Turning and Laundry

[Yonak Hawkins]

I come to the Turners' Forum with a pressing, possibly sanity-shattering question :

I'm not an experienced turner, however I'm working on a project that requires a bunch of spindles, so I've found myself, for the last few days, in front of my lathe, standing in heaps of cherry wood chips. My issue is that the wood chips stick to my socks and, when I do laundry, I end up picking the chips off my socks for what seems like an eternity. Now, maybe you turners see no issue here and you consider woody socks an unavoidable consequence of your avocation. ..But if anyone's faced this perplexing issue and found a solution, I'd love to hear it. I yield to y'all's superior knowledge.

[Ted Calver]

Perhaps some snow gaiters would help.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/WEANAS-1-Pair-Unisex-Adult-Outdoor-Mountain-Snow-Legging-Gaiters-Durable-Windproof-Waterproof-Warmth-Shoes-Cover-Hiking-Skiing-Walking-Climbing-Hunti/536553688?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=4421&adid=22222222227075219474&wmlspartner=wmtlabs&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=188401000978&wl4=pla-291441259142&wl5=9008585&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=113553716&wl11=online&wl12=536553688&wl13=&veh=sem

[Mel Fulks]

Find some new old stock spats, or make some and modernize them with Velcro

[Peter Christensen]

Wear high top boots and pull your pant legs over them.

You do wear pants don’t you?

[Peter Christensen]

........or don’t wear socks when you turn. :)

[John K Jordan]

I turn in Tellec shoes (kind of like Crocs but better) and no socks when it's warm. In the winter I have socks that shavings don't stick to - they aren't so fuzzy. Hay doesn't stick to them much either (much worse then wood shavings). I do get pockets full of shavings since I don't wear one of those fancy smocks.

High top shoes and tape are a sure thing, as is what I use at the beehives - boots with jeans pulled over. I hate it if a bee crawls up my leg.

JKJ

[Brice Rogers]

I have started to wear Crocks without socks when turning. I have air plumbed throughout my shop, but it is easier turning w/o socks rather than spending 5 minutes trying to blow 90% of the shavings off. I also bought a nylon jacket with zippered pockets and wrist bands for turning. It keeps my jean and shirt pockets from getting full of chips.

[Olaf Vogel]

Te bigger issue is when the chips get in your wife’s clothes.....specifically undergarments.
then conversations gets awkward.

i wear jeans over boots.
also there’s lots of other stuff in the shop to stub my toes on. So I like boots.
And this on top

http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?cat=1,330&p=49899

[Dave Bunge]

I wear Muck Boots, a previous version of this: https://www.amazon.com/Muck-Boot-Muckster-Ankle-10-10-5/dp/B01A7RTPEW/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1519992939&sr=8-6&keywords=muck+boots

They come slightly above the ankle. Then I wear nylon sweatpants with an elastic cuff that I pull down over the top of the boots. That keeps the chips away from my socks.

I like the set up because chips don't stick to the pants (nylon) or to the boots (no lugs and smooth top) so I don't track them around my basement. Added bonus is that the boots are waterproof, which helps if I'm outdoors when it's wet. Downsides are no steel toes and relatively poor arch support. I added some insole inserts to help with the arch support.

[Yonak Hawkins]

You do wear pants don’t you?

No one told me I'm supp0osed to wear pants when turning. I'm glad I came over to this forum. I've already learned so much.

The thing is, wood chips somehow get into my steel-toed shoes and stick mostly to the toes of my socks. How does that even happen ? You turners really put up with a lot to follow your passion !

[Roger Chandler]

I don’t have problems with wood chips in my shoes/socks. I wear either tennis shoes or Rockport tie ups. My jeans generally touch the laces. I do get chips in my pockets on my jacket or shirt if I don’t wear my turning smock. My wife makes sure I am informed if I track in wood chips on my shoes, however! :eek:

[Reed Gray]

An air hose will not blow them off. I take a standard sweep broom and that gets 95% of the chips off. I am in shorts almost all the time because I over heat at about 65 degrees if I am wearing long pants...

robo hippy

[Kyle Iwamoto]

Te bigger issue is when the chips get in your wife’s clothes.....specifically undergarments.
then conversations gets awkward.


Been there...... There is also a specific area of them that the chip (and only 1 chip need be in the laundry) will find it's way to......
I do my own laundry separately now.........

[Jim Hipp]

Gaiters also come in a shorter version that I use. My pair came from REI which has a web page.

There is a hook on the gaiters that can hook onto your first lace and the gaiter will pretty much cover the entire front and sides of your shoe.

[Stew Hagerty]

I haven't done any turning in years, but when I did I wore a dedicated pair of short sleeve coveralls over a pair of boots. No muss, no fuss.

[Bill Splaine]

Muck boots look hot and expensive. I have a foot that could be used in place of flippers for scuba divers.. long and WI D E. I have been looking at hiking boots by Propet. They come in ankle high.. actually above the ankle should work like a charm. Another comfortable boot which I used to use in my motorcycling days were Wellingtons.. they come about 1/3 up the shin.. Comfortable and NO issue with chips.

[Tony De Masi]

In the warmer weather, when I wear shorts when I turn, I use these:

http://thesandingglove.com/DUST-BEE-GONE-Shoe-Covers.asp

[Thomas Canfield]

In the warmer weather, when I wear shorts when I turn, I use these:

http://thesandingglove.com/DUST-BEE-GONE-Shoe-Covers.asp

I use a pair of shoe covers almost every time I go in the shop and definitely if turning. I wear lace boots and long pants and need to keep shavings out of the laces, not off socks.

[Tom Wilson66]

I take my socks off and go over them with a stiff bristle brush. This gets the chips off quickly.

[Yonak Hawkins]

I take my socks off and go over them with a stiff bristle brush. This gets the chips off quickly.

This sounds like good advice. Thank you.

[Jeffrey J Smith]

I must be doing something wrong. I’m pretty sure I wear pants most of the time, and just regular shoes - actually, cheap hiking/walking shoes for the most part. I’ve not had a problem with shavings in my shoes. Even when spending a day calf deep in shavings from roughing. The smock pockets do fill up, but I thought that was what they’re there for.
Perhaps this would be a good subject for a demo...