Cosmoline-removing & then protecting

[Phil Winn]

Now with the new tools…. some of the tools have the “older” (thicker) kinds of Cosmoline, while others have a “thinner” kind of Cosmoline; should Mineral Spirits or kerosene be used to remove it? If I remember, does WD-40 also remove it? Perhaps use the Kerosene/Mineral Spirits first, then a quick once over with WD-40? Or??? Then, what are “you alls” current thoughts on protecting the woodworking tools—especially tables, cast-iron etc? In the past I used good old Johnson’s Paste Wax-inexpensive and it worked well. What is the latest and greatest? The “T9”, or “Table-Top Lubricant”, or ?????

Thanks,
Phil

[Norman Hitt]

Phil, although all of those you mentioned will work, I, (along with many manufacturers) still use and recommend Kerosene. I just think it works the best, and is usually the cheapest as well, and it works on all the cosmoline or other protective coatings that I have ever seen. After the Kerosene, you really don't need to use anything else for the cleaning, just wipe it real dry with "Clean" cloths, let it set overnight and then wipe it again with more clean,dry cloths, then apply whichever Protectant coating you choose.

As to after cleaning protection, The T9 came out as having the longest/best protection by quite a margin, this past year in the "Wood Magazine" tests. Be advised though, that even after you apply a ""THIN"" coat and let it completely dry/harden, it is not as slick as some of the other brands, so SOME folks have, (after the T9 had dried completely), then waxed the tops to make them slicker.

Some folks have reported very good results just applying "Renassiance" Wax after the cleaning process, but I have not tried it. It IS more expensive than other waxes, but apparently takes a VERY Small amount to do the job, due to it's microscopically small particles that work themselves into the pores of the metal.

I have always used Johnsons paste wax, but either it doesn't work as well as it used to or something, because in the heat this summer, I have perspired a lot, and "Dripped" on the tools, and it seems to start eating "Deeply", almost immediately, so I just recently got some T9 and am trying it now, and keeping my fingers crossed that it will work. If it doesn't, I'm just about to the point of painting epoxy or something on the CI tables, as I'm tired of spending more time wiping off equipment or scrubbing with WD-40 and a Scotchbrite pad to get the rust off, than I am cutting wood.

[Vaughn McMillan]

...Then, what are “you alls” current thoughts on protestants for woodworking tools...
I agree with anyone who is for woodworking tools...Protestants, Catholics, Jews, Agnostics...pretty much everyone. :p

Sorry, I couldn't resist. I'm a word cop by profession. No insult whatsoever intended towards anyone listed above. ;)

- Vaughn

[Brent Smith]

I use kerosene to clean and then a VERY liberal application of Topcote to protect. Use alot more than the instructions say and leave it on for 5-10 minutes before buffing it out. My machines are in a fairly humid garage shop and I've had no rust problems using Topcote.

Brent

[Charlie Plesums]

When I finally found kerosene to clean off cosmolene, it was something like $6 per gallon. I doubt if I used a quart on a very large machine. Since diesel fuel is very similar to kerosene, if I were doing it again, I would get a quart of diesel fuel. An old paint brush is great to apply and work it in, then paper towels or rags to clean it off.

Kerosene leaves a tiny amount of lubricant - not enough to impact the wood - but enough to keep it from rusing until you can apply paste wax or other protection. An occasional drop of sweat doesn't eat through the wax, but I had to clean up after I left some green turning blanks on the jointer table overnight.

[Jim Becker]

Kero is my choice, too. And it's what the manufacturers recommend for the job. I don't know about its availablity in CA, but it certainly should be easy to find in MA...

[Steve Clardy]

Guess I'm the oddball. I use gas. Much quicker, dries. No oily film left.
Only one place around here to buy Kerosene. 25 miles away.

[Jim Becker]

Steve...and very dangerous...gasoline is very volitile...

[Steve Clardy]

Steve...and very dangerous...gasoline is very volitile...

I know. Worked with gas and diesel fuel most of my life. I did the greasy thing for 25 years, working on over-the-road trucks.
I usually drag whatever it is I'm cleaning out the back door. No fires in shop from wood stove, etc.;)

[Allen Bookout]

I agree with Steve. Since the late 1940s, when I started helping my Dad in the shop, we always used gasoline to clean heavy farm equipment parts. So did just about everyone else in Northwest Texas. As Steve said it dries fast with no residue and it cleans very fast. In all of these years I have never seen a gas explosion but I sure have seen some propane exposions. As a note, in most of those years everyone smoked as they worked. I think that as long as you do not use it in a totally enclosed area where the fumes can accumulate there is very little danger. You would certainly be able to smell the fumes before they reached an explosive state. I am not telling you to go out and do it, but if I really want a clean surface and do not mind a little ventilation and want to do the job quickly and totally, it is the best option for me.

