taking care of wood working tools

Huntindave McCann

Huntindave McCann

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Hi guys,

Quick question for the brain trust, tips and technics to reduce rust issues on table tops of power tools?

I do not have an environmentally controlled work space. I try to keep my steel table tops rust free, but it can be challenging at times. I do have and use a hard wax bar (carnauba wax) to seal the surface. This does work well, but is time consuming to apply and polish out, has to be applied more often than I do and I don't always have it on hand (not available locally)

I am wondering if "Rainex " for auto glass would be an option? Rainex is essentially a polish for glass, seems like it would seal the pores of the steel and polish up the same on steel as it does the glass. Anybody already tried it? results pro or con? Obviously concerned about preventing/reducing rust but also worried about transfer and contamination of the surface of any wood run across the tool top.

Any other suggestions on what to use?



 
Dave,

RainX has two ingredients that help it do the job it was intended for. An agent that helps it bind to glass and a silicone product that makes it very slippery. Not sure that is what you want for your tools.

A little google searching found this reference. https://www.thewoodwhisperer.com/articles/rust-prevention/. I have no experience with this but it might be a place to start.
 
Dave,
I live in SC where the humidity waged war on my table saw the first years I was here.

I used wax. I used other products.

What has worked best for me is a simple sheet of masonite/fiber board cut to the size of my steel top. I leave that on as a "cover" whenever I am not using the saw.

It has prevented most issues with rust.

Larry
 
Sorry for the multi posts but I couldn't figure out how to post picture to a text reply??

Anyway, I used those products on the bed of a 40's vintage Wallace jointer about 8 years ago. About 5 years ago I got a stronger jointer so the Wallace sets in the shop as a shelf. There has been a wooden box of auger bits setting on it in that area for over a year and you can see some light rust starting to develop. I cleaned it with the one product and then used th T-9 as per directions. When I bought them they were about $30 for both.

Out here in Eastern WA we don't have the heat and humidity like many places but in the winter the shop will see 45 to 60% humidity and temps going up and down from 40's to nearly freezing in that unheated shop. When I work there in the winter I use electric heat. Water seldom freezes in the shop. In the summer the temps run from 50's to 80 in the shop and the humidity will be from 15 to 30% except during rains etc.
Not trying to bore you just trying to illustrate the environment in the shop. Hope that helps.
 
Pete McMiller said:
Dave,

RainX has two ingredients that help it do the job it was intended for. An agent that helps it bind to glass and a silicone product that makes it very slippery. Not sure that is what you want for your tools.

A little google searching found this reference. https://www.thewoodwhisperer.com/...les/rust-prevention/. I have no experience with this but it might be a place to start.
Click to expand...

You're probably right about the RainX. I was just trying to come up a available substitute for a specialty product. I may just continue using the wax I've been using for years. It will do the job as long I don't neglect doing my part.
 
Brad F said:
Sorry for the multi posts but I couldn't figure out how to post picture to a text reply??

Anyway, I used those products on the bed of a 40's vintage Wallace jointer about 8 years ago. About 5 years ago I got a stronger jointer so the Wallace sets in the shop as a shelf. There has been a wooden box of auger bits setting on it in that area for over a year and you can see some light rust starting to develop. I cleaned it with the one product and then used th T-9 as per directions. When I bought them they were about $30 for both.

Out here in Eastern WA we don't have the heat and humidity like many places but in the winter the shop will see 45 to 60% humidity and temps going up and down from 40's to nearly freezing in that unheated shop. When I work there in the winter I use electric heat. Water seldom freezes in the shop. In the summer the temps run from 50's to 80 in the shop and the humidity will be from 15 to 30% except during rains etc.
Not trying to bore you just trying to illustrate the environment in the shop. Hope that helps.
Click to expand...

Brad,
Thanks for your input, it is appreciated.
My conditions run from -20 degrees at which time I'm doing nothing with the tools unless absolutely needed. (Too dang cold to even touch.) To where I'm dripping sweat onto the surfaces. The wax treatment works and I'm sure the other products would work just as well. I'll probably continue with the wax regimen. Thanks again.
 
Larry Eckart said:
Dave,
I live in SC where the humidity waged war on my table saw the first years I was here.

I used wax. I used other products.

What has worked best for me is a simple sheet of masonite/fiber board cut to the size of my steel top. I leave that on as a "cover" whenever I am not using the saw.

It has prevented most issues with rust.

Larry
Click to expand...

Now that you mention a cover,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, I remember one time before using my jointer, there was a small block of wood sitting on the out feed table. That was the only spot on the table that did not have light surface rust on it. I may try a Masonite cover on my band saw and table saw along with the wax treatment.
 
I would take a little different approach. Store your portable tools in VCI bags (VC + Volatile Corrosion Inhibitor). AS an example, here is a company who makes them. Very common industry product and lots of folks make them.

https://metprogroup.com/industrialpackaging/products/vci-film

For non portable tools, I would use a product that forms a film. While a wax can work, it is not film forming. I would look towards some ofthose products used to bring back headlights. Thos re acrylic based and film forming. Or floor polish. Get the floor polish that is removable with a base material like ammonia.

Mark
 
Eric Patterson said:
Dave

I've always had good luck with Johnson's Furniture wax. I apply it about once a year and it keeps rust at bay. Makes the fence glide nicely too.
Click to expand...

