Contact wood-steel

[Osvaldo Cristo]

It can be insulated case applying only for people in hot and with high humidity, but for ages I have a different experience I see frequently in the workshop experience for most people in the net.

I cannot maintain any steel tool in direct contact with the wood as in a short time the contact surface will oxidize (rust). Initially I guessed it could be related to the wood species we have locally for their resin properties, but after to use a very broad spectrum of different wood, several of them also available abroad, I do not think it is (only) wood species related, as I also included plywood and MDF.

If I let one steel sole plane on directly in a wood surface, it will rust after a couple of weeks. If well oiled or waxed, it will take more, perhaps four or six weeks.

If I create a simple wood fixture to support drill or router bits with holes to fit their rods, soon I will have severe oxidation to the point I cannot take them off from their place.

If I hang a table saw blade against a wood surface for storage, in an year or so, it will develop some point of oxidation - even for a never used blade with their teflon coating protection!

And so on. I had equally unpleased results with fixtures in wood I developed to organize and/or store several tools and accessories, like chisels, card scrappers, steel rules and squares,...

I cope with that avoiding a such contact: my planes rest on a couple of lay copper nails, so there is space between their sole and the wood surface beneath them. All tool cut surfaces are far away from wood, even when lubricated. For my sadness, I avoid to develop any tool organizer when wood-steel will contact (sometimes it is frustrating as wood for obvious reason is my preferred material to work).

Question: do you have similar nuisance? Any idea what is the primary reason for that?

[Richard Coers]

According to Wikipedia, your city is considered to be in a humid subtropical climate. Wood can have high acidity, steel can rust very easily, and with high humidity you have the perfect situation to develop what you are describing. VCI rust preventative paper can be your friend for protecting tools in your environment.

[Rafael Herrera]

You don't describe the weather where you live, but if it's hot and humid, that would explain your rust issues. Have you tried controlling the environment in your workshop? Or building storage cabinets where you can control the internal humidity with lamps and fans?

[Jim Koepke]

Some woods are more reactive than others. Ever try to pull a nail that has been in oak for a long time? The tannins react with the iron making it very difficult at best to remove the nail.

Wood absorbs and releases moisture with changes in humidity and weather.

Sometimes a good sealing coat of varnish can prevent problems. Other times one needs a moisture barrier such as a laminate like those used on countertops as a barrier.

If you have enclosed storage for your tools you may also want to consider heating methods like incandescent lamps or Goldenrod heaters. The Goldenrod heaters are used in gun cabinets and pianos to control moisture.

jtk

[Tom Bender]

A tool room with a dehumidifier may be helpful but will get warm inside as it puts the heat into the room. Do not insulate but be sure it is sealed. Metal construction would be best because it is easiest to seal and it will radiate heat.

An air conditioner would cool your tools and they would sweat when the room is opened. Not good.

Unfortunately an air conditioned shop is problematic in high humidity because it is difficult to keep humidity out and coolness in. Humidity will leak in and condense on everything especially metal.

[Osvaldo Cristo]

Thanks all for feedback. It looks there is no much things to change that situation in practical ways.

1. In the workshop the temperature is stable year around at 21 +/- 2 degree Celsius. I guess I have only some five days in the year with temperature outside that range. Very comfortable. I can get that stable conditions due to the local weather combined with the fact the workshop is in our basement, so the soil thermal inertia helps

2. RH on the other hand, presents a wider variation: in the shop it is around 30% to 70% according to the seasons

3. I have a lot of natural ventilation in the shop, so it is not practical to insulate the shop

4. It is strange as I do not have problems with rust if the metal isn´t in contact with wood. I have no problem with cast iron tables or tools when it isn´t in direct contact with any wood. I continue to think it is a little bit odd

5. I think I have to resign myself to avoid that contact steel-wood.

[John K Jordan]

4. It is strange as I do not have problems with rust if the metal isn´t in contact with wood. I have no problem with cast iron tables or tools when it isn´t in direct contact with any wood. I continue to think it is a little bit odd

Many species have high levels of tannin which can react to cause rust very quickly with just a little moisture or humidity. If I set a piece of wet, green oak on my bandsaw table it will begin to discolor and rust within minutes.

Sealing/painting the wood or using some kind of plastic covering should work.

[Keegan Shields]

Hi Osvaldo,

You might also consider keeping your planes and other metal tools in a closed tool cabinet with one or more rechargeable silica packs like these:

https://www.amazon.com/Wisesorb-Gram...0675107&sr=8-5

The silica beads absorb moisture from the air. These are often used in gun safes or in storage containers to lower the RH when the container is closed.

By placing them in the oven at a low temperature, you can release the moisture from the gel "recharging" them.

[John K Jordan]

Hi Osvaldo,

You might also consider keeping your planes and other metal tools in a closed tool cabinet with one or more rechargeable silica packs like these:

https://www.amazon.com/Wisesorb-Gram...0675107&sr=8-5
...

I use desiccant for several things, including preserving CA glue by keeping moisture away. It might be cheaper to buy in bulk - it could then be put in to a cloth bag and fit better into the storage area. This indicator desiccant is colored blue and turns pink so you know when it needs to be heated to recharge.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B013L31PQ0

I put it into small trays and heat it in a toaster oven until it's blue again.
Another way is to mix a little indicator desiccant with the generally cheaper non-indicator type. Just a scattering of the blue beads mixed in will track the moisture of the entire batch.

How I store CA glue. Lasts for years if kept dry:

CA_glue_storage_IMG_5481.jpg

JKJ

[George Yetka]

I would recommend a dehumidifier for the shop. But if your climate is overly humid when your projects come out of your shop you may get excessive movement. So then I would agree with above comments. My steel are all in drawers with large desiccant containers. The garage is dehumidified also. I make sure the Cast iron tops are all cleaned and recoated every other month with glidecoat. The steal is recoated with ballistol everytime they are sharpened. Oxidation is pretty much in check with these precautions

[Roger Feeley]

Maybe you could get some guitar fret material to do the work of your copper nails. It could wind up looking pretty good.