Preventing this... (Seasonal rust)

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Aeternyx

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Jan 5, 2021
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So, I spent a good amount of time turning last fall and into the early winter, but as the weather turned brutal cold, I abandoned the garage for warmer endeavours. We've since had an insane spring/summer here in the Midwest where temperatures swung repeatedly between freezing and outright hot. Now we're into the outright hot portion of the summer.

I went to look over my tools, thinking about getting started again and this is what met my eyes.

Yikes.

How do you all prevent this? I had put rust preventer on the lathe bed but it didn't even occur to me to treat the internals of the tailstock or the mandrill or the bushings.

Is this normal?
 
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PatrickR

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It does look excessive. I use boeshield and cover things ( breathable cloth ) that won't be used for a while. The cover will keep saw dust (which will attract and hold moisture) etc off of it . Any silver metal needs some protection.
 

jttheclockman

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Feb 22, 2005
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NJ, USA.
I too use BoeshieldT9 but probably do not have to deal with your extemes here on the east coast. I have tools stored in my shed as well as the garage and they hold up well. My shop is a basement shop so no rust down there. Controlling the climate or dehumidifing the shop will be a huge expense especially if not insulated. Good luck and that is a bad case of rust.
 

egnald

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Jun 9, 2017
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Columbus, Nebraska, USA
Wow I feel for you. Fortunately, my shop is in more of a climate controlled "living space" in my house so I don't have an excessive humidity problem. I guess if I was in your situation I would try something like the "WD-40 Long-Term Corrosion Inhibitor" spray. It is supposed to be a special formulation to keep rust from forming or spreading.

Dave
 

penicillin

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Feb 27, 2019
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Here in Southern California, I don't have to contend with rust as heavy as that. Not close. Still, I use Boeshield T-9, SC Johnson Paste Wax, Renaissance Wax, and WD-40 to protect my iron and steel tools from rusting.

To clean up rust, including restoring neglected rusty tools that I have received from others, I use WD-40 and gray Scotchbrite pads. For severe rust problems, I use the green Scotchbrite pads, which are more abrasive than the gray. Mineral spirits is useful for cleaning and for removing wax. Use solvents and sprays in a well-ventilated area (I prefer outdoors). Wear protective gloves and an appropriate protective mask for the solvents and metal dust.

Boeshield T-9 is a combination of WD-40, paraffin wax, and mineral spirits. It is a good protective product. The paraffin wax does not glide as well as I'd like for the table saw or lathe ways, so I finish with SC Johnson Paste Wax. I reapply the paste wax periodically to keep surfaces protected and gliding smoothly.

SC Johnson Paste wax is inexpensive. A can will last a long time, and it costs $7 at Home Depot. The wax is easy to apply and buff out. No silicone. Many uses. Great stuff!

Renaissance Wax is used by museums to protect valuable ancient artifacts. It is expensive, but a small can will last a long time. It is a hard, durable synthetic microcrystalline wax. I use it on my hand tools (e.g., chisels) and measuring tools (e.g., Starrett combination square). It works great on my table saw, but is harder to buff out than low cost SC Johnson Paste Wax, so I use the SC Johnson Paste Wax on the table saw.

WD-40 is a petroleum solvent intended as a protectant, not really as a lubricant. The "WD" stands for "water displacement" - it is designed to penetrate and keep parts from rusting. The exact formula is a secret, like the formula for Coca-Cola or the 11 secret herbs and spices that the Colonel uses. I spray it on rusty surfaces and use it with Scotchbrite abrasive pads to remove rust. Others spray it and leave it as a protectant.

3M Scotchbrite pads are woven nylon "scrubbie" pads with embedded aluminum oxide abrasive particles. The ones I use are Gray, which is a mild abrasive. (Gray pads are also useful as an improved replacement for 0000 steel wool for wood finishing.) For very rusted tools, I may use Green pads sparingly. The green pads are much more abrasive. With any abrasive pad, use a sanding block for even pressure - you want to keep your table saw tables and lathe beds flat! You can find them in the paint section at big box stores. There are third-party brands also available and they tend to follow the same color scheme as 3M, but

In desperation for badly rusty tools, I have used Boeshield Rust Free, an acidic rust removal product. It works, but it is messy. Any overspray and splatters will remove paint, stain other nearby tools, etc. A few drops got on the aluminum beds for my spouse's small belt/disc sander. The spots turned black and I could not remove them.

