Oh No. Rust!

[Jeff Kerr]

Well. I decided to do a little work in the shop today and discovered that both my jointer and tablesaw tops are developing rust.

So here's my question. What do you use to protect your surfaces from rust? And what do you use to clean rust off?

I have used Boshield T-9 in the past but I am all out. I have some Bostik Topcoat but I am not sure that it is the right tool for the job.

Thanks for all the help.

[Craig D Peltier]

Im also curious about my TS cast iron table if it needs coating.Nothing in the book says so, and my thought are you dont want oily substances on your wood, but seems logical to have something on it. Smeone here will know for sure.

[Jim Becker]

I just use simple paste wax...it happens to be Minwax brand 'cause it's been in the cabinet for years. If I were buying new, I'd likely use S C Johnson paste wax. I've not found a need for anything else and re-apply about twice a year. I've never had rust to-date.

[glenn bradley]

In SoCal, Johnson's Wax and regular use seem to do the trick. Some inherited stuff that had traces of rust I restored with 400 - 600 grit paper and a light machine oil.

I have an old plane of grandpas that has it bad. I assume electro-therapy is due for that guy. I did read something about a guy who used a wet towel and the electrolysis method to clean up his saw top. The towel method isn't here but the general method is:

http://antique-engines.com/electrol.asp

[Pete Brown]

The thing that has helped the most with rust in my shop is not wax or T-9 or anything like that. It's a fan that I have always on in there now. It circulates enough air in there to help keep the ambient moisture from settling.

For extra protection, especially during the humid summer, I have tool covers for my tablesaw, jointer and bandsaw. I put them on every night that I leave the shop.

Pete

PS. Always clean the sawdust off at the end of each working day. Sawdust holds moisture. Also do not leave any wood on the cast iron.

[Joe Mioux]

this reminds me.....

Does Turtle Car Wax, have silicone in it? I can't seem to find it on the label and I think in an old issue of FWW, they used Turtle Wax in a rust prevention article.

Just curious.

Joe

[Ralph Dobbertin]

I use a product called "topcoat" and get mine from lee valley. Works very well.

[John Miliunas]

The thing that has helped the most with rust in my shop is not wax or T-9 or anything like that. It's a fan that I have always on in there now. It circulates enough air in there to help keep the ambient moisture from settling.
Pete

PS. Always clean the sawdust off at the end of each working day. Sawdust holds moisture. Also do not leave any wood on the cast iron.

110% with Pete on this one. Learned that little trick from a mechanic friend of mine years ago. I've had some sort of fan running in my shops 24x7 for the last 13 years or so. I still use silicone-free paste wax on all my big cast iron surfaces but, that's more for the "slide-ability" than anything else. :) :cool:

[John Keane]

Removing and preventing rust on Machinery. Go to Taunton.com/finewoodworking/pages/w00183.asp (dtd 5/17/2006). It states to remove rust " use a rubber sanding block and some 400 grit wet/dry sandpaper or fine grit steel wool. Wear rubber gloves and use a small amount of mineral spirits. Keep doing until all of the wax and rust is removed". FWW suggests then coating with a liberal coat of Topcoat. I have done this on my Unisaw and jointer and have nice clean shiny cast iron. . If you have a problem getting this article, then come back to me. Good Luck

[David G Baker]

I use 400 grit wet/dry sand paper on a rubber sanding block, wipe with a clean terry cloth towel and add Minwax furniture paste wax. Keeps the cast iron in great shape. I have read that car wax probably has silicone in it so I have avoided it.
David B

[Dave Lehnert]

Been using past wax for years with great results. Past wax is made to withstand foot traffic on wood floors so it holds up good. Car wax will not hold up as long and will not be as slick on a saw top as past wax.

[Paul Simmel]

My machines were all in storage for over a year… lots of rust as in the surfaces needed to be restored.

Brought them back to new with single-edged razors mounted in one of those flip out scraper-like thingies, mineral spirits, and a cup wire brush attached to a drill.

