Hi,
Sure could use some advice on how to keep the $#@!$ rust off of my tool tabletops. I have tried wax, and even with just 2 days of no use, I am starting to see small rust spots. Surely there must be a better way. I live in Florida near the water (and no, moving is not an option). Your help is appreciated. Thanks.
– lee –
Replies
Wow,
Rust after only 2 days. Are you applying paste wax?
I live on Maui, but I don't think that the conditions here are as humid as you must have. I cover every piece of equipment every day with plastic tarps, no exception. I apply paste wax frequently (maybe twice a month and every day that I use a particular machine heavily).
I wipe down every machine several times a week. It only takes a few minutes. I don't leave sawdust on surfaces - vacuum at the end of every work day and wipe machine tables. I have not had any rust in over 1 year.
Rich
Edited 9/4/2002 4:26:40 PM ET by Rich Rose
Rich,
I live in Daytona about 250 feet from the water. I clean my shop every night when I'm out there before I call it a day. I use a paste wax every day after I use my tools, and yet I still end up with little rust spots starting.
I am not in the shop every day, due to my work and travel schedule, so if I go out of town for a few days, when I come back, i have to get out the 3 in 1, and a little scrubby, and clean my table before using it. Maybe it is the wax, but it is what highland hardware in Atlanta suckered me into.
What a pain in the ####.
- lee -
What wax are you using? I use Johnson's. Do you cover your machines?
Rich
Rich,
I am using some fancy schmancy wax that a woodworking shop recommended. Not Johnsons, but they said this stuff was the Cadillac of waxes (this sucker is still being born again and again). Are you just using regular old Johnson's Paste wax? How often do you use your machines? No I do not cover them every night, I figured since they are in a enclosed garage, they don't need covering. What do you use to cover them?
- lee -
I use regular old Johnsons Paste wax out of the yellow can. Works fine lasts a long time!
I use some of my machines most every day, but some not at all for a week, and sometimes everything sits idle for 2-3 days. Once for 2 weeks while I was away.
Cover everything with plastic tarps every day.
Rich
Edited 9/4/2002 4:48:03 PM ET by Rich Rose
I'll try it. Thanks, and anyone else with any ideas will be appreciated as well.
- lee -
Lee:
I have had sucess with wax in the past. I do use Boeshield T-9 and Top-cote also. If Rich's idea doesn't work for Daytona, you might try. You are in a very high humidity area, especially now in the summer and that salt-air is a killer. I had a Toyoto Land Cruiser rust to the ground in 6 years when I lived close to beach in Tampa.
Both products are available pg. 81 of your current Highland Hardware catalog. If you're leaving town, you can spray the Boeshield on heavy. Get back and get ready to use, spray a fresh coat over it and wipe everything off throughly.
Try the wax first. I'm curious to see if that works. Let us know.
Good Luck..
sarge..jt
Just bought some T-9, and will try it after the Johnson's. Thanks for the advice.
- lee -
My guess is that you are sealing some mosture in with the wax. If I had that problem I would use a drying agent like alcohol (IPA not Coors) before waxing. On second thought the evaporation can cool the table and cause condensation. Even better warm the table up a bit with a hair dryer. Then apply your wax.
Good Luck
Viper,
Appreciate your thoughts;
1) Don't drink, so Coors never came to mind, but the humor is there ;-)
2) I have a small problem heating up the tablesaw, bandsaw, drill press, etc. do to time constraints. I will try a drying agent, as the idea of having some moisture there could be correct. Thanks again.
- lee -
I have a can of Simonize (sp?) in a yellow can that must date form the 70's at least. For 4 years I had a very wet basement in Pa, and only waxed about every 4 mos or so, did leave sawdust around, rarely vacuum the tops. No rust, even though in a heavy rain I would have standing water of about 1" on the floor. Fixed the old stone walls via a very fine and cheap Irish plasterer. 2 coats of cement. Dry as a bone now.
Lee,
I just give everything a spray of WD40 once in a while, let it sit for 5 minutes, then wipe off the excess with a rag.
Do you have a dehumidifier?
Jeff
Jeff,
I live in Florida, 250 feet from the water. Not to be a smart guy, but with just a garage door to keep out the moisture(which is open when I am in the shop), a dehumidifier seems kind of silly. The WD40 is a good idea though. Thanks.
- lee -
Go down to your local plastic molding house or mold builder and ask them for a can of mold saver. It will remove the moisture and seal the steel for a long time.
Joe Phillips
Plastics pay the bills, Woodworking keeps me sane!
What is a molding house, or mold builder? Pardon my lack of knowledge here but I have never heard of suck a thing. What do these folks do? Perhaps we call them something different here. Thanks.
- lee -
Lee,
Molders are companies that process plastic pellets into all of the plastic products we use today. Grab the yellow pages and look up "Plastics-Molders" or "Tool Makers". I just had a brain storm, scarry. You could try "Sta-Bil". It is the stuff you add to gasoline to stop corrosion when storing for long periods of time. You should be able to get it at the auto parts or hardware store.
Joe Phillips
Plastics pay the bills, Woodworking keeps me sane!
I just bought a dehumidifier for my new shop. I have taken about 7 gallons of water out of the air in 4 days. If it had gotten below the dew point I would have had alot of rust. It wasn't cheap, but I have expensive tools, lumber and veneers down, there so it probably is worth it.
Frank
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