How Can I Inhibit The Dreaded Rust

[tweendecker]

Hello everyone,
I'd be grateful for advise on:
(A) Stopping rust forming on my Warco mini-lathe which is in an unheated /uninsulated shed. I've noticed the dreaded oxide appearing on the bed of the lathe and on the exterior surface of the chuck.

(B) How to remove it once there.
I've spoken with Warco and they suggest little pots of inhibitors which should be placed on or near the lathe.
They also suggested an anti-rust treatment which is painted on to all surfaces.

I was wondering whether any readers of the forum had experience of these products, and how they've overcome the problem.
Ideally, I would like to insulate and heat the shed but funds do not permit this at the moment!
I look forward to hearing from you.
Tweendecker

[jgb7573]

I have no experience of the anti-rust treatments, but what I did with my lathe in a similar situation was to cover it with an old sleeping bag, and put a low wattage electric tubular heater under the lathe bed near the headstock. This was enough to keep the lathe a few degrees above ambient so no condensation (and hence no rust) occurred on the heavy lumps of metal.

[tweendecker]

jgb7573 said:

I have no experience of the anti-rust treatments, but what I did with my lathe in a similar situation was to cover it with an old sleeping bag, and put a low wattage electric tubular heater under the lathe bed near the headstock. This was enough to keep the lathe a few degrees above ambient so no condensation (and hence no rust) occurred on the heavy lumps of metal.

Thanks for this,didn't the sleeping bag become damp??

[jgb7573]

No, and I'm not really sure why. But I must admit that I wan't planning on using the sleeping bag for its original purpose again!

[tweendecker]

jgb7573 said:

No, and I'm not really sure why. But I must admit that I wan't planning on using the sleeping bag for its original purpose again!

Just as well

[Noddy]

We had a long thread a while back about condensation problems in a workshop, but I can't find it to link you to it.

For light surface rust, a careful rub with fine wire wool and a light mineral oil is safest way to remove, then wipe the debris off and re-oil the part with the appropriate machine oil.

I use central heating kerosene, or red diseasel for the rubbing down, but it stinks and you'll be glad of a pair of NITRILE rubber gloves to keep it off your skin, and it has a nasty habit of stripping the protective oil film off bits you didn't want it to.

We've endlesly discussed heating in the workshop (apologies to the guys who's info this was):

one thing to avoid is anything like a gas heater which exhausts it's steam laden fumes into the workshop (Update:17:26: HT to Sir Clip who's feeling a bit miffed at having his thunder stolen),

you're far better off with an electric heater, or something like a pot bellied stove.

If your going to cover a machine, use a synthetic cover, e.g. vinyl, polythene, nylon or polyester, Ive mistakingly used cotton in the past and it absorbs the protective oil off the machine and wicks moisture to it, result - measels

Covering a machine reduces the ammount of condensation bearing air passing it, but an impermeable cover can also trap condensation against the machine.

On my own stuff, I rely on oil for protection. however if I'm laying things up for a while, I use a conventional lithium grease.

Other things to avoid are:
Hydrochloric acid - anywhere near the workshop

dust deposits, especially wood dust as it soaks up the oil sets like glue and also attracts moisture, or grinding dust, as it's abrasive as well as soaking up the oil.

hope this gets you started

Keith

[alanstepney]

I used to have my lathe in an unheated shed.

I made a cover for it, and under the cover , in fact, just under the lathe bed, placed a 15 watt light bulb. (In a cover so nothing could touch it, naturally.

A simple time switch was added to switch it on in the evening and off again in the morning, as that was enough to keep it damp free.

[circlip]

It's back on page 7 under garage floor insulation and that's the last time i tell you about gas heaters Noddy!!! Ian.

[Noddy]

OK, I'll pay my dues next time I find a good Guzzi link...

Keith

Oh, and ask DR John about the new world atlas... it shows Europe as a bit of a s*** hole.

[tweendecker]

alanstepney said:

I used to have my lathe in an unheated shed.

I made a cover for it, and under the cover , in fact, just under the lathe bed, placed a 15 watt light bulb. (In a cover so nothing could touch it, naturally.

A simple time switch was added to switch it on in the evening and off again in the morning, as that was enough to keep it damp free.