The razor got more than 90% of the rust off… quickly.

Wipe the top/s down with mineral spirits.

Wire cup finished it off.

Paste wax.

I did the fan thing for years. Now I paste wax… best ever.

[Russ Massery]

Another vote for paste wax. Boeshield, and the rest didn't work for me. Paste wax is cheaper.:D

[Jim Becker]

Does Turtle Car Wax, have silicone in it? I

I would suggest avoiding automotive wax just on the basis it MIGHT have silicone or other undesirable additives in it. Simple furniture paste wax such as SC Johnson Wax is the best bet...and you can use it on the furniture, too... ;)

[Matt Meiser]

Most stores have the Johnson's Paste Wax by the cleaning products if you are having trouble finding it.

[Eddie Darby]

Buy some more Boeshield T-9.:D

I soak heavily rusted parts in Boeshield and the rust is removed nicely. I then buff out the Boeshield and put on a coat of Top Coat, and buff that out. This is the best rust removal/prevention that I have run across.

[Craig D Peltier]

I just used some mineral spirits and grade #0000 steel wool.It cleaned up nice with little effort.Off to get paste this afternoon.
Thanks

[glenn bradley]

On the subject of paste was; my dad picked up some wax at my suggestion but got floor wax . . . it was a paste but with a 'non-slip' additive. This was the opposite effect we were after. Plain old Johnson's paste wax will do ya.

[Michael Marcinelli]

isn't there a concern over getting wax on the wood you process, especially if it's finish pieces?

[Brian Weick]

I just use simple paste wax...it happens to be Minwax brand 'cause it's been in the cabinet for years. If I were buying new, I'd likely use S C Johnson paste wax. I've not found a need for anything else and re-apply about twice a year. I've never had rust to-date.

I agree with jim. I use this on all my exposed metal parts on my machinery , heat it up just enough so the wax melts as I rub- then polish- it works very well!

[Brian Weick]

you don't leave it on field surfaces - work it in wipe it down-polish and your as good as new- I have never had run off onto wood.
Brian

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

Does Turtle Car Wax, have silicone in it?
Yah it sure does. Most all of 'em do.

What to use:
Wax. Plain old Butchers or Jonsons wax will do.

I bought a can of that Rennisanse wax. Oh Boy I was going to have the bestest stuff ~!!
All it is - seriously - all that stuff is is some solvent, microcrystaline wax and mostly parrifin. I was surprised.. I make my wood drawers slide like crazy by heating parrifin till it melts and putting enough mineral spirits in till I get a nice semi paste consistency when cool. I apply it hot to get it to penetrate some.
Once some years back I got a chunk of Microcrystaline wax as an industrial sample and that stuff was Da Bomb.

[Greg Cole]

In the mid west the humidity can be as high as the temperature in the summer... 90's +. After accumulating some cast iron in the shop I also placed a dehumidifier in there as well.... no chances taken.
And paste wax for the extra protection and "slide-a-bility".

Greg

[Ted Miller]

I use Teflon Car wax, lasts a long time no matter what type of wood you are passing over and will not affect finish, stay away from spray on car wax since it will have silicone in it. For rust try scotch brites, green,red or white depending on the amount of rust with some brasso, then apply teflon wax. Steel wool is a drag since pieces will fall into cracks and then rust...

[Greg Ladd]

Another Boeshield T-9 fan here. One of the woodworking magazines had a test of various surface treatments awhile back. I believe that the Boeshield T-9 product was by far the superior product in regards to rust prevention by a large margin. Maybe someone else can remember where that article was.

I have used T-9 for over 10 years and had never had any rust other than when my wife over filled the tub in the master bath, which is directly above my basement shop. Free standing water on cast iron doesn't work well, especially when it lays there for a few days. She didn't think I needed to know about a little water as 'she cleaned up all of the water on bathroom floor.'

I have also had my basement flood with a couple inches of water and have yet to get even a hint of rust on any of my T-9 protected surfaces.

