Best coating to stop rust on welding table ?

[sweetk30]

I have my welding fab work tables made . There going to the media blaster this week to get just the top blasted clean of light rust and mill scale .

After there done what should i put on the top to keep it from rusting yet not mess with me when welding ?

Thanks for any tips . . . . Few pics . . . https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=392532 and link to my main thread .

 

[juddspaintballs]

I have 1/4" steel sheet over 1.5" of plywood for my work bench top. I have a welding table top that is also plain steel. On both of those, I just mist them with WD-40 after use and wipe it down with the same rag. Neither have started rusting after a couple years in my unheated, uninsulated concrete block garage.

 

[bob_s2]

Oil of any kind. Regular use of the table goes a long way towards keeping rust off it. Occasionally I'll really wipe it down, take all the weld bits of stuff off it, and spray or wipe a small amount of whatever oil I have. I'll let it sit for a little while, and then wipe as much off as I can. I typically try to get it to be pretty dry, just so when I'm moving around the shop I don't ruin clothes just bumping into it. WD40 works pretty well, it seems to wipe off reasonably easily, and seems to dry. I weld on this table probably every 2-3 days, and last put oil of any kind on it probably a year ago, as part of a 'clean up the shop and vac the floor' day.
--Bob

 

[txvwnut]

The old timer we had in the fab shop at the day job would wax all the tables.

 

[Dumber than lumber]

Let it rust and then hit it with Ospho. Maybe a second coat after 24 hours. I get a really tough black phosphate coating that way.

 

[matt_i]

Reduce humidity in the shop?

 

[brainypencil]

Let it rust and then hit it with Ospho. Maybe a second coat after 24 hours. I get a really tough black phosphate coating that way.

Agreed. I also did this to mine.

 

[bcschief]

Fluid Film spray available at most auto parts stores

 

[toolchaser]

There is a company called Cyclo that makes an aerosol product called " metal protectant". While I won't give them originality points for product name, the stuff is awesome. It was developed to protect the inside of dump truck beds, which as you can imagine, never have any paint on them. My weld/fab table is 1/2" cold rolled. I spray it once a year and buff off the excess so no product is visible, like car wax. This is in a insulated but unheated shop & has worked very well for me

 

[OldNeons]

I would not want to blast the top surface. The surface will likely be lightly pitted (depending on blast media) and hard to oil, clean, wax, etc. Use evapo-rust or similar product instead. Then treat with one of options mentioned above.

 

[Ilikeike]

At work and home on all our hot rolled work tables I've been cleaning them off with WD40 for 22years. works fine.

 

[sberry]

No blasting for me either. sand it. Wipe some penetrating or WD type stuff on it. If you do blast sand it after. 7 inch, 36 grit.

 

[metaleltr]

Jason from a fireball tool did some extensive testing.

 

[sberry]

Mine has thousands of scars. Mill scale doesnt hurt, it will get worn and sanded off. All those issues were more of a deal way back than they are now, I rarely get spatter that sticks anymore, a lot of things that were more problems when I start not so much now. You will find 20 yrs from now the blast was a waste.
When I first had a real blaster I hit everything in sight. Old timers said,,, naw,,,I am going to wire wheel,,, in the end it didnt make much difference.

 

[sberry]

Blasting leaves etch and pits, sanding helps, we sand blasted work before paint for this reason,,, so it doesnt poke up thru primers. Same with oiled, runs off the little peaks.

 

[blazemaster83]

I also wouldn't get the top blasted. For the frame/underside it would make paint stick really well but I would not want the top to be blasted. It will collect dirt and grit and be a ***** to keep clean. It will also rust faster. If you need to remove the mill scale and want to spend some money get it blanchard ground.

 

[rattle_snake]

If you want to gnd to table instead of workpiece, the surface needs to be conductive and reasonably clean. I use minimal WD40 occasionally, on P&O plate.

 

[Bodj Built]

Get all the rust off and spray with Pam cooking spray. Wipe off and you're good to go. Works great as antispatter, too.

 

[BD1]

I bought this Eastwood Burnishing tool last week for $180.00 on sale. It works great for dressing up my welding tables along with other uses.
I didn't want to spend $800.00 for a METABO since it's not used daily.
It's great for the $$$ and now has a 3 year warranty.

https://www.eastwood.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=contour sct


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[toolin' around]

WD40... occasionally hit any dings or dags with a flap wheel if I’m using it on a project anyhow, and give it an occassional squirt with WD40 or whatever else I managed to spill on it... cutting oil, coffee, red wine...

