I’ve done a search but haven’t found a really solid discussion of the various major candidates. What I’ve seen mentioned here and elsewhere: CorrosionX, Boeshield T-9, TopCote, and paste wax.
CorrosionX sounds the best, mostly because I’ve not found any actual criticisms of it. Still, if it’s so great and has been around for a few years, why hasn’t it sold barrels and barrels and become the market leader?
Boeshield T-9 gets good reviews generally, but there are naysayers. The primary criticism seems to be that the stuff forms a rather sticky, greasy coating which interferes with use of tools like the jointer, saw, etc.
TopCote I’ve not seen any actual denigration of, except for a few folks who say “I’ve used that stuff and still got rust.” It’s hard to tell if that’s a product fault or a usage fault, without more data.
Paste wax I’ve seen supported mostly by folks who say “I wax, I have no rust, so it’s great.” The downside I’ve seen reported is that wax is perhaps the most prone of these products to allow penetration of moisture, particularly if the wax is not reapplied after working with the machines.
What I’m trying to ask is, are there any other criticisms and/or head-to-head comparisons you folks are aware of? Any dispute with the statements I made above?
Thanks for any input…
Replies
I live in Hawaii and all I can say is rust never sleeps. We deal with it here......all the time. I use light oil or WD40 with 220 sandpaper and then wax. You still have to redo every so often because of the aforementioned never sleeping. Its just like taking a bath or shaving or washing your clothes. aloha, mike
Have you tried any of the other approaches and found, through experience, that the wax solution was better?
I tried Boeshield. It was more work and did not last long enough. Topcote works for slickening the surface but didnt stop the rust at all. WD40 and paste wax were as much work as any of it and lasted the longest. aloha, mike
Hi Vulcan:
I use a light coating of oil (3 in 1) wiped on tools and paste wax on machine surfaces. That seems to do a pretty good job. The slick surface also helps the wood slide easier.
Good luck,
Dennis
I also use wax (not that rust is a really major problem here in Canberra, I used to live in Townsville). The only problem I have had is that any wax on plane irons or chisels seems to transfer to diamond sharpening plates and clog them pretty quickly. The solution was to include a small quantity of dishwashing detergent in a suace squeeze bottle of water to lubricate the stones with. This has been a great way to keept the plate clean and cutting well.
David
Vulcan666;
I live in Mid-Michigan, fairly humid here. I've have found talc to be the best/cheapest solution. Take some, dump it on the surface, and pack it in with a chalk board eraser. Works great!
Jim
Where do you get your talc? Thanks, -robert
I had a problem with rust, but since I started using a boeshield/ paste wax combo, I have not had any more problems. I spray all my machine surfaces with the boeshield, wipe it evenly onto all the top surfaces, wait 20 minutes, wipe off any undried excess, then go over everthing with a wax. I havent had any problems since doing this routine. Another thing I always make sure to do is wipe all the wood chips off of the surfaces when done for the night. As far as the sticky part of the boeshield, I dont have the can right here with me, but it says it leaves a wax or wax like substance behind, and I know it does buff out nice and smooth just like a paste wax. Shane
Went the Boshield route, used can after can and still got some small rust spots. Saw an ad for Corrosion X and decided to give it a try. I have used it twice on my PM66 top, and have recently started to use talc rubbed in with an eraser. Still no rust. I think I have found a good combo. Just my two abes.
Robert;
Sorry to be so slow getting back to you, urgent family business got in the way. Anyway, I use Meijer's [generic] baby powder. Before I have used Johnson/Johnson and even talc from a billiard store.
I know the nay sawyers will come out of the woodwork on this one but ingredients are listed as talc/fragrance. You can not beat the convince of buying at the grocery store. Price is right also.
I use the blackboard eraser and pack the pores every two to three months. The only cast iron rust I have can only be blamed on me. I only heat my shop when I am in it and that is only two or the times per week. I do not have a dehumidifier either.
I hope this helps.
Regards,
Jim
Jim
I live in Little Rock where the humidity is high. LPS 3 seems to work best for me; however, it leaves a waxie film. On my machine tool surfaces, I normally leave a light coat of oil. In metal work that is not a problem. On my woodworking tools I use paste wax. For long term storage, I like the LPS product. I also use the LPS 3 on accessories such as chucks, rotary tables, and various other fixtures.
Good Luck
Grits
Thanks, Jim! I did a quick check at my local store and saw only cornstarch based ingredients. This is very helpful.
-robert
I'm in eastern Canada working out of a garage workshop and although it is moderately heated during winter to keep moisture down, I still get a fair amount of humidity during winter and summer.
I'm using TopCote on a regular basis on my TS and jointer and have not had any recurrence of rust. I reapply after each major job or if I'm not using any of them for an extended period of time (like that is ever possible!).
Boeshield T-9 really works. I coat all my tabletops, (B/S, T/S, HCM, Jointer), when I'm not planning to use them for awhile, which is all summer here in humid Houston.
There are two options for dealing with the tackiness. You can apply a coat of wax right on top of it and buff it out.. or you can remove it with a mineral spirit wipe down.
Nothing I have tried works like B T-9.
particularly if the wax is not reapplied after working with the machines.
Gee I bet ya put your tools away dirty too!
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