| Parts Cleaners (Sep 15,
2001) |
Degreasing the carriage
(Aug 6, 2003) |
| Parts cleaning (Jan 18,
2002) |
Vinegar and Salt (Aug
31, 2003) |
| TSP as paint stripper
(Feb 26, 2002) |
Cleaning quick change box
(Dec 21, 2003) |
| Removal of paint rust etc.
(May 18, 2002) |
Source of Kroil (Dec 29,
2003) |
| Non-flammable cleaner?
(Dec 7, 2002) |
Paint removal (Feb 16,
2004) |
| Decrudding an old MT2
(Apr 12, 2003) |
Cleaning up parts (May
4, 2004) |
| Boiling lye (May 10,
2003) |
Cleaning brass (Jun 6,
2004) |
| Degreasing (May 11, 2003) |
About the WD-40 (Sep 13,
2004) |
| Greased Lightning Cleaner
(May 14, 2003) |
Cleaning lathe ways (Dec
19, 2004) |
| |
| Parts Cleaners |
| Anyone have tips or
ideas on cleaning up old grungy steel parts? I've tried Easy Off
spray oven cleaner with favorable results. A caution its caustic and
will eat Aluminum up. Eye and skin protection is a must. Steve
(1543) |
| Not real practical, but when
restoring portions of my 1941 9" Model A SB, I used a hot bath of
TSP for a few hours and it took things down pretty much to bare
metal. When I get around to doing the saddle and apron, I'll
continue the hot-bath method. Paul R. (1544) |
| I use a mix of
things. For major oil and grease, I start with Kerosene or paint
thinner. I also boil steel and iron parts in water and washing soda,
or TSP or lye or sodium metasilicate or dishwashing detergent. This
takes off a lot of grease and oil too. These all seem to work. Rust
is the big problem. I will use a scraper, then a combination of
sandpaper and sandblasting or the electrolytic method. For small
nuisance stuff like screws and nuts, I just throw them into a small
rock tumbler with broken glass and let them go for a couple of days.
I have used walnut shells in a sandblaster to clean up crud and
paint from aluminum and brass. No matter what, the more dirt the
more work. P. Isaac
(1545) |
| Now that's an interesting idea --
broken glass as a tumbling media. I picked up a tumbler from a
friend who passed away a while ago, and I thought I would try to use
it in lieu of a bead-blaster for finishing small parts. I'll have to
give some of these different ideas for tumbling media a try. Paul R.
(1546) |
| I must be dumb
tonight. What the heck is TSP? My AD is SUBB this week and all I can
think of is "Thrift Savings Plan..."?? Know that isn't right in this
context!? I go with the guy who said use Kroil to clean stuff up
when it is gouped up. Kroil does the job for me and with one of
those little green scrubbing pads from the SO's kitchen supply will
clean the dickens out of stuff. The tumbler idea for small stuff is
great! I have a rock tumbler that the girls no longer use, with all
kinds of polishing compounds. Sounds a lot better than playing
"shake and bake" with the parts in a bell jar with some sand and
gas. Thanks for the link to the guy who sent the shaper link. I have
a pre-Delta Miller model 7" shaper and am always looking for more
info on what I can use it for than just cutting gibs or extractor
notches. Bubba K. (1547) |
| I use Simple Green
a lot, you can get it at Wal-Mart, spray it on straight, scrub it
with a brush, and rinse with hot water. Won't harm finished or
painted surfaces. M.L. (1548) |
| TSP = tri-sodium
phosphate, available at your paint store. I use waterless hand
cleaner to get the hardened crud off my machinery. I smear it on and
let it soak for a half day, or so, then clean it off. I repeat as
much as necessary. Be careful with waterless hand cleaner, though.