Boeshield Rust Free came in a three-pack that I had bought at Rockler, but you can also buy it separately:
https://www.rockler.com/boeshield-3-part-tool-care-kits-and-lubricant
https://www.rockler.com/boeshield-rust-free-rust-and-stain-remover-8-oz-spray-bottle

I have heard of other people using other acids and other products for rust removal, including ordinary household vinegar. As I said above, don't let the acid splatter or splash on anything else, or it will remove paint and discolor metals permanently. Whatever you do, neutralize the acid as soon as you are done with it. I use water to dilute, wipe dry, and quickly follow it with WD-40.

Bottom Line: If I had your lathe issues, I would start with WD-40 and gray Scotchbrite pads. Use a sanding block to keep even pressure. If that doesn't work, then I would progress beyond that as described above.
 

Aeternyx

Member
Joined
Jan 5, 2021
Messages
13
Location
IL, USA
Here in Southern California, I don't have to contend with rust as heavy as that. Not close. Still, I use Boeshield T-9, SC Johnson Paste Wax, Renaissance Wax, and WD-40 to protect my iron and steel tools from rusting.

To clean up rust, including restoring neglected rusty tools that I have received from others, I use WD-40 and gray Scotchbrite pads. For severe rust problems, I use the green Scotchbrite pads, which are more abrasive than the gray. Mineral spirits is useful for cleaning and for removing wax. Use solvents and sprays in a well-ventilated area (I prefer outdoors). Wear protective gloves and an appropriate protective mask for the solvents and metal dust.

Boeshield T-9 is a combination of WD-40, paraffin wax, and mineral spirits. It is a good protective product. The paraffin wax does not glide as well as I'd like for the table saw or lathe ways, so I finish with SC Johnson Paste Wax. I reapply the paste wax periodically to keep surfaces protected and gliding smoothly.

SC Johnson Paste wax is inexpensive. A can will last a long time, and it costs $7 at Home Depot. The wax is easy to apply and buff out. No silicone. Many uses. Great stuff!

Renaissance Wax is used by museums to protect valuable ancient artifacts. It is expensive, but a small can will last a long time. It is a hard, durable synthetic microcrystalline wax. I use it on my hand tools (e.g., chisels) and measuring tools (e.g., Starrett combination square). It works great on my table saw, but is harder to buff out than low cost SC Johnson Paste Wax, so I use the SC Johnson Paste Wax on the table saw.

WD-40 is a petroleum solvent intended as a protectant, not really as a lubricant. The "WD" stands for "water displacement" - it is designed to penetrate and keep parts from rusting. The exact formula is a secret, like the formula for Coca-Cola or the 11 secret herbs and spices that the Colonel uses. I spray it on rusty surfaces and use it with Scotchbrite abrasive pads to remove rust. Others spray it and leave it as a protectant.

3M Scotchbrite pads are woven nylon "scrubbie" pads with embedded aluminum oxide abrasive particles. The ones I use are Gray, which is a mild abrasive. (Gray pads are also useful as an improved replacement for 0000 steel wool for wood finishing.) For very rusted tools, I may use Green pads sparingly. The green pads are much more abrasive. With any abrasive pad, use a sanding block for even pressure - you want to keep your table saw tables and lathe beds flat! You can find them in the paint section at big box stores. There are third-party brands also available and they tend to follow the same color scheme as 3M, but

In desperation for badly rusty tools, I have used Boeshield Rust Free, an acidic rust removal product. It works, but it is messy. Any overspray and splatters will remove paint, stain other nearby tools, etc. A few drops got on the aluminum beds for my spouse's small belt/disc sander. The spots turned black and I could not remove them.

Boeshield Rust Free came in a three-pack that I had bought at Rockler, but you can also buy it separately:
https://www.rockler.com/boeshield-3-part-tool-care-kits-and-lubricant
https://www.rockler.com/boeshield-rust-free-rust-and-stain-remover-8-oz-spray-bottle

I have heard of other people using other acids and other products for rust removal, including ordinary household vinegar. As I said above, don't let the acid splatter or splash on anything else, or it will remove paint and discolor metals permanently. Whatever you do, neutralize the acid as soon as you are done with it. I use water to dilute, wipe dry, and quickly follow it with WD-40.

