protecting from rust

Hi Richard,

I assume you keep unpainted surfaces oiled, covering each machine will help, especially if you can put a small heat source (like small light bulb) underneath. A dehumidifier will also help, it is important to prevent moisture in the air to condense on your machines. If you can prevent changes in temperature that causes the dew point to be crossed you should not get condensation. If you can insulate your workshop temperature changes will be slower and rusting less of a problem.

This topic has been part of other threads; Workshop heating

Thor

My shed remains unheated throughout the year and is also quite damp - so rust is a real problem.

I cannot say what the best solution is - only what I do myself.

I own mainly older machines, which are heavy cast iron lumps and take some time to adjust to the ambient temperature. The first thing I do is paint any surfaces that do not need to be bare metal (e.g. reference surfaces). Next I routinely wipe things with a well oiled rag whenever I'm using a tool (or have used it) & it becomes a habit. My wife isn't impressed by the state of my hands most days - but they haven't rusted either (thus far).

Finally, anything not in immediate use is covered in plastic sheet (as closely as possible to prevent air movement, if possible stuck to the metal by the oil surface) and then covered in a sheet or blanket. My other tooling is generally kept in sealed plastic boxes and/or bags and all my more prized ferrous stock & scrap is oiled and wrapped in plastic sheet or cling film - as are some tools. My larger 'fixtures' are wooden boxed but oiled and wrapped in cling film too. My really delicate/expensive measuring and other 'fine' tooling is kept in the house and taken down to do specific tasks. I have a "work-box" that I use to move things between the two places - I try to plan a job and make sure I have the required things before I go down to the shed (well mostly!)

You have to be vigilant and anything missed or left in a corner will rust pretty quickly, particularly in the Spring, when the machines/tools are cold and it's warming up outside after a damp start. I have a large (30in x 24in ) cast iron surface table and this is kept well oiled and a thin plastic sheet is then smoothed down over the top surface and edges - before a wooden top cover is placed over it. This Spring I had water (condensation) actually dripping off the edges but the combination of painted lower body and well oiled surface seems to have prevented any serious damage. It takes some time to clean each time I need it but I have a smaller one indoors, and like so many things - it's very useful, very occasionally - so prepping & cleaning it is a small but necessary overhead.

I'm sure some here will have very different views but this is what I do. I have a small "indoor" workshop - as I cannot take the cold too well these days. I do tend to wrap things up a bit more 'pre-winter' if I'm not expecting to use them for a while. It takes a bit of effort but is the only thing that seems to work in my circumstances (e.g. an unheated and damp workshop).

One day (on downsizing) I will probably have a smaller workshop space, hopefully attached to any new house and it's central heating - but that's not possible just now.

Regards,

IanT

Edited By IanT on 22/09/2014 10:03:47

Edited By IanT on 22/09/2014 10:04:33

The magic spray is clear Waxoyl well diluted with white spirit. This can be painted on all non operating surfaces, tools and stock material and forms a wax protective coat without the unpleasantness of oil. It is just slightly tacky like Postit note glue until fully dry. Adjust dilution as required to achive this and apply only with ventillation.
Natural Beeswax polish (NOT any silicone polish) is also good for a lot of things. Cotton gloves imbued with it can be used to keep your hands warm with cold manual tools.

Motorbike guy's swear by this stuff. Not cheap but cheaper than new tools.!

I see no reason why it would not also work on tools.

Clickity linkity thingy :- **LINK**

Nick

ACF 50 provides excellent protection. Take care where you buy it from. Today my tin cost £18.99 as I needed it in a hurry - as usual! Can be bought for @£4.00 less if you look around.

Jim

Jim, did you mean £14 or less for the ACF 50, I can't see it for much less than £15 anywhere or do you have a secret supplier?

Doug

Sorry for any confusion re price. As stated I paid £18-99 but I understand it can be got from some outlets for around £14-99 across the counter.

Jim

Try looking at the 'Ambersil' web-site. Ambersil +40, (I think), is exactly what you are looking for. Cromwell Tools could supply. Roy M.

