My gloat is just a goat

[BarryC]

Well I am still working on the inside on my shop putting up the walls and ceiling and I had plans to show a pic or two of it and the new TS and band saw my wife bought me. The saws were set up the week after Christmas while I had a very large friend over helping me. But as of last night I'm broken hearted! There is rust on the tops of both tables! So instead of working on the ceiling I had to use steel wool and cleaner wax to get as much off as I could. Then I coated both with a carnuba auto wax.

My initial two questions are 1) did I do right using the steel wool and waxes? and 2) how do you guys keep the moisture out of you shops?

 

[Ray Martin]

Barry,

If you use abrasives, use fine ones so you are only taking off the rust or dirt. I don't think I'd use a machine unless you are restoring a disaster (the table saw that was out in the back yard for 12 years). If the rust spots are light, you can use a penetrating oil and a scouring sponge; one with a scratchy used for cleaning frying pans. That would be followed by cleaner to remove the oil. Paste wax with no silicone will keep the surfaces in good shape. I use Johnson's Paste Wax and have had good luck with it.

If the shop is closed in, you can run a dehumidifier. If your shop is shaped like a garage, it's a loosing battle with humidity and you just have to keep the iron surfaces clean and coated with something like wax

Ray

 

[JimmyC]

Barry,

Here's my ideas, take them for what it's worth (about .02).

1) If you are finishing off the inside of your shop with sheetrock, just realize that joint compound put a lot of moisture in the air.

2) If the shop is sealed, use a dehumidifier, if you use A/C during the summer, that will remove moisture.

3) I agree with a paste wax, also you can use Mother's steel billet polish that will give a nice finish.

4) I use crumpled aluminum foil to clean surface rust (crumple it, then rub the rust), then I crumple wax paper and rub that on the surface for a quick and easy wax job.

I'm sure other people will give you some great ideas.

Good luck,
Jimmy

 

[DavidF]

I just give mine a quick rub over with scotch brite when need, but the best way is to keep using the tools! I rarely find rust on mine during a big project.

 

[Tarhead]

As you noticed over the last few days we have had fairly warm, humid conditions outside following some cold, dry conditions. My shop and tools have been colder than the outside temperature. This causes condensation and then rust follows. Keeping the temperature stable and a dehumidifier are the only way to prevent condensation. I don't do this as I don't use the shop every day, just on weekends. When I got my used tablesaw w/ a rusty, stained top I did as you and used steelwool, green 3M Scotchbrite, wet/dry sandpaper, wire brush, wire wheels on a drill all with WD-40, and other concoctions. When I got it clean I used Mother's aluminum Mag wheel polish and shined it up. To maintain it and my other cast iron tops I spray down ~ 2 times/month with a liberal dose of Bruce's (Junquecol) Gulfwax/Mineral Spirits recipie...(1/2 block of Gulfwax (parrifin found in the canning/freezing section of the grocery store) grated into ~8 ozs of mineral spirits in a spray bottle). Keep it room temp or it will gel. No rust!

 

[BarryC]

So I'm guessing that the carnuba wax I put on them will be ok it is supposed to be rainy the next couple days... I'll try the Mothers aluminum polish on the top to get the rest of the stain off.\

I'm using OSB on the walls and ceiling not sheetrock so no joint compound to worry about. I will start researching dehumidifiers to see what might work. It is a rather large shop that I hope to put in some kind of HVAC system to help keep it in a range of temps. I'm hoping that an HVAC system will help keep some or most of the moisture out.

The way the shop sits keeps it in the shade most of the winter and I'm sure that isn't helping.

Thanks guys!
Barry

 

[Jim Murphy]

I'm a pretty strong believer in a good coat of dried Boeshield, followed weekly by plain old Johnson's Paste Wax. Get that big old can from WallyWorld and keep it in the shop. About once a week, just before you leave, brush off all the cast iron surfaces, apply the Johnson's and leave. Don't worry about buffing it off. Works great for me.

Use the carnuba on your Corvette. And buff well.

 

[sapwood]

I bought a dehumidifier for my unheated, but well insulated shop. It almost completely eliminated rust problems. However, most dehumidifiers don't run below 45-55º. So check the specs when shopping.

MTCW,
Roger

 

[Mrfixit71]

I had the same experience - new shop, OSB walls, new TS top rusted. As the others have said, I keep a coat of Johnson's paste wax on my TS and now my BS. I also installed a dehumidifier that runs year round.

 

[Robert Arrowood]

I've got the best solution ! I'll come get the and bring them to my place. You wont have to worry about rust at all.LOL:lol::lol::lol::lol:

 

[Gofor]

My "shop is a non-climate controlled two car garage. Best thing I have found is a thin coat of Penetrol (actually a paint flow conditioner found at Lowes by the airless sprayers).
After you have cleaned the surface, wipe a thin coat of the penetrol on it and let it dry. Then wax with Johnson's paste wax or any other non-silicone wax if you want it slick. The penetrol also works well on chisels, hand saw blades, steel framing squares, machinist scales, etc (basically any ferrous metal that gets rust on it especially from sweaty fingers, etc.). Bo Shield is good, but I have found the penetrol to last longer on surfaces that are handled or have things slid across them, possibly because being wiped on gives it a thicker coat.
The wax is okay in a climate controlled area, but you will need something more if it is subjected to the higher humidities and especially sweat drops.

JMTCW
Go

 

[JimmyC]

It's funny that you mention sweat drops, because they seem to be the worst for me at forming rust, maybe because of the salt in the sweat:eusa_thin.

Jimmy

 

[Steve W]

I've used Flitz on most of my stuff and it seems to keep rust mostly at bay. I have a 10 x 20 uninsulated Dutch Barn shop with a ridge vent.

The flitz has the smell and appearance that strongly suggest that it is the same as the classic duPont chrome polish (albeit at a much higher price...) I bought the stuff a few years ago at WW Warehouse (that will tell you how long ago it was!). It has kept my TS & handplanes pretty much rust-free.