I put some on every year or two. Once in awhile I rub some wax paper across the tops just too make everything real slick. Cheap, easy and real fast.

Greg

[Ed Frie]

What they all said.

Just wondering, if you are like me, my shop has a slab concrete floor that, like any garage floor, will sweat like the dickens in spring, although I have never seen a dickens before, much less one perspiring.

I put down heavy plastic, 2x4 sleepers on their side, rigid foam in between and 3/4 T&G plywood screwed down. I insulated the walls and vapor barriered them. A day's project for each stage. In 5 years, the shop is dry as dust no matter what time of the year and no rust, even when the temp is allowed to drop below zero between visits to the work out there.

I'm just saying.:)

[Kurt Forbes]

we really need a sticky thread.
it could be sticky because of all of the rust.
I think I will search through the last 6 times I have posted about rust removial here liveing on salt water and just repost that.

[Jeff Kerr]

This has been a great thread.

I asked the LOML to pick up a tin of Johnson's Paste Wax when she went to the grocery this week and low and behold our local kroger didn't have any.

I checked SC Johnson's website and they list it as a product that is "hard to find" (their words) and that I can order it in bulk.

Thought that was kinda funny.

[Roy Harding]

I just use parafin wax. You can get it in the grocery store.

The wax is more for "slidability" than anything else - but I've never had a rust problem - and I live and work in the Coastal Rain Forest of British Columbia (LOTs of moisture here!)

[Ed Kilburn]

I use Topcote for the sliding action, but it failed to keep my machines from rust. Now I have a major job of cleaning everything up. Other years I used spray on grease, and cleaned it in the spring, as my shop isn't heated. From this thread it looks like Johnson's Paste Wax is the ticket. BTW I found it on ACE Hardware site. http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1420111

[Rob Franz]

Lowes.com and my local Lowes has Johnsons Paste Wax in stock $4.98 a 16oz can.

Same stuff?

Rob

[Randy Dutkiewicz]

SC Johnson's paste wax. Used it for years and works great! Another absolutely great product is found at the following website:

http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/index.asp?PageAction=PRODSEARCH&txtSearch=rust+eraser&btnSearch=GO&Page=1


79674

If you want your cast iron tops to look like "factory new", then use these occasionally and follow up with the SC Johnson's paste wax. Phenomenal! Great for removing rust and to maintain a shiny new surface...trust me!:)

[Bill Bryant]

CorrosionX

[Dave Lehnert]

Here is a great 1/2 hour video put on by Shopsmith on how to prevent and remover rust on tools.

http://www.shopsmithacademy.com/SS_Archives/SS114/SS114_Rust_Removal.htm

[Karl Brogger]

ZEP has a teflon spray called Zepalon. It is way slicker than the Bostick Top Coat. I don't know if it protects, but it makes it slick. I hit all the working surfaces about every two weeks in the summer with Mothers chrome polish to get any corrosion off. Most of the time it is from sweaty hands touching the bare metal.

[Carl Fox]

I just soak it with WD40 for an hour. Wipe it off with a paper towel. Then I soak up the excess with sawdust.:rolleyes:

[Thomas Williams]

I am gong to throw in my "me too" on the Johnson's paste wax. If I have to remove a trouble spot I use Bio Shield rust remover, green Scotch Brite and elbow grease. Then 2 or 3 coats of the Johnson's paste was. Being in the same climate as Jeff, the paste wax has worked very well.
I can find the Johnson's locally at Walmart, Ace and True Value hardware stores.

[Eric Lewis]

I also live in the Midwest and just spent the afternoon removing some of the surface rust left by my sweating table saw top in an unheated detached garage.

Does anyone have a suggestion for a cover that would keep the sweat from accumulating on the table top? I used a thick cotton blanket but it seemed to just absorb the moisture and make matters worse. Would a plastic cover do the trick? Or should I just plan on a day of spring rust removal every year?

Note - heating the garage won't fly with the LOML.