Rust prevention in an unheated shop

[dstreck]

Anyone have any magic formulas? I've tried paste wax, WD, Topkote, etc, etc. I still end up ScotchBriting my cast iron tables every couple of weeks, even with dropcloths.

Any suggestions appreciated.

[Bob Smalser]

Rustproofing Tools (http://www.woodenboatvb.com/vbulletin/upload/showthread.php?t=19372)

[ssor]

The iron gets cold at night and in the morning is colder than the dew point in the warming air. You will always get condensation. Unless you want to cover everything with tar and tallow you need to follow Bob's advise

[dstreck]

Bob,

Great post. Excellent stuff there. Thanks.

Any advice for stationary tool tables? Just go with the same process?

[dstreck]

I like the Emmert, BTW. I was just given the Taiwanese knockoff version for my birthday, and it looks impressive. Cant wait to get it installed.

Now that I think of it, its currently sitting in my shop, probably acquiring a nice coat of rust as we speak...

[Hughman]

dstreck

Make canvas covers for your tools - not plastic. Keeps the drips from the overhead off.

Also, spray cans of shellac on tools you don't use often. WD40 for the rest

[MiddleAgesMan]

Skip the drop cloths.

[Bob Smalser]

Any advice for stationary tool tables? Just go with the same process?

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/8939574/126252796.jpg

Cover leaked and it sat for over a week before I discovered it. Imagine what it would have looked like without the phosphate coating.

[Jay Greer]

I have an unheated shop. But I run dehumidifiers 24/7. I coat all of my steel and cast iron tools, tables and equipment with Camelia Oil.
This is a pure oil that is pressed from the seeds of the black camelia bush and has the lowest acid content of any oil out side of pure sperm whale oil. Camelia Oil has been used for the past two thousand years in Japan to keep Samurai blades from rusting. It can be purchased from the Japan Woodworker in Alameda CA. Be sure to purchase the aplicator with the bottle of oil.
Jay

[goodbasil]

I assume that you have electric power.
Find an old fridge which has a good seal around the door. Take all the heavy cooling stuff out, build some drawers or boxes to put in set one small bulb in the bottom, (say 25 watt or less,) this keeps the air nice and dry.
Problems, if the bulb is too large, (hence warm) a tool like a hammer handle will dry out to the point where the head is loose.
Also, put a padlock on it so that a child doesn't crawl inside and suffocate.
This worked for me and I had the wetist (wetist?) shop in the world.
As for big tools, floor wax works well, and it's cheap but if you find a big honk'in fridge, grabit.

[wetstuff]

I live on the marsh. I've got a too-good-to-just-sit car in my garage. Like J-G, I run a dehumidifier. Target had them for about $120 and the very first 24hr period; it took about a gallon+ of water out of the air in my 2-car garage (drywalled w/insulated ceiling). Taking buckets of water out was a secondary pain, so I plumbed it to drain outside. I'll never have another garage without one.

[Hughman]

Cover leaked and it sat for over a week before I discovered it. Imagine what it would have looked like without the phosphate coating.

Plastic covers are nasty for tools! A good canvas tarp (that doesn't leak!) will keep things *dryer* (It's not the best solution, it needs to be checked daily, but tools in that envoirnment need to be checked daily no matter what you do.
Also, if the floor is not more or less vapor tight, moisture rises up to collect under the covers. Canvas breathes, and passes this moisture out.

Any cast steel will need maintainence in a wet envoirnment. It's a matter of degree.

The only thing that you can walk away from for a week is something like cosmoline/axle grease, but then the machine is unusable without a refit! :eek:

camilla oil is great stuff!

I worked in a boatshop with stationary tools in a bow roof shed: canvas covers worked along with tubs and tubs of floor wax. spent more time spreading wax on those puppies than work I believe! :eek:

Machines like to be petted! :D

[Tom M.]

I have an unheated shop. But I run dehumidifiers 24/7. I coat all of my steel and cast iron tools, tables and equipment with Camelia Oil.
This is a pure oil that is pressed from the seeds of the black camelia bush and has the lowest acid content of any oil out side of pure sperm whale oil. Camelia Oil has been used for the past two thousand years in Japan to keep Samurai blades from rusting. It can be purchased from the Japan Woodworker in Alameda CA. Be sure to purchase the aplicator with the bottle of oil.
Jay

Jay, I have a bottle of that purchased at Woodcraft. Looks like the same bottle, but its a paraffin blend, not pure. Works though. I use it on hand tools riding in the work van. Very tough environment for them.

[Jay Greer]

I coat all of my saws, chisels and other hand tools with Camellia oil and have never had to deal with rusty tools in over thirty years. Although my saws are in constant use, they look like new. I also store my hand tools in canvas rolls when traveling. In the shop they kept are in drawers that are lined with Palownia Wood. This is the light wood that is used for sword, knife and chisel storage in Japan. It also has an extremely low acid content and is hygroscopic.

[kc8pql]

The best way to keep the rust off tools and machinery is to use them. You guys just aren't working enough. ;)

[BBSebens]

I dont know what your shop is like, but you might consider trying to insulate. I have a shop with tin sides, its a simple tube hoop with galvanized tin panels. I went quick and dirty, and literally tied fiberglass insulation to the hoops with rebar tie-wire. the insulation was for a 2x4 wall, about R-13, and was about $10-13 for a 25ft roll.

This simple measure ate up two lite saturdays, but fixed a huge problem: condensation on the tin, which promptly dripped on everything! annoying.

anyway, its something you might consider.