Am I the only one?

[tvrgeek]

OK, we all ( probably) used JPW on our tool tops forever. At least until it went away. Just flipping through Y-Tube, I see so many magic elixirs and processes for protecting iron tops. Well, I just use Carnauba car wax. Much tougher than JPW. Much better protection. Seems to last longer. No T7, no Slick-Kote. I use it on my melamine outfeed/assembly/utility table and it cleans right up. ( all white again now as I just am cleaning up from several projects) Someday I may try the fancy new "ceramic" waxes.

( Someone on the shop tour was aghast I put a soda can on my saw top. Well, can't hurt it )

 

[Echd]

I don't give it too much thought. I have jpw left, I'll just use whatever similar wax product I can find when it gives out.

I normally give it a good waxing before a big job.

 

[tvrgeek]

Yea, I over-think everything.

 

[woodlaker2]

You're not alone in using carnauba wax. I use it on all my iron work surfaces. Redo prior to big projects. Has worked great for a nubmer of years now. Don't know about setting a soda can on the tops.

 

[waitup]

Haha, just said I could hear my Grandad: "No drinks on the cast iron!" I still have some of a can of JPW left, but car wax does seem like a good substitute for when it runs out.

 

[drw]

It is my understanding that some car waxes contain silicone, which may create issues with some furniture finishes. I am by no means an authoritative source on this topic, but I have been advised to exercise care when bringing products containing silicone into the shop.

 

[Tarhead]

I used to use Gulfwax canning paraffin grated with a kitchen grater dissolved in Mineral Spirits in a spray bottle as my all-in-one cleaner/water repellent/rust preventer/friction reducer on my Cast Iron tops/tables. Spray it on, allow it to dry to a haze, and buff it with a Cotton Terry towel. Never have had rust in a non-climate controlled attached shop/garage. Now I use the Gulfwax as a water(sweat) repellent/friction reducer and CRC 3-36 spray as my cleaner/rust preventer. The CRC 3-36 came in first place in an exhaustive test on Steel and Cast Iron that Fine Woodworking did way back in 2012. It works especially well on metal handplanes and other tool steel The Best Rust Preventers - FineWoodworking

 

[HITCH-]

I still have a can of JPW.
Last week I saw a YouTube video of the Wood Whisperer, and he was using Renaissance Wax.
I will keep using the JPW as long as I have some.

 

[Robert LaPlaca]

I love renaissance wax, but at $40 for 7 oz can, I think I will take a hard pass on using it on my cast iron tables.

 

[golfdad]

once dry how would the wax be able to pass off and chemicals/ingredients to a piece of wood passing over it

 

[chris_goris]

If you allow your cast iron to warm up prior to exposing it to moisture (like opening the doors on a suddenly balmy, possibly rainy spring day) you can avoid any issues with rusting, assuming you have a semi insulated space........ point being, use your head when get the urge to open the shop doors, by heating the space sufficiently before doing so, if you have the means, otherwise, leave it closed up until the cast iron warms on its own.

 

[tvrgeek]

once dry how would the wax be able to pass off and chemicals/ingredients to a piece of wood passing over it

It can wear off the surface and onto the wood. Otherwise we could wax once a lifetime. As far as contamination, never found it to be an issue as I never have uses machine tool surfaces as finish. Always sand/scrape/plane. If course, I wax my planes too.

Auto body shops do not like spray silicone as being airborne, they can land where you don't want it and cause fish-eyes in finishes.

 

[Pat M]

Sorry what is JPW?

 

[Mrfixit71]

Johnson's Paste Wax

 

[Martin Roper]

Many years ago I received a Zymöl car detailing kit as a gift. Over time I used up all the cleaners and such, but I still have a good bit of the paste wax left. It contains Carnauba. When that runs out I don't think I'll be buying more. It's $61 a can on Amazon.

 

[Echd]

I'm sure there are better sources, but a pound of carnauba costs only $22 on amazon. I assume most would cut it with beeswax or paraffin or the like.

I cast and shoot a lot of lead bullets and Johnson paste wax was a common standby when cut with either beeswax, mineral spirits, carnauba, etc. Can't say I ever really saw much difference in performance between formulations. I did learn what a double boiler is and why to use it when trying to cook lube in my parent's garage and nearly causing a fire when I was 13 or so. Nowadays most people (self included) powder coat their bullets as it really reduces the smokiness, but I would be willing to bet most mid to harder bullet lubes would serve our purposes well here.

White Label was always a popular go to, and coming in little resealable tubes might be handy. Hard enough it doesnt get on stuff and doesnt "dry out", but still leaves a bit of residue when rubbed on things. They have softer products too. It definitely leaves a rifle bore shiny when a bullet at 2k fps+ passes through.

 

[zargon]

I didn’t realize JPW is not available any longer?
but going through my many ,many boxes of “stuff” the other day I found 4 & 1/2 of them…. Shoul last a few more years at my rate of consumption.

 

[Bill J]

Fine Woodworking did a study on rust prevention (attached) and found that JPW actually wasn't the best solution. CRC 3-38 and WD-40 were the winners.

 

[LeftyTom]

Someone on the shop tour was aghast I put a soda can on my saw top. Well, can't hurt it

My tools, my rules. :=)

 

[zargon]

Great article. Ill get some of that crc. Just cant stand the smell of WD-Funky!