TS surface rust... PLEASE HELP!!!!!!

[Bluetobb]

I have put three coats of craftsman paste wax on my Delta table saw and still rust is forming on the surface. I have a few questions... How do I clean all the rust off???? Do I need a tool or can I use a rag and solution?

Next what can I use to protect my table saws machined surfaces that works well and is EASY to apply and LASTS????? Three applications of paste wax is a pain in the arse and I have had crap for results.

Any help is much appreciated. I would rather pay $25 for a 30 minute answer than $3 for a good paste wax that takes hours and leaves me with rust!!!

Frustrates TS owner, Dan

[Bob Gramza]

I use green scotchbrite and wd-40 to clean the metal. By hand or put the pad on an orbital sander. I use Bostik topcote afterwards.

[McQualude]

Bluetobb spaketh...

Are you cleaning the rust off [completely] before applying the paste wax?

This is super secret knowledge passed down from Egyptians:

[Traves W. Coppock]

On Sat, 16 Aug 2003 05:17:13 GMT, McQualude Crawled out of the shop and said. . .:

including myself

[Larry]

Forget about paste wax. I have my shop in a very harsh environment. It's in a barn that gets heated with a barrel stove while I'm working. In late winter and spring, and sometimes in fall, once in a while in summer conditions are such that any heavy metal gets condensation all over it. I have no problem with rust. When I finish for the day I clean the sawdust & shavings off the machines with a shop brush and/or a fireplace bellows and then spray a light coat of WD40 on the machined surfaces. Next time I want to use the machine I take the rag that sits by the machine and wipe all the WD40 off. I've been doing this for 20+ years and the table saw still looks new. I do the same for my bandsaw, jointer, drill press, and both lathes. Also, I've never had a problem with the wood I am milling being stained by the WD40, whether it's pine or rosewood. The WD40 comes up completely when I wipe it off. When the rag gets saturated (a long time) I save it to wipe down my hand tools and get a clean one for that machine.

[Ramsey]

The point the barn owner left out is that he constantly uses his machines. Lucky guy forgot that. If you leave WD-40 for an extended period, it will evaporate and allow rust to form. But for short term use (couple of weeks), I use it too. I had a barn too and really miss is. Had a charm all it's own.

[Nick Bozovich]

In a previous post, someone said to put "Liquid Wrench" on the surface, then use a Scotch Brite pad (000 grit), and rub the rust off. I had spots on my jointer and TS that I tried this on. I used the 3in1 penetrating oil that Lowes carries, and one of their scratch pads. It worked great.

After, I wiped the surface down with a rag that I had previously used to apply WD 40 to some hand tools. I wiped the surfaces again with a dry clean rag, then applied Johnson's Paste Wax. It's held up great so far -

Nick B

[Leon]

WD40 and steel wool to remove the rust and TopCote to protect the finish. This product is specifically made for the purpose of protecting TS tops and making the slicker for less friction.

[Jon Endres, PE]

Well, your first problem is using Craftsman wax on a Delta product. That'll cause problems for sure..... :)

Seriously, I use mineral spirits and a Scotchbrite pad to take rust off, and Topcote aerosol as a final protectant. If the rust is really heavy (which it shouldn't be), a single edge razor blade scraper works really well. My basement is very humid this summer owing to all the rain we've had in the Northeast, and there is no rust on any of the tool surface protected with Topcote. I haven't run any of my machines since May, so I can't say that frequent use will keep the rust off.

JonE

[Andy Dingley]

What colour is the table ? Silver or brown ?

Freshly machined cast iron is silver/grey. It's highly reactive with oxygen, let alone in a damp atmosphere. Leave it damp overnight and you'll come back to bright orange or dark grey waterspots.

Old iron is brown. Now this colouration is an iron oxide, but it's not "rust" as we would normally regard it. It's mechanically stable and of a good hardness. It's even regarded as a deliberate finish by gunsmiths - "browning". Abuse this surface and it will rust far less quickly than a new silver table.

Silver cast iron just isn't stable. You're not going to preserve it that way without a _lot_ of effort. One of the best preservation processes for it (assuming decades of life) is to encourage the development of an even browned finish. Avoid moisture, avoid droplets, clean up damage, but do;t get obsessive about it darkening evenly over time.

The other issue is the quality of the iron and the machining. A mirror-like silver surface can be preserved forever, if you try, but grey iron with milling marks still on it isn;t going to last out a winter, no matter what you do.

[WillaimC]

I live on the coast in a subtropical area where rust is a never ending problem and the best thing I have found if the rust is more than just on the surface is Ospho and a Scotch Brite pad. Do NOT let the Oshpo dry. I use Top Cote to preserve the surface and it isn't perfect but it's better than whatever is second.

[Leon]

Frequent use will not keep the rust off...;~) In Houston, an unprotected surface will rust over night.

[Edwin Pawlowski]

We would if someone would tell us what the hell it is.

Ed (who is in the 98% group)_

[Leon]

[Ramsey]

Ospho is a phosphoric acid based material which you paint onto metal pieces and let dry. Brush it off with a wire brush, prime, paint and you have a paint job that will last.

I just found this on Google: " I don't know the details of the composition or chemistry, but Ospho is a phosphoric acid based liquid and the label says it "is a balanced formula of phosphoric, dichromate, wetting agents and extenders". The manufacturer is listed as Skybryte Company of Cleveland, Ohio.

A typical use might be as a metal-etching primer in which the item is dipped in the room-temperature liquid, or the liquid is brushed on, is allowed to act for a short period of time (15 minutes), and then the item is wiped and/or air-blown dry."

[Charlie Self]

Lawrence Ramsey responds:

Sounds much like Naval Jelly without the water rinse.

Charlie Self

"A low voter turnout is an indication of fewer people going to the polls." Dan Quayle

[Ramsey]

Hi Charlie! Yes, it does sound almost exactly like naval jelly, doesn't it? I thought that also as I was typing it. there is also a good looking product by a company called Bull-Frog that looks mighty good.

's that job hunting going?

[WillaimC]

Sorry-It never occured to me that everyone isn't familiar with Ospho because it's such a staple here. I think it's mostly phosphoric acid and if allowed to to dry will form a black coating on the metal and neutralize the rust allowing it to be painted. Again-do NOT let it dry on your tools because it's very hard to get off. Yahoo has lots of hits on Ospho and where to get it. It's so good it should be one of the basic food groups.

[Charlie Self]

Lawrence Ramsey asks:

Lots going out. Nothing coming in.

Thought I had a shot at a job in Saudi Arabia, but even that fell through. I get the feeling I wouldn't last long enough to fulfil a 5 year contract after the guy asked me for my birthdate (that's only illegal in the States, and the phone interviewer was in London).

Charlie Self

"A low voter turnout is an indication of fewer people going to the polls." Dan Quayle

[CW]