You could line the drawers with VCI rust inhibitor paper.
I've done this with most of my mini Bisley filing cabinet drawers; it's a bit slippery though, so I added a layer of non-slip carpet mesh from Ikea.

Bill

Hello Bob,

I would suggest the baize has been fixed in place with PVA adhesive ( Polyvinyl acetate).

Regards, John

Could it be the type of wood? Some types of wood can cause corrosion, I'm sure this has been discussed on the forum.

I have a wooden toolmakers cabinet (Union?) bought some 40 years ago, corrosion has never been a problem even when my workshop was a cold and damp wooden shed.

John

A lovely piece of furniture but I don't think it was originally made for storing metal tools.. Buying second hand and not intended for a tool box, it is buyer beware and you cannot expect a refund.

Best option is to seal the drawers or line with a suitable material and coat the tools with an anti rust product. Lots on the market. Lanelin (from sheep wool) used to be what the old timers used. Now availavle in spray cans. Good on your hand also.

Paul.

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**LINK**

https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/clarke-cmw-9b-9-drawer-wooden-machinist-too/

MichaelG.

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Edit: John MC got there first

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 01/10/2020 08:45:13

Bob Wild didn't say his tools rusted before they were in the chest, and they only rusted when in contact with the lining. This implies that the workshop is not damp and causing the rust.

These chests are available new, and so Bob may have bought a new one from Clarks. Michael's link shows that they are sold as tool chests.

So, if Bob bought it new, the first step should be to return it to Clarks as not fit for the purpose for which it was sold.

We are all practical types and try to find solutions to problems, but all too often this leads to us accepting unsatisfactory goods from suppliers.

It is likely that the baize-like material on the bottom of the drawer is a spray-on coating of some description probably a plastic material either applied as one coat or as a dry flock onto a sprayed on adhesive. Would seem likely that the rusting is caused by an adverse reaction between the coating/adhesive and the tool face.

A few choices, as suggested above return as unfit for purpose, further line the drawers with VLC paper or non-slip drawer liner or scrape off the offending coating and apply a new liner. Leaving the old lining in place it may eventually leach through the new liner. The current lining material may eventually "dry" and the volatile/corrosive agent may go.

Seem unlikely to be the wood as this appears to be pine which is usually benign. Hopefully not the varnish either as this should have lost all the volatile agents by now.

Hope you get the problem sorted as it appears to be quite a useful toolmakers cabinet.

John

Hi Forum

First post here as a new member, I'm actually a woodworker (with aspirations of engineering so be gentle). This looks like it is coming from the glue rather than the wood but difficult to assess from afar! If the wood was not dry it would create a micro-climate within the drawer causing rust to start all over. If your workshop is damp in any way (excluding the summer months) I would avoid storing tools in a wooden cabinet as it will absorb moisture from the air over time, possibly exacerbating the problem. I would remove the baize and replace it with something impervious.

Happy to answer any wood related questions.

Brian

I store any items like V blocks in individual small plastic containers. It is not a perfect solution but does keep them safe from mechanical damage and rust. The little plastic pots sold in supermarkets for storing food are perfect and not expensive.

Doug

My workshop is pretty well sealed – and insulated. I use one small meaco desiccant dehumidifier during the cooler months (will be starting again soon) for usually a couple hours during the night. It warms the workshop a little (only 375W) and keeps the humidity down to a safe level. I use two of them if I go away, to avoid just one filling up or switching off for some reason (they are not the most reliable make but are easy to fix and cheap to buy second hand🙂 ) while I am away.

PVA is neutral and used by schools from nursery upwards, so I doubt it should be a problem – but another glue could have been used.🙂 More likely the fabric is slightly hygroscopic? Not good, however it has occurred. I expect it to be a manufacturing problem and so not fit for purpose. Likely the small print will be trying to protect the sellers from any claims, but….