I started with a grimstone garage. Everything went rusty. I was only twenty three or so. I luckily built a 3" suffolk tractor to the late great john Haining design. I loved it, so did my dad and he was really mad when I sold it. The proceeds made me a twin garage. My dad was happy again. Still things go rusty. The cost of heating a double garage put me off heating. Wd40 at 10 quid or so a gallon makes me squirt everything! Still things go rust!, it's just our climate.

Brian - rusting slowly in Yorkshire and wales.

Edited By Boiler Bri on 24/09/2014 20:50:47

I find wd40 useless for rust prevention. Cheap 90w gear oil slapped on everything with bare metal with an old paint brush is a bit better but i still find it emulsifies though. One thing i find a help is those tablet type dehumidifiers you can buy in the hardware/diy shops. They take a large blue and white tablet that deteriorates over a few weeks and i find they really work.

http://www.dehumidifiercritic.com/unibond-aero-360-moisture-absorber-device/

Edited By ronan walsh on 24/09/2014 21:02:36

If it is possible, insulate the walls and ceiling, either with proper insulating board, or polystyrene sheet covered by hardboard, or better, plywood. It will retain whatever heat applied whilst the shop is occupied.

My shop was built without windows, and insulated with 50mm glass fibre behind 12mm ply, with 19mm wood outer cladding on the walls, 12mm ply each side of 50mm glassfibre under mineral felt (now a rubber roof membrane) for the ceiling.

Normally it is unheated, unless occupied. When frosty (in Eastern UK) a 60 watt tubular heater leaves metal benches not cold to the touch within 24 hours of switch on.

When working in there, a thermostatically controlled 2Kw fan heater is used. The shop is 3m x 2m and just over 2m floor to ceiling. The heater runs for less than 10 mins each hour.

Lighting is by one or two 65 watt ceiling mounted fluorescents, plus LED lights on the machines, so no great heat input there.

Ventilation, when needed, is by a weatherproofed 6" fan mounted high up with two or three fixed 50mm dia vents near to floor level. Obviously, it gets ventilated when the door is opened . Whenever possible, I try to work with the door open.

Rust is almost unknown.

My old uninsulated shop, with windows, often left the oil on the machines turning milky with condensation each morning, unless some heat was applied. Hence my love of insulation

60 watts will raise the temperature above the dew point in temperate climes. Colder climes, obviously will require greater heat input. Locating the heater (60watt bulb?) under the sheet or blanket covering the machine (tools need to be in drawers) will go along way to preventing rusty beds or tables.

Howard

Two years ago I bought a small dehumidifier to keep condensation out of a small utility room at the back of the house which is not on the central heating circuit. I was disappointed - it didn't seem to work in winter, when it was most needed. Then I read, on this forum, that they don't work very well when cold. Last winter I kept the temperature up to around 12 degrees C with a small electric heater, and the dehumidifier worked fine. Just a point to watch if you go down the dehumidifier routs.

WD40 stops rust and is cheap if purchased in bulk. Jewsons use huge poly bags to wrap boarding in, one covers lathe, bench drill and milling attachment down to the floor. Good ventilation all the time helps.

Refrigerant style dehumidifiers don't like the cold at all, dessicant style ones can handle it a bit better. I bought the latter type for my shed. I'm measuring the temp and humidity, and it is making a real difference. It's a "Ecoair DD122 Mini Super Compact Home Dehumidifier and Laundry Dryer", and I bought it from a company called Breathing Space. Happy with both the unit and the company, FWIW to anyone.

Luke

Aldi have de humidifiers on sale at the moment. Think it was about 120quid?

Bri

Ps. They also have a box of fibre washers with various sizes, just right for us boys, 3.30ish. 

Edited By Boiler Bri on 18/10/2014 07:39:35

At the mo my workshop is a cheapo summerhouse (not for long though). It is unheated - except when I am in there - and uninsulated so rust SHOULD be a problem except that it is not - why? Because I use pumped cutting oil to both lathe and milling machine and the stuff gets everywhere.

I have learnt to keep myself out of the firing line using various ways (Perspex sheets and the like) and I buy boxes of nitrile gloves cheaply at car boot sales.

It sounds messy but its not so bad and at least its not as stinky as the mistic I used when I worked in the industry.

Rik