Swarf

Swarf, also known as chips or by other process-specific names (such as turnings, filings, or shavings), are pieces of metal, wood, or plastic that are the debris or waste resulting from machining, woodworking, or similar subtractive (material-removing) manufacturing processes. (Wikipedia).


The metal table supplied with a drill press is not well suited for wood working, so woodworkers usually make or buy something more suitable. 

This afternoon I drilled some holes in the metal table of my drill press so that I could attach the (wood) table that I had made. I used my magnetic pickup tool to remove the swarf, and that's what you see here. 

If you had any science classes in school, you might have experimented with scattering iron filings on a sheet of paper placed over a magnet, in which case you would probably have recognized what my photo shows.