Bottom Line: If I had your lathe issues, I would start with WD-40 and gray Scotchbrite pads. Use a sanding block to keep even pressure. If that doesn't work, then I would progress beyond that as described above.
Thank you for this. This is very helpful.
I had actually applied T-9 to the lathe bed last winter, but the coat was probably a little worn by the time I hung it up for the winter. Still, it fared better than most of the rest of the equipment, so that's probably a lesson that it works, it just needs to be applied more often/fresh before I hang it up for the season. The other recommendations in here are also very helpful and I'll look into them.

Thanks to everyone for their comments in here. I'll probably dedicate a few hours next weekend to getting my shop de-rusted and operational again.
 

Curly

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Nov 20, 2010
Messages
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Location
Saskatoon SK., Canada.
The reason you are getting rust is the tool gets cold and when the temperature warms up the moisture in the air condenses on the tool and the corrosion starts until it warms up to the surrounding air temperature and dries off. The best way to stop the rust is to keep the tools warmer than the air around it. In the olden days an incandescent light bulb under the covered machine would do the trick. It isn't the best option because of fire safety and the bulbs are hard to find these days. Better are the heated bars like the ones for gun safes. Golden Rod is one brand. Put the tools under a canvas tarp, not the plastic/fibre woven stuff, with the heater rod. The metal will stay warm and the moisture won't condense on it, therefore no rust. The paste wax and rust inhibitors like Evapo-Rust Rust Block for longer term storage are not going to hurt either. I've never found WD40 to be much good for anything so don't rely on it for rust prevention. A product like Boeshield T9 is better.
Links to LV are for reference. You can buy from whomever you like but they are good.;)
 

PatrickR

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Apr 8, 2017
Messages
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Location
Rural America
is your shop in a garage that the door is opened and closed regularly? I have seen times in mine that when the weather is right condensation forms on exposed metal very quickly when the door is opened.
if you want to go the extra mile, when you shut down for winter clean and apply a preventative then bag the lathe as well as possible and add a couple rust preventative capsules inside. I get them on Amazon. They do work, I keep my smaller stuff in a cooler with one of these in it and nothing rusts inside.

X2 with what Pete said. It doesn't take much heat, just enough to keep the tool warmer than ambient. I have a lot of pricey hand tools that are stored in an old cabinet. I keep a stereo at the bottom (along with the capsules) and leave it on in the winter. It produces enough heat to stop condensation. No rust on those tools in 15 years in an un heated garage.
 

Aeternyx

Member
Joined
Jan 5, 2021
Messages
13
Location
IL, USA
is your shop in a garage that the door is opened and closed regularly? I have seen times in mine that when the weather is right condensation forms on exposed metal very quickly when the door is opened.
if you want to go the extra mile, when you shut down for winter clean and apply a preventative then bag the lathe as well as possible and add a couple rust preventative capsules inside. I get them on Amazon. They do work, I keep my smaller stuff in a cooler with one of these in it and nothing rusts inside.

X2 with what Pete said. It doesn't take much heat, just enough to keep the tool warmer than ambient. I have a lot of pricey hand tools that are stored in an old cabinet. I keep a stereo at the bottom (along with the capsules) and leave it on in the winter. It produces enough heat to stop condensation. No rust on those tools in 15 years in an un heated garage.
Yep. I get half the garage for my shop. The other half is for my wife's car. So it opens daily. I will look into the heater bar and the preventives you all have recommended. I was pretty sick when I saw how badly it had all rusted.

Ah well, learn something new every day I suppose.
 

Curly

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Saskatoon SK., Canada.
Something to add is that the snow your car comes in with likely has road salt in it making the air more corrosive. Much like the members in seaside areas have to deal with. SWMBO will never agree to leave her car outside in the winter to help keep your tools from rusting so you'll have to be diligent with prevention.
 

Bats

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Oct 12, 2020
Messages
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Location
W. Nowhere, CT
Something to add is that the snow your car comes in with likely has road salt in it making the air more corrosive. Much like the members in seaside areas have to deal with. SWMBO will never agree to leave her car outside in the winter to help keep your tools from rusting so you'll have to be diligent with prevention.
Alternately, consider accidentally strewing the garage floor with nails, caltrops, or parking lot traffic spikes making it a less attractive place to park. 😇
 

Curly

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Alternately, consider accidentally strewing the garage floor with nails, caltrops, or parking lot traffic spikes making it a less attractive place to park. 😇
Something tells me the new tires will be coming out of your pocket so maybe not a good idea. 🤔
 
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