 

[jeepinerdeep]

I use CRC 3-36 and a paper towel before I leave for the night. Kind of dries on there and hasn't effected conductivity, and hasn't been an issue transferring to clothing or projects.

If you can use something to smooth the surface finish after blasting it will help you. Maybe a strip it wheel or a very fine flap disc laid flat. Smoother the surface, easier it will be to keep the rust at bay.

 

[sberry]

As I mention there was a time I had to blast everything and sometimes it was easier. I have sent to blasters, elsewhere but I have my own at wholesale and if I could wouldvvsNd, wire wheel, scrape of sand, even scuff the flats I could see on the frame and paint with sponge brush. Simple paint last well indoors. Makes it easier to modify when the paint is economy vs being vested in classic car paint.

 

[sweetk30]

Thanks for the input members .

My tops have sat outside my shop over 2 years i have owned them . Then the whole sheet was out for a bit . So i dont have basic level flash or surface rust .

I have tried 40grit flap wheel and course twisted wire wheel cone and it just buffs the rust . So this is why i planned on blasting . He will use recycled media that wont be as course to make the surface as ruff .

When i get them back if i need i can d.a. sand the tops down a bit to kill the highs off the surface .

I have a heated shop at 55* to maintain temp and keep humidity out . Then wood stove for main heat . The rust is not a major problem . And i didnt plan on painting these as there work benches not fancey works of art .

Again thanks and i will keep you posted with before and after pics .

 

[sberry]

I got nothing against a little paint.

 

[sweetk30]

Me neather . . Just not for these . Thinnest parts are 1/4 inch thick . Take a bit to rust that out.

And winter here so shop would stink for a week or more .

 

[Tractorsellr]

I thought I was the only person that put Pam Spray on his welding table. Works good and last along time.

 

[Bodj Built]

I thought I was the only person that put Pam Spray on his welding table. Works good and last along time.

Yup. Smells like cookies baking when spatter gets on it haha

 

[homebuilt burner]

I use nozzle spray.

 

[brianpgriset]

I use a 7" grinder with a big cup brush to knock surface rust off, then coat the whole thing with johnsons paste wax. Works great and leaves the table shining.

After about 4-6 months itll need it again but it only takes maybe 30 minutes.

 

[Mrgreen617]

The old timer we had in the fab shop at the day job would wax all the tables.

What wax?

 

[NakeDiesel]

I built this welding table 15 years ago. Tops made out of 3/8" plate. I spill so much oil, diesel, etc... on it I've never really worried about it rusting. When I'm cleaning it off to get dirt, particles, welding slag off it, I just spray with with wd 40 or pb blaster then wipe it down. I grind off any weld that's stuck to it.

 

[Mrgreen617]

I built this welding table 15 years ago. Tops made out of 3/8" plate. I spill so much oil, diesel, etc... on it I've never really worried about it rusting. When I'm cleaning it off to get dirt, particles, welding slag off it, I just spray with with wd 40 or pb blaster then wipe it down. I grind off any weld that's stuck to it.

My shop when I open the door. We get pretty humid here. Not sure where you’re from but yeah just want to make the best of it and not deal with rusty steel. Last pic is of some steel sitting in garage. It gets rusty. Wiped down with WD.

 

[txvwnut]

What wax?

Just a regular old beeswax product.

 

[NakeDiesel]

My shop when I open the door. We get pretty humid here. Not sure where you’re from but yeah just want to make the best of it and not deal with rusty steel. Last pic is of some steel sitting in garage. It gets rusty. Wiped down with WD.

I've been back in Oklahoma the last 12 or so years, but when I built it I was living in Charleston SC. Very high humidity there, and ok isn't a slouch with humidity either.

 

[493mike]

When my wood shop caught fire, the smoke rusted every machine's cast iron tops. I was reimbursed by my insurance for every item with a electric motor but, I couldn't just throw them out! I found by glass blasting the machined surfaces and then buffing them with a wire wheel on a side grinder they looked great. I keep them nice with a furniture paste wax. I do tend to neglect my welding bench though .
Mike

 

[yankeeone]

I used vinegar on a towel to soak the mill scale off a steel plat lift top, the scale came off with a slight scrubbing with a green pad

 

[BD1]

I use my Eastwood CST tool for a quick cleanup. https://www.eastwood.com/eastwood-contour-sct.html