Preventing rust on Drill Press
- Thread starter Nmhuntr
- Start date
Johnsons paste wax but holy **** apparently discontinued and it's selling for ridiculous prices. I'm sure any paste wax will work but Johnsons was good at not transferring and affecting woodworking finishes. I've used boeshield for longer term protection. Fluidfilm would probably work too.
Renegade1LI
Well-known member
As a hobbyists and my shop is heated and cooled after polishing the tables I clear coat them. Been working great for years and just touch up as needed, don't have have to worry about wax or oil transfer.
isb cornbinder
Well-known member
I use and like BIRCHWOOD metal bluing. I wipe a thin layer of ATF on the surface of the treated metal and the problem of rusting is over.
Attachments
msharley
Well-known member
Yep!
alfadan
Well-known member
Using cutting oil
nadogail
Well-known member
Wipe it down frequently with a light oil.
GirlnAgarage
Well-known member
Wipe down with a mixture of atf/gear oil. Use new gear oil left in a jug to avoid the nasty smelling stuff....unless you like it..
gatewaysysop
Well-known member
If I'm not going to use a table surface, like the drill presses or my band saws for a while, I've found that using a very thin coat of something like SuperLube works. Being clear, you can't really see it, doesn't ugly things up, not sticky, isn't too slick or runny and it doesn't run off. Granted, I'm in Arizona so YMMV on how well it works in higher humidity, but so far so good.
On all my cast iron surfaces I hit them with a DA and a 220-360 disc to get them clean and shiny. Then I wipe on a thin layer of Varathane natural oil and wipe it off. (like staining wood, it's a really thin polyurethane). After a few days I use Johnsons paste wax as the final finish. Works for me.
bcschief
Well-known member
Fluid Film, available at most parts stores.
Hohn
Well-known member
Have you guys tried Renaissance Wax? I've had really good luck with it on carbon steel knives and such.
Crowbarman55
Well-known member
- Joined
- May 22, 2021
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I sprayed this on a air compressor at work that gets water and detergent sprayed on it all day. The water beeds up almost a year later. If you spray it twice a year it will probably last a lifetime. Not sure ifit will work for a drill press but hopefully it will help others in similar situations.
Todd
PS .. I am not easily impressed with products but, this one works in this case.
Rockable
Well-known member
Buy a dehumidifier....and oil.
got2boostit2
Well-known member
My brother and I share a building and he had been encouraging me to buy a de-humidifier. Once I did the rust on tools and equipment went to zero. I am surprised by how much water is drawn out of the air on my side of the building.
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Rockable
Well-known member
DEhumidifier! They do work and it is amazing how much moisture can be in a building, especially a new building with new concrete floors.
When I brought my old 3-phase drill press home years ago I broke it down, cleaned it up, and gave everything a light coat of motor oil. An old quart that was laying around. I buffed the excess away.
Haven't had any rusting since.
The table gets its occasional renewal from the cutting oil used when drilling/tapping.
redmondjp
Well-known member
This only works if your ambient air temperature is 50-55 degrees F or higher. My dehumidifier doesn't even turn on the compressor if it's under 55 deg. F (prevents it from freezing up). In my unheated garage where I live, this won't do me much good for 6-8 months of the year. My nice drill press (20" Craftsman from the 1980s) has a light coating of rust on it now. It still drills holes when I need it to. As one ages, one realizes that some things, no matter how annoying, aren't a very high priority. My kids and wife certainly don't care if my drill press table is shiny or rusty.
Hohn
Well-known member
Well yes. But if it's under 50-55, there's a lot less moisture in the air because the dew point can't exceed the ambient temperature. It's not just that the dehumidifier doesn't want to freeze up, it's that below 50F or so you don't need it.
Contrast that with summer days in the South where the dew point can hit 70+ degrees and there's a LOT of moisture in the air.
Drunkonunleaded
Well-known member
Piggybacking off of this, what's the best way to remove rust from your drill press column and table? I recently picked one up that has a slight coating of surface rust.
I have wiped stuff down with that gated WD-40.
I rubbed down the table of the table after getting it cleaned up and rust free 10 years ago. I spent 10-15 minutes rubbing it in till a sheet of paper would pick nothing up.
I rubbed down the table of the table after getting it cleaned up and rust free 10 years ago. I spent 10-15 minutes rubbing it in till a sheet of paper would pick nothing up.
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Wouldn't it be kind of messy to clean off, when using the table?
got2boostit2
Well-known member
You are absolutely correct. LoL
MarineScott
Well-known member
I certainly agree 100%
FrankLee
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Hohn
Well-known member
What makes it ridiculous is there there are MANY excellent substitute products. Look for bowling alley paste wax. Lundmark's is what I used to use.
I've moved over the Renaissance wax for everything now.
johnre
Well-known member
^^ This. It doesn't have to be Johnson's brand.
Here's a reasonably priced Minwax brand I just found on Amazon. Whatever you get, just make sure it's a carnauba-based wax.
Note that once you have a 16 oz. can, it's probably a lifetime supply. My can of Jonnson's is probably 40 years old.
RTM
Well-known member
Wow, this may replace "retirement lights", or Bitcoin, as the next big thing. I kinda regret giving a friend a brand new can now
.