Thread: Shock, horror, gasp, lathe bed rust!

On those misty, foggy mornings when water condenses on everything, the water gets under the oil and creates rust on the steel.... It happens in my shed a few days of the year.... heavier oil is probably one way round it..

The rust is insignificant, just the stains to the bright metal parts are the unsightly bits, but it does not affect anything...

Hi Ken,
At work we use one of the Lanotec products specifically designed for this purpose. It's a relatively new product but works very very well. If you like I will find out the name of it.

Phil

I live in about the highest rainfall area of the State ....

The only solution I've come up with , that works to some degree , is a thick layer of grease , oil is no good .

Mike

Thanks RC for your advice.

I was hoping someone might have a solution to remove the stains, it just looks crook.

Phil, after posting, I tracked down and bought Lanotec general purpose. Not sure if it's going to be effective as it's in a pressure pack can. I was hoping it was more like a sticky oil.

Please let me know which Lanotec product you guys use.

Many thanks,

Ken

Hi Ken,

there have been a number of threads on rust prevention. One of them seemed to go into some detail and have lots of input from members with ideas. I think it may be this one.https://www.woodworkforums.com/f11/pr...chinery-38762/

I know what you mean about the stain. I have had a few of these on my lathe after it got some surface rust. I have since found that it wears off with use.... if it's in a spot on the bed that gets used!

Cheers,

Simon

Originally Posted by neksmerj

I was hoping someone might have a solution to remove the stains, it just looks crook.

Acid can remove rust stains. Obviously, you'd need to be careful.
Maybe, get some Muriatic acid from hardware shop, totally strip the bed. Apply 50% dilution, leave a few minutes and wash off with copious water. Apply something alkaline (eg washing soda), rinse, dry off, lubricate.
Just an idea - no guarantee! (Try it with a rusty spanner or something else first.)

Jordan

Hi Ken,
If you really want to make it pretty again carbitool had(2 years ago) a product that claimed to remove this sort of thing and restore metal surfaces to shiny and clean.

Dont know if it works, dont know what it costs, not sure I would use it if I had it. Its one thing to clean up the table on your spindle moulder.... ways are a little different.
Sorry I cant be more help than that.

Stuart

Ken,

I was looking at some photos you'd posted on the PM South Bend forum back in 2008 of your tastefully painted countershaft support and the bright shiny metalwork. Has all that gone the same way as the bed?

My ARL bed was badly corroded due to its previous life as a wood turning lathe. I realised I could do nothing more than remove the superficial rust from the ways with a single sided razor blade and a Scotchbrite pad on the non bearing surfaces.

I suppose you could box your bed up and send it off to Hercus for a regrind if you can't live with its present appearance.

And remember, we all suggested you stow your Arboga and the AR in your lounge room rather than in your neighbour's carport.

BT

Originally Posted by morrisman

I live in about the highest rainfall area of the State ....

The only solution I've come up with , that works to some degree , is a thick layer of grease , oil is no good .

Mike

Hi Mike,
Totally agree with you there, I had to store my machinery and used a few tubs of greases and it seems to have worked fine.

For those of you that do it, don't be afraid of slapping it on thick. You can get tubs of wheel bearing grease for around $6, so not expensive to waist a bit. The best thing about the greases is it doesn't run off like oil.

Dave

Originally Posted by Dave J

Hi Mike,
Totally agree with you there, I had to store my machinery and used a few tubs of greases and it seems to have worked fine.

For those of you that do it, don't be afraid of slapping it on thick. You can get tubs of wheel bearing grease for around $6, so not expensive to waist a bit. The best thing about the greases is it doesn't run off like oil.

Dave

Dave ,

I'm a advocate of grease also. I use Timken's wheel bearing grease because it's red and easy to see where it has been smeared.

Bob.

Thanks gents for all your comments.

AB, thank you for reminding me just how slack I've been. You say I posted on PM back in 2008, that's frightening.

All the restored parts are wrapped in tissue paper, and stored in a spare bed room. Sadly they also show signs of surface rust. Very light and can be rubbed off with steel wool.

Next chance I get I'll spray them with Lanotec.

You won't believe this, but I don't know where my Arboga is. It was stored in a mate's factory, and he had to get out. Where he went is a mystery, he's not answering his phone.

Ken

Originally Posted by neksmerj

Thanks gents for all your comments.

AB, thank you for reminding me just how slack I've been. You say I posted on PM back in 2008, that's frightening.

All the restored parts are wrapped in tissue paper, and stored in a spare bed room. Sadly they also show signs of surface rust. Very light and can be rubbed off with steel wool.

Next chance I get I'll spray them with Lanotec.

You won't believe this, but I don't know where my Arboga is. It was stored in a mate's factory, and he had to get out. Where he went is a mystery, he's not answering his phone.

Ken

What struck me about that PM post KJ was how beautifully photographed the parts were. And you had done an exemplary job of their restoration. Shame those parts aren't all reunited. You should be using the lathe.

BT

On fresh ground steel I have had mixed results with Lanotec(lanolin). It will work well for when it is in open air, but if it staved of air (as in 20-30 ground plane blades stacked together overnight) it will darken the steel considerably(not rust but something else). I'm not sure why this happens but I'm guessing that the lanolin needs to dry first.

Bacteria.

Jordan