Thanks to you all for replying. Very very useful tips for a 'tyro' such as myself.
I forgot to mention in my original post that I have a 1 metre long greenhouse heater directly beneath the lathe.
I have however only tended to put it on when the outside temperature was around freezing.
Perhaps I can put this on a time switch and make myself a cover as you have done.
What did you make it from?
Finally, I have not yet read the other posts re condensation but I would imagine that insulating a shed could bring problems too.

[alanstepney]

My cover was made from the remains of an old car hood. Never throw anything away, thats me!
I know that doesnt help you to source a suitable material, but you did ask!

[cotswold]

Condensation (and hence rust) happens with changes of temperature so a steady temperature is the first essential. Remember too that the normal products of combustion are carbon dioxide and water, and when you are in your workshop, your body is burning fuel!

For many years I made use of a small unheated shed. Except when actually in use, the lathe together with a few other larger chunks of metal, were covered by a candle-wick bedspread big enough to reach to the floor. A 25 watt bulb protected by the cage of an inspection lamp holder completed the set-up.

[chris vine]

Hi Tweendecker,

The most important thing to realise is that moisture in the workshop descends. The main thing is to cover the machine with something as simple as a polythene sheet. Sure a little heat underneath will help but the main thing is to stop the dew coming down onto it.

Did you notice when your chuck rusted if it was just the half of it which was top most??

Chris.

[tweendecker]

cvine said:

Hi Tweendecker,

The most important thing to realise is that moisture in the workshop descends. The main thing is to cover the machine with something as simple as a polythene sheet. Sure a little heat underneath will help but the main thing is to stop the dew coming down onto it.

Did you notice when your chuck rusted if it was just the half of it which was top most??

Hi Chris,
Thanks for your post. I'm almost sure that the rust was on the top of the chuck.
As the lathe came covered with a polythene bag, I have always used this to cover it. I wonder whether this might have added to the problem by promoting condensation?
That's why I was asking about using inhibitors in my original post

Chris.

[tweendecker]

cvine said:

Hi Tweendecker,

The most important thing to realise is that moisture in the workshop descends. The main thing is to cover the machine with something as simple as a polythene sheet. Sure a little heat underneath will help but the main thing is to stop the dew coming down onto it.

Did you notice when your chuck rusted if it was just the half of it which was top most??

Chris.

Hi Chris, As I'm not used to posting in this forum it looks as though I mistakenly replied to my own post instead replying to yours !!

[dickellis]

Mix a thin paste (thick custard) of Vaseline and vegetable oil pour into a piece of stockinette and fold up and sqeeze. Wipe over metal parts after use.
In my shed I sometimes go in and the water is sitting on the chucks etc. if I just leave it alone it dries of quite quickly.
Dick

[chris vine]

Hi again Tweendecker,

If you think the rust was on the top of the chuck then I will (almost) bet you sixpence that the time it rusted was the time you left the bag off!!!!

If it rusted every time you left the bag on, then the rust would be in different places round the chuck?? (I always like to believe my own theories...)

Chris.

[awins]

Hi my shed is un insulated & I have an electric tube heater ( approx 70W ) controlled by a thermostat. This is on from around November until April, itsnot enough heat to make the shed warm but seems to drive off any damp. Since fitting it ( four years ago ) I have had no rust problems. I used to get great rust spots on the Lathe bed ,chuck etc around February time when the bulk of metal was so cold and the winter sunshine on the shed would rapidly warm the inside causing water droplets ( from the formation of then condensation ) to appear thus making the rust spots. Also try spraying regularly with WD40 this works extremely well, as I say I simply have a wooden shed and no longer suffer from 'The dreaded Rust'

[Noddy]

Hi Awins,
I don't want you to feel I'm roasting you, but do go careful on the WD40;

it has a nasty habit of washing the protective oil film off then evaporating and leaving the metal un-protected.

Also, it has such a low viscosity, that water drops easily sink through it and wet the metal beneath.

Keith

[Jo]

I agree Keith, WD40 was originally known as "Water Dispersent 40 days" any rust reduction properties was unintentional and you may like to consider that it is also conductive: just try it on your HT leads .

I personally use duck oil, I had a Norton coated with the stuff in a damp shed for a number of years without it coming to any harm.

Jo