Eric, I'll have to see if I can pick some of that up. The carnauba wax bar that I've been using takes an excessive amount of elbow grease.
 
Mark W said:
I would take a little different approach. Store your portable tools in VCI bags (VC + Volatile Corrosion Inhibitor). AS an example, here is a company who makes them. Very common industry product and lots of folks make them.

https://metprogroup.com/...ng/products/vci-film

For non portable tools, I would use a product that forms a film. While a wax can work, it is not film forming. I would look towards some ofthose products used to bring back headlights. Thos re acrylic based and film forming. Or floor polish. Get the floor polish that is removable with a base material like ammonia.

Mark
Click to expand...

Mark, The only tools affected are the table tops of the non-portable tools. As far as leaving a film, I'm not sure that would be a good thing. Anything that sits on the surface of the cast iron has the potential to transfer to the surface of the wood, as the wood rubs across the surface of the cast iron. Any contamination of the wood surface is going to affect gluing and finishing of the wood.

The wax is applied which fills the pores of the cast iron. The surface is then vigorously buffed removing all the wax except what is below the surface and filling the pores.

Will the "polish" be able to be buffed from the surface, leaving the pores filled in the same manner as the wax treatment? Will it take less elbow grease to accomplish this, as compared to buffing away the excess wax? I don't know and that's why I'm asking.

It really boils down to the fact that I couldn't locate my bar Carnauba wax the other day (found it later) and I was curious if a readily available substitute, might work in it's place.
 
Take it from a guy who has developed all the paste wax products my company sells, you don't ever remove all the wax. And the paste wax Eric has suggested also contains silicone which could be a big contaminate to post assembly processes.

The bags suggested also come available in sheets. Place a sheet of this over your non portable tools and they will not rust. I also worked on a program for the US Military that is used on many of the 50 cal machine guns on board Navy vessels. After the attack on the USS Cole, the Navy concluded that their destroyers and other ships did not have close in weapons to repel attacks such as occurred to the Cole. At the time, they did not have marinized 50 cal guns and it was taking an inordinate amount of time to maintain them from rust. We jointly created a product that solved this issue for them. This product has since moved to guns in storage all over the world. Really cool stuff. I tried to get my company to make gun cases for sportsmen out of this material but was soundly rejected out of liability concerns. Not about the product working, which it did great - put a wet gun in the case and it would never rust, they were concerned about the liability of a potential bank robber pulling a gun out of a company branded case and robbing a bank. Go figure. Technology was provided to another manufacturer which at one time was making consumer cases out of this stuff. I still have a gun case made with this stuff, still working as good as new. You can read about it here:

http://www.envelopcovers.com/wp-content/uploads/envelop-case-rust-comparision-4-09.pdf

Mark
 
I second Johnson Paste wax. I have been using for about 10 years on my table saw, Jointer, and Band saw for rust protection. My machines are in my garage and I live in Western Washington were it like to rain about 9 months out of the year. I also have a piece of plywood that I place over the table for my jointer which doesn't get used to much. We have a dart board in the garage and the jointer sits next to the throw line and even though the paste wax works well plywood is better for cold ciders which find there way to it. Also if applied to the table of a planer the wood will go through much easier.
 
Mark,

I agree that those sheets and bags do an extremely good job at preventing rust and corrosion. In times past, most of the "good" quality name brand bearings were wrapped in this material. (don't know if this is still true) Also when receiving large new equipment at the machine shop, sometimes the tables were wrapped with sheets of it. Guess I should have been wise and saved several sheets,, duh! It was much nicer removing a sheet of "paper" rather than scraping away gobs of cosmoline. Try gluing up a board with a bit of cosomoline rubbed into the surface. [w00t]

Think I'll do some research on a source for some sheet material of this stuff. Thanks for your input. In the mean time, wanna come over and buff out some wax?
 
I may do some more looking but thought I'd share what I just found on amazon. Roll of material 22.5in X 118 in. Thinking of making a shallow cover (Masonite w/edging) for both the bandsaw and table saw lined with this material. Not sure just how to approach the jointer with the fence and guard plate. Might see if I can find a bag to cover and use the VCI inside the bag? Found a motorcycle cover/bag that is $50.00 and claims to use VCI technology.
 
Dave - Not all VCI products are the same quality. Lot's of snake oil VCI products out in the market. Wish I could recall which one to stay away from but I can't. They were based in MN if that helps.

And no, no more waxing for me. I don't even want to remember how many cars. boats, planes etc that I have waxed back during the development of those products. Don't tell anyone this but I also had to conduct outside weathering of all the different formulations to determine real world lifetime. Hundreds of black panels sitting in the hot sun. Hired a tech aide to help me do the field testing. Back in the day, alcohol on the job was not as big of an issue as it is today. We used to go down to the test site with a 12 pack and made an afternoon testing wax formulations. Turned a dull, repetitive job into something not so bad.

Mark
 
Dave

For hand woodworking tools we use Camilla oil to prevent rust and not mess up finishing wood. On machines, I’ve used Boeshield, Johnson Paste wax and WD-40. I have seen an article comparing all sorts of products for protecting cast iron tables and amazingly WD-40 came out on top. I’m pretty sure it was a Fine Woodworking from 4-6 years ago.
 
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