The mess that forms when chips do not break and instead come off as continuous ribbons that wrap around everything. Bird's nests scratch finished surfaces, block coolant, break tools and are dangerous to clear with the spindle running. They are controlled with chipbreaker inserts, higher feed, peck turning, high-pressure coolant and stopping the machine to clear them with a hook, never with hands.
Stop and pull that bird's nest off the chuck with the hook before it rips the insert out of the holder.
Never clear stringy chips with your hand or a rag on a running lathe; the chip hook and the stop button exist for this.
Also heard as
- chip nest
- rat's nest
Related terms
Insert
A small replaceable carbide or ceramic cutting tip clamped in a holder, indexed to a fresh edge when worn.
Chip load
The thickness of material each cutting edge takes per revolution, also called feed per tooth.
Suds
Shop name for water-soluble cutting coolant, the milky mix of oil concentrate and water.
Parting off
Cutting a finished part off the end of the bar on a lathe with a thin blade-shaped tool.