50 dollar DJ-15/ REALLY RUSTY

[Jonathan Brophy]

Hello all! I am new to this forum, but a frequent visitor of lumberjocks, and want to get as much help as possible.

I recently purchased a DJ-15 for $50 of an old woodworker trying to get rid of it. It was sitting in his front yard, and looks as if it had been for a long while. When i got it home, i found several wasps nest under the infeed bed(still alive)!

Anyway, I am a beginning woodworker and would love to get this up and running (it's my first jointer) and nice and clean. (already converted to 115 v)

So far, I have run the motor and the cutter head, and they run rather quite, so I am not concerned about bearings.

My main concern is the rust and pitting on the ways, fence, and the cabinet.
Scotch brite pads aren't working very well, as most of this rust is pretty deep. I've used wd-40, goo gone, bar keepers friend, all with scotch brite pads or razors.
I want a nice looking tool, a lot of the top is black and its difficult to tell the rust apart from the carbon(?).
I saw DjFalkners post on restoring his dj-15, and i want to wet sand mine as well, but i am afraid of throwing the ways out of square.

What should I do?
Below are several pics of my progress.

Before any work:
359607
359604
359605
359606
359608

After scrubbing (and removing old masking tape from fence)
359609
359610
359611

[Jonathan Brophy]

Here are the rest of the after pics:
359612359613359614

[Geoff Crimmins]

It looks like a pretty nice machine for the price. A wire wheel, Evaporust, electrolysis, and even bead blasting can help clean up a machine like this. You might joint the owwm.org forum and search the archives for mor information. While it may look pretty rough right now, it's something can can be cleaned up and restored so it looks and works like new if you want want to put the work into it.

--Geoff

[Larry Edgerton]

Good machine, well worth the time it will take to rehab. One piece at a time........

[Matt Day]

Razor blade as much as you can. Then Put that scotch brite pad under an angle grinder with a wire cup wheel and have at it. Work through the grits. Should clean it up pretty good.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?224326-keeping-cast-iron-Machine-tops-clean-the-easy-way

http://www.woodcentral.com/woodworking/forum/archives_turning.pl/bid/2108/md/read/id/178012/sbj/scotchbrite-ratings/

[Jeff Duncan]

Yup, take your time and one step at a time..... though I might suggest reversing your priorities. Bearings, (cutterhead and motor), should be replaced whether quiet or not, pretty unlikely they'll be in great shape with that kind of abuse and far more important than a pretty table. Realistically your never going to get it to look like new, but it doesn't need to. Get the rust off and clean it as much as your comfortable with. I'm thinking a bit of careful sanding will clean up the tables enough for use. The pitting is too deep and I doubt you'd get it out without grinding, which unless you could get it done by a friend for free is not likely to be worth it. But as long as the surfaces are flat and true, the pitting is not going to bother the lumber going over them;)

good luck,
JeffD

[Don Jarvie]

Get a copy of the manual online and take it apart completely. Gets some plastic bags and mark what's in them, ex cutter head screws, gib screws, etc. take tons of pictures complete and as you break it down so you have something to reference.

Put a wire wheel on your grinder (buy a buffer at Harbor Freight with a course and fine wire wheel) and clean every bolt, nut, etc. Scrape and sand all of the rust off the jointer and buy some paint and repainted it. Get a new belt and knives and out it back together. It will look and work like its new.

As Matt said join OWWM if you haven't and there is plently of info on restorations. Don't be scared of messing it up since they are very simple machines.

Dont be too concerned about hitting the tables with a wire wheel to get the rust off. You really have to try to grind away the top to screw it up. Even if you have a slight divot it won't affect a board unless you divot the whole table.

[Jonathan Brophy]

Thanks for the replies guys!
I was given the original manual with the machine(crazy right?)
also, the prices on new cutterheads scare me more than the jointer does!
I really dont have much money to replace part right now, but can replace them over time.
I already wire wheeled the whole bed, and it still is this bad.
What do you guys think about wet sanding?

[Mike Cutler]

What do you guys think about wet sanding?

Not unless you're really, really, good at it. You could easily sand it "out of flat".
I know that you want it to look nice, but don't set your sights on showroom new unless you're wiling to invest in machine shop work. Get the rust off, which takes time for the chemicals to work and elbow grease. See where you're at for flatness of tables and the ability to adjust everything to co-planer on the beds, and a right angle at the fence. A jointer is a very simple machine. Flat, and square, are the most important aspects.

Why do you think you need a new cutterhead?

[Bill Dufour]

Disasemble as much as you can then submerge parts in water and edta for a day or two then wash off the rust with a pressure washer or scrub brush. Oil imediately to stop flash rust. Do not use sandpaper, scrotch brite etc or surfaces will no longer be flat.
I use a old plastic salt tank from water softener as my dip tank. I also used a Rubbermaid stock trough for a big job.
Bill D.

EDTA and water is the same as evoporust at about 1/20 the cost. Rust removed will be about equal inweight to the EDTA used up. EDTA is a few dollars per pound, water is free.

[Keith Hankins]

Oh man what a freakin steal of a deal you got! That rust ain't nothing to deal with. If it were me, I'd work on the top and get that clear. Bunches of ways to clear that. I'd wire wheel it first to get the loose stuff off, and then use some chemicals to get the rest off, many rust off options out there. I always liked naval jelly. Stinks and better use gloves due to caustic nature, but gets it done.

Plan on replacing the bearings on the head. If you have a battery charger use electrolisis to remove the rust. I do that all the time and it works great! Watch this vid.

https://youtu.be/54ADeB6V1rQ

The motor could be a chore, but just work at it and if all else fails see if you have any motor repair places are around locally or replace it.

Again what a steal man, you a luck dude.

[Larry Edgerton]

Do some digging on the bearings for the head. If they are the same ones that is used on the DJ20 I have a new set that I will send you to get you on your way.

Would not worry about the motor until it is a problem, if its not broke don't fix it.

[Andrew Gibson]

If that's what it looks like after spending time in a front yard, you must live somewhere pretty darn dry!
Here in FL it would look like it went down with the Titanic. Nice Score, she will clean up nice.

[Mark Wooden]

Use a razor blade scraper for the rust-DRY. WD or chemicals just lubricate the edge and it won't scrape the rust up. Wear a mask or respirator. Afterwards,, clean with a scotchbrite with some Evaporust for a while, rinse with water, dry and wipe down with some wax on steel wool. Polish when dry.
The razor blades will need to be changed frequently, I'd say you'll go through about a dozen.

[Jim Andrew]

I would clean up the base and repaint it, maybe repaint the painted areas on the jointer itself, but just buff the machine as clean as possible and use it. Careful about using a wire brush on a grinder, as those wires break off and can fly into your eye. A friend had that happen, and he lost most of the sight in that eye and had at least 2 surgeries on it. He said the pain was undescribable.

[Jonathan Brophy]

Wow thanks guys for the support!
@Andrew Gibson I live in FL! Didn't realize I was that lucky!

Ok, so the plan is

1) clean up ways with razor blades, then scothbrite as much as possible
2) replace cutter head/bearings ( he gave me an extra cutter head as well, both rusty)
3)grind and repaint secondary areas ( cabinet, fence back, etc)
4)?
5) Become king of the world

[Matt Day]

4) Align beds and cutter head and blades
A good straightedge (or 2), dual indicator, and feller gauges are needed.

Good luck with 5)!

For the paint stripping, I've had good luck with Norton Rapid Strip.