I was reading the archives and saw a lot of "use white vinegar". I bought the stuff from Woodcraft and used the rust remover on my jointer. It said it contains acid. Yeah, smelled like naval jelly. Don't really want to use it on the ts. Will vinegar work? it's a light coat of rust, nothing real bad.
Thanks Jimmy
Light rust can be removed with WD40 and a little scrubbing with a Scotch Brite pad.
Empire also makes a chemical that restores the finish and one that protects the finish. This can be found at better wood working supply stores.
If it is not bad I would try WD40 and Scotch-Brite. Works great for things like setting a cold bottle of water on the saw on a hot day...
Someone set a cold bottle of water on a table saw! OH THE HORROR~! Nothing but wood touches my saw table, I won't even let my wife lean her hand on it! You know what body oils do to metal?
I went out one day to find a light coat of rust on the table. I couldn't figure out what happened, I used the WD40 and the scotch brite. Now I keep it covered. To this day I still have no idea what happened. The shop is vulnerable to humitidity but I keep a wax coat on the saw. This happened in the winter and the only thing that I can think is that the propane heater had soemthing to do with it.
Searcher
In addition to the Scotchbrite suggestion, if it's a really tough job, use SandFlex blocks along with the WD40 or a rust remover.
The medium SandFlex for the tougher spots, and the fine for light rust and for a finish before TopCote'ing it.
As the active ingredient of vinegar is acetic acid, it is no wonder that whatever you bought smells like acid. Actually, it smells like acetic acid. Most of the real vigorous acids either have no smell or destroy your sense of smell.
Most people, though, suggest WD40 and elbow grease.
Jim
most naval Jelly's contain phosporic acid and is just as nasty as hydrochloric(muriatic), and not as bad as nitric. beleave it or not what works also is straight coca-cola. The carbolic acid is mild but it does work. A good cleaning afterwords and a light coat of oil after words with WD-40. if you don't like the film WD leaves on the surface try to use a light oil.
first use a razor blade to get off any crusty rust. then take a scrub at it with barkeeper's friend cleanser. then wash it well with paint thinner and give it a coat of paste wax.
mostly, though, just use the damn thing regularly. it's a tool....
I've had words with a lot of things in my shop, but never with WD-40 :-).
WD40 and a gray Scotchbrite pad stuck onto your random orbit sander will take off a light coat of rust fast. Anything heavier, use 220 paper.
It did. One of the by-products of combustion is, oddly enough, moisture.
Bill
For periodic light rust removal, I use 30 micron (not 30 grit) paper on a 5" RA.
For heavy rust, I would recommend Empire products. When a number of my machines were submerged by Katrina, I called Empire and they sent me a care package (free of charge, nice people).
The Empire stuff got all the rust, however, did not remove the staining from rust pitting. I don't think anything short of a regrind will get that.
Larry Blanchard wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@corp.supernews.com:
You obviously don't use the spray cans. You can hear there's some left, but there's no more propellant! lol
Puckdropper
Isn't that why they offer hand powered sprayers.
Now refilling the sprayer from a gallon can is another matter.
SFWIW, I use WD40 and 150 grit on a ROS along with paper towels to clean off the surface rust.
Gets the job done, but still leaves the stains.
Lew
I use a POWER TOOL! A 4 1/2" grinder with a 3M Bristle Disk. It takes off rust, glue, and anything else that gets on flat steel surfaces. Leave a nice swirl too. Takes just a minute.
Jim
Thanks for all the advice. I think the wd-40 and scotch brite will work. It's pretty light.
Jimmy
Mineral spirits and very fine sandpaper.
J.
Jimmy wrote:
The Scotchbrite works great under a ROS, if you're not crazy with the WD-40.
I've tried the Top Saver "system", and while I really like Top Saver as a table lube, for rust removal, WD-40 and the Scotchbrite worked just as well for me, for a lot less money.
I use a product called "Rust Free" by the guys that make Bioshield. I think it works great, buy it by the gallon for economy and use it to clean the calcium deposits from the bathtub. After a little rubbing, apply a little wax, and you're all set.
-roger-
My shop soaked in 4' of salt water for two weeks after Katrina (7' was the high water mark). The big machines - cabinet saw, jointer, lathe, thickness planer etc. went out to the curb for trash pickup. Also all hand held electrical tools. You should see what salt water does to cast iron.
When I was able to get back into New Orleans, two months after the storm the bits, chisels, pliers, screw drivers, sockets, etc. were soaked in mineral oil + 20 wt. cheap oil for a few weeks. That and a wire brush restored them to a useful, if not pretty, condition. For some perverse reason I saved my vintage Powermatic bandsaw. I am now starting the restoration of this saw. The cast iron table and trunions are presently soaking in Marvel Mystery oil. A high pressure water blaster took off the peeling paint on the base.
Before I hauled my Jet cabinet saw to the curb I played with WD 40 and a cabinet scraper. It works. When I called Jet after the storm to ask about first aid for my saw and shaper they recommended a WD 40 soak on everything. They were nice people and very helpful. They told me that WD 40 is a mill. spec. for "water displacement formula #40". I haven't verified that, but it works for me. I keep a can at the ready.
Paul Gilbert
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