how do you remove rust from drill press table?

[atch]

i helped my kids pack up their belongings yesterday. my son-in-law is in the marines and they are headed to their first permanent duty station today in a rental moving truck. their stuff had been in a storage unit for the last year or so.

his drill press had a coating of rust on the table; apparently from the humidity in the storage building. fortunately, the post didn't seem to have much if any rust on it. any suggestions as to how he should go about removing the rust and protecting the drill press table in the future?

logic would tell me that he should just go after it with some fine steel wool and oil. is there a better way?

[Coach James]

Fine steel wool or scotch brite pads work good. I use johnson's paste wax on my drill press and table saw tables.

[kartracer55]

I have used fine steelwool and oil many times, never a problem...

http://www.just4fun.org/woodworking/articles/cleaning_cast_iron.htm

Maybe that will work.

You need to protect the bare cast iron though.

[OldCarGuy]

Try WD-40 with either Scotch pads or steel wool. If it is more than surface rust go to 500 grit emery paper.

[PAToyota]

The best way is to use a scraper - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hand_scraper

This will make sure that the table remains true. Granted, for a drill press table it is less essential to have it true than if it were something like a jointer table or such.

There is also some good information here: http://www.owwm.com/FAQ/Restoration.asp

The OWWM site has a lot of information on all aspects of old tools, although they are predominantly woodworking.

[pgreen]

I'll agree with the WD40 and scotchbrite pad. Had to do my drill presses, bandsaw table, and table saw table after they sat in my damp shop. Pretty easily done.

You could also use a "metal prep" available at an automotive paint shop. It's base is phosphoric acid, and will help to remove the rust. It will leave a bit of a protective finish, but will also change the color of the metal a bit. Not necessarily a bad thing though. Be sure to use gloves, as this stuff will irritate the crap out of your skin after a while. (yep, learned the hard way that the directions are correct!)


Phil

[Dave Carney]

Another vote for scotchbrite. You can get them that screw right on to your die grinder/ pneumatic sanding disc.. like these...goes real quick.


http://cgi.ebay.com/3M-SCOTCHBRITE-2-ROLOC-MED-MAROON-BOX-OF-25_W0QQitemZ7585840002QQihZ017QQcategoryZ58197QQss PageNameZWD1VQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[Cebby]

I use a scotchbrite with mineral spirits on any of my talbes that need it. Will have to give WD 40 a try. I protect the tables with either Topcote or Boeshield.

[l_bilyk]

Do you guys think scotch pads remove so much material that the table won't be true afterwards?!?!

[pgreen]

Do you guys think scotch pads remove so much material that the table won't be true afterwards?!?!

If it were the ways of a mill or lathe, maybe. The table on a drill press? Absolutely not. I doubt you will take a measureable amount off, and how precise are drill press tables anyway? Realistically, how precise do they need to be? Not very.

Phil