How do you maintain your tools and equipment?

[Charlie Watson]

I'm just curious how all of you maintain the surfaces of your tools and equipment? What products do you use, how often do you perform maintenance on them? Not talking about calibration or alignment, just lubrication (where applicable) and maintenance of surfaces. Thanks!

[Rich Riddle]

I apply a paste wax to the unfinished surfaces about every for to six weeks, especially during cold and damp seasons. On most parts that require lubrication, I use white lithium grease.

[Tom Walz]

I like EZE LAP or DMT Dia Sharp diamond hones to keep an edge on steel.

Otherwise; clean, dry and stored to protect the edges.

Tom

[Jim Foster]

For the surfaces, the best thing I've done is keep the relative humidity below somewhere around 53%. No rust in the years since doing so.

[Gregory King]

Top Coat product and tons of WD-40. Greg

[Rich Riddle]

For the surfaces, the best thing I've done is keep the relative humidity below somewhere around 53%. No rust in the years since doing so.
That would be great; unfortunately some of us have to share our shop with automobiles and live in wet climates.

[John Donofrio]

Cast iron/polished surfaces: Johnson's paste wax and/or renaissance wax
Moving parts: 3 in 1, dry lubricant (no silicone!, something like this (http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-202532762/h_d2/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&keyword=dry+lubricant&storeId=10051#.UQgH6fL9qTA)), wd-40, or some combination

I sometimes use boeshield t-9 for either of the above

The frequency is basically when I feel a surface losing it's slipperiness or just when I'm in between major tasks.

[Charles Wiggins]

Johnson's Paste Wax. I don't have a regular regimen because I don't get into the shop regularly but you can tell when it is wearing off if you pay attention. The areas with the most use start to look duller and it takes more effort to move the wood across the surface.

[Jim Foster]

I do too, I keep a cheap digital thermometer with a relative humidity sensor in my shop. In the Summer I turn a window mounted AC unit on when needed. In the Winter, a Dehumidifier. I'm in MA, where we have very high humidity for about six weeks in the summer, then the rest of the year it will spike for a day or so every now an then with the weather.


That would be great; unfortunately some of us have to share our shop with automobiles and live in wet climates.

[Rich Riddle]

I do too, I keep a cheap digital thermometer with a relative humidity sensor in my shop. In the Summer I turn a window mounted AC unit on when needed. In the Winter, a Dehumidifier. I'm in MA, where we have very high humidity for about six weeks in the summer, then the rest of the year it will spike for a day or so every now an then with the weather.
I have thought about a dehumidifier but it seemed impractical in a space where the garage door opens and closes several times daily. They still work well in that type of environment? Cincinnati is a merciless climate for humidity.

[Jim Foster]

I have an old, small fairly cheap unit. It's not great and I think it uses a lot of electricity, but it woks for it's purpose. I have a room above the garage, that's open to the garage, and the humidity usually matches the garage pretty well. Whenever my digital thermometer ($5.00 from HD) reads above 50%, I turn the dehumidifier on if it's not AC season. Not a perfect scenario, but it's kept me rust free for almost 5 yrs now. Also, I have a hose on the catchbasin of the dehumidifier, so it will run unattended.


I have thought about a dehumidifier but it seemed impractical in a space where the garage door opens and closes several times daily. They still work well in that type of environment? Cincinnati is a merciless climate for humidity.

[John Piwaron]

I tremble when I read about shops located in places where humidity is a real unrelenting problem. Either a locale like Cincinnati, or even no farther than a garage.

Mine is in the basement of my residence and I'm fortunate at being able to control the indoor climate. Around 50% RH. Sometimes more, but then I know to turn the dehumidifier on. The surfaces (tablesaw, jointer) - not much. If I see any rust, a bit of fine sandpaper. That's pretty much it. Maybe I ought to be doing more. Chisels, turning tools - edges are protected. No bumping into each other or anything else. Curiously, the chisels are more likely to show rust than the saw or jointer. Turning tools - never saw rust on them. They also live in a purpose built cabinet.

[Chris Fite]

I use Johnson Paste Wax on everything. Boeshield on table saw blades. Lubrication grease where indicated, light machine oil where needed. The humidity level in my heated shop runs around 25%. The rest of the year, whatever humidity happens to blow in the open door and windows. I imagine that humidity gets right high in the summer in South Carolina, but it does not seem to be a problem.

Chris

[Mike Heidrick]

Cast iron/polished surfaces: Johnson's paste wax and/or renaissance wax
Moving parts: 3 in 1, dry lubricant (no silicone!, something like this (http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-202532762/h_d2/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&keyword=dry+lubricant&storeId=10051#.UQgH6fL9qTA)), wd-40, or some combination

I sometimes use boeshield t-9 for either of the above

The frequency is basically when I feel a surface losing it's slipperiness or just when I'm in between major tasks.

+1................

[Jim Tabor]

Had a bottle of granite polish left after I sold my Ridgid granite top table saw and replaced it with a Grizzly 1023RL. Put some on the new saw, nice, very very nice.

[glenn bradley]

Johnson's Paste Wax has kept me slippery and rust free for years. A can lasts a long time applying per the directions.

[Joe Mioux]

Boeshield.

[Jim Andrew]

I cleaned up my table tops today, and applied Boeshield. Doesn't take a lot, lasts a long time. My tops had glue spots on them. My granddaughters like to work in my shop. They use glue to hold things together, and crayons for finish.

[Andy Pratt]

I use boeshield a few times a year. I have a dehumidifier now and so i only do it when I start noticing the beginnings of rust anywhere (usually every 6 months). When I was in a more humid climate without a dehumidifier I couldn't leave the surfaces uncoated for a week without boeshield, and could leave them for 3 months (in actual use during that time) with it, so I would recommend it as a great product. One can of t-9 has lasted me over 5 years of doing tablesaw, jointer, drill press, mortiser and bandsaw tables, so it goes a long way. The rust remover that comes with it is amazing, if you happen to have a really bad rust spot it will return it to almost like-new condition.

[Rick Lizek]

Paste wax, Sprayway, Slipit on jointer, planer bed, table saw surface as soon as it gets grabby. Could be every half hour on the jointer and planer bed. A grabby, sticky surface is dangerous.

[Charlie Watson]

lots of consistency in how tools are cared for which is great. Thanks all for your input!!

[phil harold]

Paste wax, Sprayway, Slipit on jointer, planer bed, table saw surface as soon as it gets grabby. Could be every half hour on the jointer and planer bed. A grabby, sticky surface is dangerous.
I love my slipit too
I apply multiple times in a day or week depending on use

also use a small airconditoner in a window

[David Hostetler]

Not sure the specific formulation, but any areas that need lubrication, get CRC dry lube stuff. Unless of course otherwise specified by the MFG, then I go with the recommendations of the manufacturer...

Cast iron, wood, and aluminum surfaces such as tool tables, bench tops etc... get rubbed down periodically with paste wax.

Wood to wood sliding surfaces get a periodic rub down with bees wax. I got a soap bar sized block of the stuff at the Renaissance Festival last year, and REALLY like this one over the small sticks I was getting at Woodcraft previously. The Ren Fest bar seems like, well more like honest to goodness bees wax, the woodcraft / commercial sticks honestly always seemed more like paraffin, and things tended to stick more...

When I can, my cast iron surfaces get covered with an old T shirt to keep debris off, but allow it to breathe. This is not always possible.. I would NOT recommend this for long term storage though as cotton can hold moisture in against surfaces causing rust...