If you are in an enclosed shop with no ventilation, that is another story.

[Keith Foster]

I just squirt my new tools with plain old everyday yellow and blue bottle lighter fluid. Takes very little, cleans instantly, and evaporates with no residue. Follow up with a shot of WD-40 and keep 'em covered when not in use. No issues to date - and I live in a VERY HUMID area (90% humidity is quite common).

Whoops, almost forgot the disclaimers.
DO NOT SQUIRT LIGHTER FLUID IN TO A RUNNING ELECTRIC MOTOR.
DO NOT DRINK FROM THE YELLOW AND BLUE BOTTLE.
DO NOT LOOK INTO THE SQUIRT NOZZEL OF THE BOTTLE WHILE SQUEEZING.
DO NOT SMOKE WHILE CLEANING YOUR MACHINES.
DO NOT ALLOW THE DOG TO LICK YOUR TABLE SAW WHILE IT IS RUNNING.
DO NOT YADA YADA YADA.... :rolleyes:

Do use common sense when working with any cleaning fluid. If you have no common sense, then get out of woodworking while you still have all of your appendages. That way you won't need to worry about blowing yourself up or setting the house on fire while cleaning tools. :cool:

[Allen Bookout]

That is excellent Keith!!! Wish that I was clever enough to have added those disclamiers in my post. Allen

[Norman Hitt]

An occasional drop of sweat doesn't eat through the wax, but I had to clean up after I left some green turning blanks on the jointer table overnight.

I have to Respectfully Disagree with you on this one, Charlie. Either your wax is MUCH better than mine, OR, we're not sweating the same kind of SALT. :D

I have never had this problem until the last year and a half, even though I've gotten sweat on the tools many times over the years, and the machines are well coated with the wax, but if I miss one TINY drop of sweat, the rust is started in less than 2 hours, and within 24 hours a small Pit is eaten into the CI. I have used ALL my old Tricks, but it has been Extremely Frustrating.

[Andrew Ault]

I've found that Goof Off works amazingly well. It only takes a small amount and instantly wipes the stuff off. I have no idea where I could buy kerosene in San Diego.

Top Cote works just great. I want to try some of that Renaissance Wax, it sounds great.

I find that sweat doesn't affect the Top Coted CI, but it makes white oak turn dark grey...though even I don't sweat enough to stain a whole project iniformly...

[James Ayars]

I use kerosene to remove cosmoline from tools and guns(I collect old military rifles). just about every gas station around here, Southern Pines NC, sells Kerosene. The price is roughly the same as gasoline.

[Jeff A. Smith]

Kero worked great for the old kind of cosmoline. The new "hard" stuff like they coated my last Mini-Max machine with... kero wouldn't cut it -- used Mineral Spirits. Tried gasoline, but MS worked better.

Anyone else see that new, thin, sticky-like-tape coating?

Jeff Smith
Athens, AL

[Charlie Plesums]

I have to Respectfully Disagree with you on this one, Charlie. Either your wax is MUCH better than mine, OR, we're not sweating the same kind of SALT. :D
Must be scotch takes the salt out of the next day's sweat or something:rolleyes:

Most lighter fluid is Naptha, which is a convenient solvent to have around the shop, can be used to thin oil paints, and is a great solvent for those @!$@# stickly labels the stores use.

[Norman Hitt]

[QUOTE=Charlie Plesums]Must be scotch takes the salt out of the next day's sweat or something:rolleyes: QUOTE]


Ahaah.................I think you may have hit on the problem, Charlie. I never had that problem while I was trying to "corner the mkt" on Scotch Drinking all those years, and it only showed up after I had to give up eating and drinking Anything that was tasty, (and Scotch was in that list). :D (Maybe I just need to pour a little Scotch in the WAX. :rolleyes:

[Larry Norton]

I actually found gallon cans of kero in either HD or Lowes. It was where the paint thinner and mineral spirits are.

[Frank Pellow]

I used kerosene to remove the gunk and it has always worked well. Then, I have used either paste wax or TopCote to protect the surface and they have both worked well.