Thread: Tool Preservation

Search the forum for rust preventative.

I use g15

Originally Posted by Pac man

I use g15

+1

Fantastic stuff!

Hi DSEL74 - I typed 'rust prevention tools' into Search & got all of the recent threads on the topic that I can recall, plus lots of other more or less useful reading, so rather than go round the mulberry bush for the umpteenth time, take a squizz at what's there already. When you are thoroughly confused by it all (there are a few different recommendations!), come back to the collective sages with any specific questions arising.....

Cheers,

So from what I have gleaned based on rust preventive search (which was not the sole base of my question). Other than WD40 I have never seen these products.

• G15 is a good all rounder, but so easy to acquire due to transporting flammable material.

• Camellia/tea tree oil is a popular one but can leave a tacky residue if put on thick and left.

• Paste wax for tables and lathes for protection, can leave a reside on timber preventing stains etc. Also used to lube planes for better gliding.

• WD40 for penetration and clean but does not protect against rust, Inox is better. Keep WD40 away from bearings on machines.

• Boiled linseed oil for the wood handles.

These seem to be the most favoured although other have their advocates. Also long term storage over 12mths has a different set of choices.




Location in terms of climate has a big bearing on it. Apart from clean after use how often should the treatments be applied to unused exposed or covered surfaces?
I'm in Melbourne, but do have some issues with rising damp in an under house garage. I also keep small packets of desiccated silica gel in my drawers.

If you are in Melbourne there are at least 2 places you can get it. 1 is Chris Vesper. There is another one mentioned in one of the threads.

Originally Posted by DSEL74

....Location in terms of climate has a big bearing on it. Apart from clean after use how often should the treatments be applied to unused exposed or covered surfaces?
I'm in Melbourne, but do have some issues with rising damp in an under house garage. I also keep small packets of desiccated silica gel in my drawers.

DSEL, I think that's a fair summary of the various opinions. You're right, too, in that long-term storage gives you other choices & challenges. Frequency of treatment is something you will have to work out according to your own micro and macro environment, because there are so many variables. High relative humidity, or living close to the sea increases your woes, & so your damp garage means you'll need to ramp up the rust-prevention routine a bit more than if you had a nice, dry shed.

Water is going to reach your tools almost exclusively via water vapour in the air, so anything you can do to keep the R.H. down will help. Limiting the volume of air that comes in contact with your tools helps a lot. By that I mean keep the tools in a closed container like a cupboard (mine live in drawers inside a closeable cupboard), when not in use, rather than hanging them on a wall. It doesn't have to be a hermetically sealed container, but the more air exchange is impeded, the better, & the longer your silica gel is able to go on adsorbing.

It's pretty well impossible to totally stop rust on working tools. You just have to remain vigilant, and keep them clean & remember to apply whichever coating you decide on, before putting them to bed after use.

Cheers,

DSEL74,

You have done some good research here on what has already been discussed on the forum. As IanW has mention keeping your tools in cabinets when not in use will help in the prevention of rust.

As for me I am now using G15 as my rust prevention.

If it's a once-a-year use tool, you could pay a lot more and do a lot worse, performance wise than plain old generic Vaseline!

If you really mean long term, then Tectyl 506 ( Valvoline Tectyl 506 Rust Preventative, 400g - Supercheap Auto Australia ) is cheap and easily available. Drawbacks - slow and messy to remove (thick waxy brown coating that needs removal with thinners/kero/petrol but great for that "I don't think I'll ever need this router bit again but I'll keep it just in case").

Originally Posted by Master Splinter

If it's a once-a-year use tool, you could pay a lot more and do a lot worse, performance wise than plain old generic Vaseline!

If you really mean long term, then Tectyl 506 ( Valvoline Tectyl 506 Rust Preventative, 400g - Supercheap Auto Australia ) is cheap and easily available. Drawbacks - slow and messy to remove (thick waxy brown coating that needs removal with thinners/kero/petrol but great for that "I don't think I'll ever need this router bit again but I'll keep it just in case").

What happens to vaseline over the long term is it stable or does it turn into a sticky gummy mess?


IanW & Christos
A lot of my tools are in drawers etc but then it is a bit hard to put a 5' cast iron metal lathe in a drawer (then again it is hard to put it anywhere) or the drill press or saw bench. Maybe a cover of some kind would help.

Originally Posted by DSEL74

.....it is a bit hard to put a 5' cast iron metal lathe in a drawer (then again it is hard to put it anywhere) or the drill press or saw bench. Maybe a cover of some kind would help.

Perzackly. Fortunately, my metal lathe is barely 2' long, so I made a ply cover for it that just goes over the whole thing. This is as much to keep wood dust out of the works as for air exclusion. Oil & metal aren't much of a problem together so it's easily dealt with by a wipe-over with an oily rag after use (a great way to find that ultra-sharp little bit of swarf you missed cleaning out, too! ). So far (2 years plus), not a speck - the ways are as shiny as the day they left the factory.

Drill press & saw bench are a constant thorn in the side, I have to admit. Saw bench gets paste-wax on the surface every month or three according to use & weather. My biggest worry at this time of year is the occasionaal drop of sweat that falls on it, that I fail to notice until I see the bright red splotch next morning. Salt + water!!!

The drill press is the orphan tool that gets a bit of rust on the column no matter what I do. I try to keep it clean & give the column a rub over with an oily rag now & then, but I've decided that some tools cannot be preserved in a pristine state, so I stopped fussing....

Cheers,

DSEL74 -

An advantage is that stays pretty much as Vaseline.

A drawback is that it stays pretty much as Vaseline.

If you smear things with it they will collect dust and similar grot, and continued hot weather will cause oils in it to slowly creep onto other surfaces; however balancing that is that it is very skin safe, easy to clean off, not plastic unfriendly and protected parts can be stored in those neat little zip lock bags which not only keep dust off but also offer a measure of sharp edge protection and stops the Vaseline from creeping onto other surfaces.

So far, my ongoing test - https://www.woodworkforums.com/f152/s...4/#post1552962

and the follow up - https://www.woodworkforums.com/f152/s...4/#post1590396

Checking on my sample from the above today (which has been in outside in full Canberra rain/sun since early September last year) shows it to be still leading the pack of 'temporary' coatings (painting is still leading overall).

Slight discolouration is just a build up of dust and dirt on the piece - you'll note that the Vaseline sample still has a wet and greasy look, while the G15 coating is nowhere to be seen.

Keep a spray bottle with Thompson's Water Seal. The original one. It leaves a very thin paraffin coating. It is not wet, and I spray it on anything that could rust. It does not gum up, and will prevent rust until you use the tool again. I spray table saw blades, shovels, axes, chisels, planes, etc.