Lathe Maintenance

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Daniel2025

Daniel2025

Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2025
Messages
59
Location
Harris County Texas
Good morning, In regards to protecting the sliding rail on my 12" PSI lathe, Anybody using some sort of coatings?
When wet sanding acrylic blanks I always lay down a heavy rag to catch any drips but I still get an occasional droplet
that turns to rust very quickly here on the Gulf Coast. I had used a bit of Mequiars Ultimate car polish.
Any other ideas & solutions?

Thanks

Dave
 
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First, lay an thick old towel to cover the entire lathe bed. Immediately clean up any drips or runs. I periodically sand with 500 grit wet/dry sandpaper. Then apply a thin coat of Ballistol which is thicker than WD-40. I also do the same to the bottom of the banjo to make it slide easier.
 
I used to use Johnson's Paste Wax but since it is no longer available I use Minwax Paste wax. Works really good and isnt all that expensive.
Remove whatever rust is on the ways, smear on and wipe in the past wax (to coat lightly) then let it dry and wipe off. Good for 3 - 6 months and then just reapply. RMMV depending on humidity. I apply to every surface that rubs against each other. Lathe ways and bottom of Banjo.
 
I would recommend putting something between the towel and your lathe bed that's actually a water barrier. A towel or rag will hold the liquid against the bed if it's wet. I keep saying I'm going to make a wooden table that sits on the lathe bed and haven't done it yet. It would help keep finishes off the bed too. The towel can just catch things then. I moved to Dr Kirks instead of micro mesh last year because my hands were getting too chapped but did have a concern around possible liquid exposure until that point.

My shop is in my basement (Chicago area) so my lathe doesn't get exposed to the elements or much humidity.

One of my good friends suggested something to me that works really well to serve as a dry lubricant on the lathe bed. I take a piece of wax paper, crumple it and then lightly scrub up and down the bed. The wax from the paper transfers to the steel and the tail stock is slides super easy. I use it on my table saw and bandsaw beds too. Paste wax or rennaisance wax would work well too.
 
I have real thick bath towels so soaking through isn't an issue for me. I don't have heavy applications of glue, water or any other liquid. Push comes to shove, I can put down a plastic grocery sack under the towel.
 
I use a piece of thin cardboard cut from a box. I hold it in place with one of the HF magnets the size of a domino. I have 2 or 3 of those magnets stuck around my lathe bed. I use them to hold the Jacobs chuck key and other small things. They're cheap.

Mike
 
Mike said:
I use a piece of thin cardboard cut from a box. I hold it in place with one of the HF magnets the size of a domino. I have 2 or 3 of those magnets stuck around my lathe bed. I use them to hold the Jacobs chuck key and other small things. They're cheap.

Mike
Click to expand...
Me, too, to hold the towel in place. I save cereal boxes as places to glue pen blanks, etc. I have so many of the magnetic hooks that HF sends me Thank You notes.
 
If you use a piece of brass with a square edge to rub the rust spots first they remove it with minimal damage to the area then use green nyweb pads on it.

I use a board under the blank to stop water reaching the bed but paste wax after drying if it does.
 
Mortalis said:
I used to use Johnson's Paste Wax but since it is no longer available I use Minwax Paste wax. Works really good and isnt all that expensive.
Remove whatever rust is on the ways, smear on and wipe in the past wax (to coat lightly) then let it dry and wipe off. Good for 3 - 6 months and then just reapply. RMMV depending on humidity. I apply to every surface that rubs against each other. Lathe ways and bottom of Banjo.
Click to expand...
I've been using the Butchers Bowling Alley Wax as a substitute for Johnson's. Periodically hit the rails with some steel wool and add a coat of wax and it slides really nice. https://store.bwccompany.com/butchers-waxes.html
 
I made a spacer out of wood that is the same height as the base of my tool rest. I embedded a couple of rare earth magnets to hold it down to the ways. Then I lay a piece of hardboard across the spacer and the base of the tool rest and lay down a flour sack towel on top of it to catch the drips. So far it is working great.

I clean the ways periodically with Eagle One Nevr-Dull All Metal Wadding Polish.

As someone has already stated, I would use Johnson's Paste Wax, but it was discontinued in 2021. It was made from Carnauba wax, paraffin, and microcrystalline wax thinned down with Stoddard solvent and a small amount of castor oil as an emulsifier. Since it is no longer available I have been using a thin coat of Trewax Clear Paste Wax furniture polish to both lubricate it and to protect it. Trewax is made by Beaumont Products, Inc. and is also made from Carnauba wax, candelilla wax, Polyethylene wax, and microcrystalline wax thinned down with a petroleum distillate -- very similar components as were used in Johnson's. I've also read that Minwax Paste Wax, Briwax, and something called Collinite 476S or Collinite Insulator Wax are also good alternatives.

And finally, I highly recommend avoiding any products that contain silicones as silicone migrates very easily and since very few things stick to it, it can significantly affect finishing products like CA, polyurethane, linseed oil, and most everything else.

- Dave
 
Mike said:
I use a piece of thin cardboard cut from a box. I hold it in place with one of the HF magnets the size of a domino. I have 2 or 3 of those magnets stuck around my lathe bed. I use them to hold the Jacobs chuck key and other small things. They're cheap.

Mike
Click to expand...
I should also say that I don't wet sand. I use the cardboard to catch CA or other finishes.

Mike
 
I do not use any absorbent material. I have two pieces of thick toolbox liner, or any closed cell foam would work too. It goes over the lathe bed. Any thing that hits it sticks. CA, finishes, or water, it doesn't matter. Boeshield keeps the lathe bed ways in tip top shape. A good coat of paste wax finishes (pun intended) the job!
 
Daniel2025 said:
Good morning, In regards to protecting the sliding rail on my 12" PSI lathe, Anybody using some sort of coatings?
When wet sanding acrylic blanks I always lay down a heavy rag to catch any drips but I still get an occasional droplet
that turns to rust very quickly here on the Gulf Coast. I had used a bit of Mequiars Ultimate car polish.
Any other ideas & solutions?

Thanks

Dave
Click to expand...
Paste wax, butcherblock treatment (mineral oil & wax), garage door lubricant (white lithium grease), etc
 
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