Protecting my investment!

[thomalan]

I have recently purchased a ML7 lathe and a Myford VMC mill both secondhand but in good condition. My Workshop is a brick garage that whilst watertight and windproof has the same humidity variation as the world outside.
My question is what is the best way to prevent the tools from rusting given that I generally am a weekend machinist.
I have purchased some 'Mobil Vactra' oil which I use to lube the gears, leadscrews etc but is this the best protection for the mill bed and lathe slideways.
Also what is the best protection for tooling like chucks collets etc that are often not used for long periods.

Its many years since I worked as an apprentice in a machine shop and I cannot remember the machines standing still long enough to go rusty!

- Alan

[weldsol]

The best way is to insulate the workshop both roof and walls, did mine years ago and had no problems with rust

Paul

[Peter W.]

May 2, 2008 15:42:30 GMT thomalan said:

My Workshop is a brick garage that whilst watertight and windproof has the same humidity variation as the world outside.
My question is what is the best way to prevent the tools from rusting given that I generally am a weekend machinist.
- Alan

My workshop is a brick garage joined to the house.
A blow heater is used occasionally when i'm in there, but otherwise i've not needed any
extra insulation (going back 30 years). It faces North, no window.

What i do do is cover everything up. The ML7 has a Myford thick soft plastic cover.
Mill/drill & shaper are covered by black weed-suppressor cloth from a garden centre.
Most tools are in plastic boxes or cupboards, or under the bench !
(biscuit tins are very useful, lined with VPS anti-rust paper)

About the only things 'on show' are things like vice, hacksaw etc.

Any part-finished assemblies are covered with VPS paper, or put in a biscuit tin.

All the best,
Peter

[bantamman]

I live in a high rainfall area and for a long time have used a product called Wayoyl, made by Finnegans Paints, as a protection and rust proofer. It's available from auto accessory shops for spraying underneath cars, inside doors and other body panels. It has a soft-butter consistency, can be thinned with white spirits and brushed and sprayed. Once applied it congeals into a soft wax that can be easily rubbed off or washed with a rag moistened with white spirits. I have found it effective on bare metal for up top a year. I normally renew the treatment about twice a year. It's a good product to have on hand and can be bought in 5 litre cans for not much more than the price of engine oil. It's great for exposed linkages underneath cars and motorcycles. It lubricates as well as dispels water. A 5 Litre can will last you a long time.
There was a heavy brown waxy product on my lathe when I got it. The dealer said he uses it on machines he stores in over a lengthy period. Only thing is, it's too stiff to leave on if you're going to do the occasional job and its expensive. I can find out the details of it if you would like, but it's more suited to long term storage than your situation, I think.
I would also agree with previous post re. covering the lathe if leaving it a while between uses. Moisture settles from above. Leave the bottom open for air to circulate.
John

[circlip]

Wasn't it Waxoyl John? Lanolin or Sheep's sweat!
Alan, if you check back in the archives, loads have been posted re workshop insulation, as has been intimated, the main problem is condensation. When you've covered the machinery up with a "Breathable" material, NOT polythene, the addition of a heat source under the cover, i.e. a 25W lightbulb - turned on of course, will help.Under NO circumstances should you use a "Wet" heating source - gas powered. Regards Ian

[Smifffy]

Thomalan,

I also use my garage as a workshop and the up and over door has a nice 1/2" gap all the way around it's edge. I use a Calor Gas heater which chucks out loads of moisture - a "wet Heat Source" as circlip points out. However, I don't have a noticeable problem with rust. When I finish working I throw an old and oil stained sheet over my mill and lathe (one sheet for each). Spare tooling (lathe chucks, milling vices, etc.) I keep well oiled and covered/wrapped with old clothing. My collets are on an open rack (have been for 4yrs +) and have not picked up any rust. I suspect that if your garage door is like mine, you'll have plenty of ventilation.

I normally down tools for the summer as I've other things to do with the long days and when I do so, I just give my mill table and other bits and bobs a liberal spaying of WD40.

I do find my stock does gain a light layer of rust, but that's probably because it's oil/grease coating was removed and it doesn't get handled much.

[ron]

I live in a damp mild area and have a problem both in my insulated workshop and uninsulated garages, in the winter after working I spray the bare metal surfaces with whatever equivalent of WD40 I can pick up cheaply, ie Screwfix or Tesco version. It seems to protect for a long while because stuff I pulled out from under the bench to check this spring which hadn't been used all winter was OK.
Waxoyl would be very good for long term protection for something that's not in use, it's a bit messy for short term, I recently took the doorcard off an MGB to do a repair, the inside of the doorskin had been sprayed with it in 1995 and it looked as if it had just been done last week. Dinitrol also do rust protection, a bit more expensive, no personal experience but those I've spoken to swear by it, say it's better than Waxoyl.
Ron
Ron

[brozier]

thomalan,

I'd disagree with using fabric cover. The new Myford covers (bought one last year) are clear Vinyl. ;D

If the problem is condensation you have warm moist air cooling down and falling onto the machinery and a plastic sheet is the best bet at combatting this.

I'm also a great advocate of insulation, it reduces temperature changes and makes the workshop much more pleasant to use over the winter months.

It can be done done cheaply, loft style rock wool insulation between wooden studs with builders polythene sheet on the inside as a vapour barrier. (use a staple gun!) Cover with whatever you can get cheaply, plasterboard, plywood whatever...

For what its worth this is what works for me in a similar building to yours...

Cheers
Bryan