Recommendations for rust prevention?

[David George 1Participant @davidgeorge1]

Hi Tom if you use a slideway oil preferably 60 grade on a rag and just give everything a wipe you will prevent most corrosion and you will lubricate as well. The slideway oil is sticky and stays in place but you should use an oil can of same oil on all slides and parts as well.

David

[File HandleParticipant @filehandle]

Tim
During the tupping season some do develop a rusty colour,

[Peter G. ShawParticipant @peterg-shaw75338]

My cure for rusting metalworking equipment is a small electric heater underneath the lathe or whatever. This works by keeping the equipment slightly warmer than ambient, hence no condensation. I use some 10W cabinet heaters from RS, but others have used self-heating tape and/or small incandescent lamp/s. There is, of course, a downside in that there is a cost, but what the heck, it saves all the messing about with WD40, slideway oil, waxes etc.

Also, especially in winter, I keep a cloth cover over the lathe (and the milling machine) and on top of that, a large piece of plastic (ditto for the milling machine). Don't know what the material is – it came from my parents many years ago. Anyway, it works for me.

Peter G. Shaw

[not done it yetParticipant @notdoneityet]

Heating, without any other precautions is not particularly environmentally sustainable. Seal all draughts, insulate and use much less heat energy (preferably operating a desiccant type dehumidifier) to avoid condensation.

[Grindstone CowboyParticipant @grindstonecowboy]

Speaking of environmentally sustainable, I think I'd rather heat my machinery than what seems to be a growing trend in the USA – the electrically heated driveway!

Rob

[Peter G. ShawParticipant @peterg-shaw75338]

NDIY,

I do agree with you as regards the cost of heating the equipment. However, you do not know me, or indeed I suspect the OP. In my case, the costs of insulating what is actually a garage would far outweigh the costs of heating the equipment during what's left of my life (I'm 78 & have lung cancer).

I actually have three nominally 10W heaters, two on the lathe bed and fastened to it, whilst the third is fastened to a large lump of aluminium plate which in turn is wedged into the base of the milling machine. Now I have measured the current draw on the lathe, but not on the mill, so I'm assuming a similar current draw. Given that, I am taking about 57W. I admit to being shocked when I discovered just what the lathe heaters were taking, yet according to the specification, this within the parameters, their full title (at that time) being Self Regulating Cabinet Heaters. (It would seem that RS has changed their name.)

But, in fairness, I have had no more problems with rusting; no more gentle cleaning with WD40 & a bit of dead wet&dry, so all in all I think they are worthwhile. Also, looking back at my records, I first fitted them in 2005.

Cheers,

Peter G. Shaw

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Just out of interest … Are these the heaters that you are using, Peter ?

**LINK**

https://docs.rs-online.com/72dd/A700000008031247.pdf

MichaelG.

.

Ref. https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/enclosure-heaters/2257029

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 06/11/2021 12:36:06

[Peter G. ShawParticipant @peterg-shaw75338]

Michael,

No, the ones I have are Part No. 360-4059 and still available, but note that their name appears to have been changed since I bought mine.

Peter G. Shaw

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Thanks … found it

MichaelG.

[not done it yetParticipant @notdoneityet]

Peter,

You are correct – we do not know each other. Neither do either of us know Tom S. My post had nothing to do with yours – there were other posts mentioning heaters prior to yours. I just try to be factual. The larger part of the UK housing stock could, I suspect, be improved with insulation – but draught-proofing still comes first. Heating costs money and energy on a continuing basis, while both the others are one-off expenditures.

Of course, draught-proofing and insulation are not, in themselves, sufficient to prevent condensation in winter – but Tom S. was also making reference to the humid summer. Draught-proofing, insulation and use of a desiccator has combined to keep my workshop rust-free at low cost. It is certainly not warm enough in the winter, without heat, but it has been cool enough for comfortable working all the summer as well (with a little dehumidifying at times).

My summer dehumidification unfortunately comes with unwanted heating, but that has not bothered me. The power has been derived from solar energy, so cost was effectively zero. During the winter months the dehumidifying/heating is from E7 and any extra heating during the day costs me at grid prices most of the time (although I am currently installing 1.8kW of PV panels at the present time).

I’m only 73 but had a difficult bypass op about ten years ago, so not in the best of health, myself. But that does not alter the facts re rust prevention.

[Peter G. ShawParticipant @peterg-shaw75338]

NDIY,

Sorry, I obviously came to a wrong conclusion.

Peter G. Shaw

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

FWIW

East Anglia, UK

During times of frost I switch on an old 60 watt tubular heater under the "Fitting Bench" (If you can see it! )

The shop is only 10'9" x 6' 9" externally, but insulated by 50 mm glass fibre on all walls and ceiling., behind 12 mm cladding.

After a day or so, the steel bench is no longer cold to the touch, and risking being proved wrong, rust is a VERY rare event.

So, my conclusion?

Insulate really well, draught proof and low power heating will keep the temperature above the dew point, in a temperate climate.

Howard

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

Now that we have all replaced our incandescent light bulbs with LEDs we can use them as heaters. Pity the traditional biscuit tin enclosures all went plastic however they might move back when we run out of oil.

[DMBParticipant @dmb]

I glued together scrap pieces of 3-ply to make a protective wooden box to house 4 incandescent 60W bulbs in brass baton holders, wired in series, since I didn't want light, just gentle heat. In mill drip tray. Back of Myford drip tray is a 3ft tubular heater on thermostat and timer. 'Stat set as low as possible and timer currently on 6pm off 8am but adjusted around the year and time of full sun on shed. Fitting bench covered with long sheet thin plastic and all machinery covered in old (and thicker than currently used by the building materials industry) plastic sand/ballast bags. Shed roof, polystyrene sheets, walls covered in recycled 3ply and space stuffed with roof insulation wool. It was the wrapping plastic sheet for that now used to cover bench and Myford since original Myford plastic cover tore and fell apart eventually. It all works OK, no rust and I don't shiver in there!

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