

Since you are using a manual machine, you will not generate the volume of chips that a CNC lathe might produce. You can use a shovel to empty the chip pan every other day or so, not every other hour as with a CNC machine.

Chip Guard

Since you are using a manual lathe, the operator is in close proximity of the machine and in danger of being singed by chips flying off the manual lathe. LeBlond RKL Series manual lathes do have chip guards that shield the operator from chips generated from the chuck. Carriage guards protecting the operator from flying chips and other debris around the carriage are an option, but most machine operators find this protection obtrusive when operating the machine. If you are interested in a carriage guard for your manual lathe, call LeBlond Ltd. at (888) 920-9852.

When it comes to operating LeBlond RKL Series manual lathes, using common sense when it comes to safety and routine maintenance is paramount.

If you are interested in purchasing new K.O. Lee Economy Mandrels offered by LeBlond Ltd. or require OEM parts for your LeBlond, K.O. Lee, Standard Modern, Johnson Press, Deka Drill and W.F. & John Barnes equipment, call LeBlond Ltd. at (888) 920-9852. If you are interested in new LeBlond or K.O. Lee machines, call LeBlond Ltd. at (888) 920-9852.