# How do I keep my New Lathe rust free !??!??!



## jtice (Dec 16, 2003)

I have a brand spanking new Lathe sitting in my garage. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Problem is, its a VERY damp garage. I cleaned the lathe up really well when I first got it, taking off all that thick red grease.
i am going to use white lithium grease on it tonight.

Heres my problem. After just a couple days, as I expected, the chuck already has a slight hint of rust on it !!!!!!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif
Is there a special oil, spray, etc. that I can keep on it to keep it from rusting up?

My drillpress is COMPLETELY RED. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif 

Thanks alot guys.
I want my precious to stay, "new".


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## lambda (Dec 16, 2003)

Yes, wipe it down with WD40 to prevent rust.

A better solution is bring it in the house where the humidity isn't so bad. Just tell the wife your boss requires you to keep a lathe in the house....


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## Nerd (Dec 16, 2003)

Uh, I've no experience in this and am probably talking crap, but why don't you spray your whole lathe with some spray paint or something? There is some sort of transparent paint, something like laquer?


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## JohnK (Dec 16, 2003)

WD-40 displaces water, but doesn't clean, or contain anti-rust properties nor lubrication. 

Standard Break Free has worked for me in some unbelievably bad conditions with firearms, knifes, tools, etc.

My garage has a dryer venting into it, and my tools survive in the terribly moist conditions there.


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## IlluminatingBikr (Dec 16, 2003)

How about a de-humidifier?

Congratulations on your new lathe ticey! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif


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## robk (Dec 16, 2003)

When I owned an optical lab, we had lens generators, which are very similar to lathes. They had lots of exposed flat cast iron and used a water based coolant. We used WD-40 in "windex style" plastic spray bottles, never had a problem with rust, but the machines stunk like WD-40 and were nasty to touch. You can get liquid WD-40 in 1 and 5 gallon cans.
Rob


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## LitFuse (Dec 16, 2003)

I like Boeshield T-9. It leaves a much cleaner wax based residue than WD-40. The residue from WD-40 dries to tacky amber colored film that will pick up lots of dirt. The T-9 is much cleaner to use and keeps your equipment *much* cleaner. I love the stuff! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif


Peter


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## jtice (Dec 16, 2003)

Thanks alot guys, that sounds good.

Cant bring it in the house. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif
No good place, and too loud... at 4 in the morning. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Nerd,
The lathe has many surfaces that have to be bare metal, for friction reasons, they are greased though, the rest, like the chuck, well I guess you could paint it, but i dont want to do anything like that to it.

IllBiker,
I kinda thought about that, but, the garage also stores a truck, and is open alot, no humidifier can handle all that. Theres puddles of water on the floor from the snowy weather as we speak.

I will try WD-40, even though I hate the stuff, lubricant my BUTT! lol It makes a better cleaner. But, for this purpose I think you guys are right, it will give the surface a film, or thin coating.

Thanks.


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## Rothrandir (Dec 16, 2003)

man ticey, you crazy west virginians really have to put up with a lot eh? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

maybe you could slop that nasty red stuff back on it? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif


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## NightStorm (Dec 16, 2003)

LPS 3. It can be found at boating, aircraft or industrial supply stores. 

Good stuff! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

Dan


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## jtice (Dec 16, 2003)

lol roth
NOOO way is allll that red gunk going back on my baby. lol

Hmmm this LPS stuff looks promising, I recognize that can.
I will look into it.

Thanks.

Oh, and, not as much as those damn Iowaians Rooth. LOL


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## Steelwolf (Dec 16, 2003)

There are quite a few products on the market meant to help prevent rust or to stop rusted surfaces from further rusting. Those LPS products certainly look interesting.

Good discussions about some of these products have been had at Bladeforums.com where, naturally, keeping rust off knife blades is an on going concern. But I don't know if they have discussed the LPS products.

I have used some other products before and have 3 to recommend. The first is Rust Converter from TurtleWax (IIRC). I haven't used it in quite a while as I haven't found it in Perth, but used it when I was in Singapore. This is meant for rusted surfaces. Loose rust is wire-brushed off before the milky liquid is brushed on to the rust and left for about 10min. The rust converts to some black hard substance that will not rust again. From there, I guess it is a matter or regreasing the surface with your lithium grease.

Another product which works in a similar way is Penetrol. This I found in Perth but not Singapore. It comes in a spray can and works in a similar way to the TurtleWax Rust Converter. But it appears to use oils to halt the rust and dries to a film to prevent further rusting, so I'm not sure that it will work well on parts subjected to rubbing friction.

The third product comes from Sentry Solutions and is called Tuf Cloth. It is recommended by knife enthusiasts to help prevent rust on their precious blades. But after having a look at their website, I think you would be better off with either Tuf Glide (which is basically the liquid used in Tuf-Cloth) or Smooth-Kote. Check them out here http://www.sentrysolutions.com/products.html

Best of luck with this, though I think one of the best investment you can make in this area is not just rust proofing your equipment, but installing either a ventilation system or de-humidifying system.


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## Sway (Dec 17, 2003)

So you got it /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

Thats just wonderful I know you will enjoy it very much and I'm looking forward to some goodies. As for keeping the rust off things I have always used WD-40 to clean things up then wipe or spray a light oil what ever it is that need to be protected cheep but effective.

Or you can just bring it over to my place I have a spare room ready and waiting for it /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/poke2.gif

Later
Sway


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## Eric_M (Dec 17, 2003)

Try Birchwood Casey Sheath:

http://www.birchwoodcasey.com/sport/

Go to the Maintenance / Gun Cleaning sections to find it.

It is a rust preventative for guns that works very well.

Eric


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## wasabe64 (Dec 17, 2003)

Give Outers Metal seal a try, available from most sporting goods stores in the firearms section.


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## Bill.H (Dec 17, 2003)

Try Break-Free CLP from your local gun store. They do have large (cheaper in quantity) containers, but they may not be available locally. Check out their site. Also look at their Liquid Machinist product while you're there, perhaps that can serve dual purposes for you.

The Sentry Solutions stuff is very good but it could get expensive to do a large machine under those conditions.

Forget the WD-40, it's a cleaner, not a protectant or a lube (despite the marketing hype). According to the MSDS, it's nothing but Stoddard solvent.


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