If left on too long, it might soften some types of paint. Orrin (1550) |
| TSP = Tri-Sodium
Phosphate, powder. Used for cleaning walls/cabinets prior to
painting. Just make sure you get REAL tri-sodium phosphate, not some
environmentally friendly replacement. I got a box of it at the Home
Depot paint department. I put about a cup of it in a wash tub filled
with water and balanced it on an old hot plate. It gets steaming hot
and works in a few hours or over night. A little wire-brushing is
sometimes required to remove thick paint, but the parts got pretty
clean. I guess I could have had my parts hot-tanked at an engine
place, but I like the convenience of doing it myself. Paul
R. (1551) |
| Try soaking
them liberally with biodegradable engine cleaner available from your
local auto parts store. Worked for me, provided the grunge to which
you refer consists of semi-solidified lubricants mixed with swarf. Bilal (1561) |
|
Parts cleaning |
| Got some parts, so
grungy with ancient oil-scum varnishy rusty-looking old-oil gook
they defy the parts washer, lacquer thinner, naphtha, even methylene
chloride has to work to clean them up. Too much work; I'm lazy at
heart. stole a trick from the engine rebuilders. put 'em in a
stock-pot with 2 gallons of cold water and two cups of regular old
plumber's lye added slowly to water [never vice-versa] and stir
well. Boiled for an hour. nice, clean parts needing only a wipedown
with an oily rag. took off all the nasty old paint and everything. A
little light surface rust from drying instantly upon removal, but an
oily rag took that right off. Let the brew cool and poured it down
the drain. works good there too. on another note, I've been getting
some of my parts from Ronnie Cammaratta. I have no
connection with the guy other than a satisfied customer. His prices
are a little steep, but the stuff I get is in good working order,
clean and tight. I got a steady rest and follow rest from him that
still had the original paint and SBL decals intact and the paint was
clean still. The compound I got from him has less than .005 backlash
in the leadscrew. There are other parts sources cheaper, but some of
what I have gotten from other sources has been worn-out junk, worse
than what I'm replacing, pure and simple...witness the leadscrew
issue...that carriage was a eBay part from a non-Babin baboon. And I
can't recommend dave sobel highly enough. Nice guy. Sent him the
check today for a new leadscrew, bushing, dial, thrust bearings, and
nut, all new-in-boxes for less than 1/5 of the OEM price. I'll still
redo my leadscrew myself, but it's nice to have backup in case I
screw it up. (2809) |
| TSP as paint
stripper |
| Stop me
before I make a mistake, or tell me I'm ok. I have read on this
group that paint may be stripped from iron castings using a solution
of hot water and TSP (tri-sodium phosphate). I am about to attempt
stripping the paint from a die-cast aluminum engine block in
preparation of a fresh paint job, and I'm not sure if it will cause
any serious problems. The label says it will darken aluminum
containers, however it does not say if any other damage can take
place. This engine is an early '70's vintage Tecumseh that I am
freshening up for use on my sons' go-kart. Not only is the original
white paint worn and faded, but someone has painted over it with an
ugly forest green. Raymond
(3400) |
| I'm getting
ready to try this myself. I've got a 9" Heavy 10" in pieces and both
appear to have been owned by housepainters somewhere along the line
judging from the quantity thickness of the many coats of paint each
has. I picked up a turkey frying rig with a propane fired burner and
a 30qt stainless pot. I'm going to get a large galvanized bucket and
heat a TSP solution in it. I should be able to fit everything except
for the beds into the heated solution. Hopefully I'll have
everything gathered for the weekend and I'll try it then. I've seen
the procedure outlined on several websites and everyone seems to get
good results so we'll see what happens. Dave (3401) |
| Not positive, so I
avoided TSP on aluminum parts when doing my lathe. It may at least
very aggressively etch/pit the surface of the aluminum. Anything you
can test with first? PDH (probably doesn't help) Paul R.
(3402) |
| I have stripped
quite a few parts using TSP, but not aluminum. When I have to strip
aluminum, aircraft stripper is my choice, it is available in spray
cans from the auto parts store, in the paint section. I don't know
that TSP will harm aluminum, but have figured that if it discolors
it there is some form of reaction going on that might cause problems
down the road. Stan (3403) |
| SNIP I'm going to
get a large galvanized bucket and heat a TSP solution in it SNIP
Dave, I know absolutely nothing about TSP, but I do know that
galvanized metal, when heated to a certain point, gives off a
poisonous gas. Just ask a pro to weld it for ya sometime and see
what he says. Johnny
(3404) |
| When you do decide
to weld anything that is galvanized and your stomach starts doing
flip flops cause you breathed in some of the vapors, Drink a glass
of milk. It does a body good. Gerald
(3405) |
| I've been using zip
strip from the local Ace Hardware to remove paint from my lathe
parts. Its kind of nasty with vapors and for sure wear rubber gloves
when you are working with it, but I have had good luck on cast iron
and the cast aluminum belt cover from my "A". A solution of Tide
detergent and very hot water after the chemical treatment leaves a
nice surface for paint. Glen
(3406) |
| The method I use to
strip paint from metal castings: * get a 5 gallon plastic bucket
with tight fitting lid * put parts to be stripped in bucket * add a
cup of lacquer thinner * seal bucket and let it sit over night The
paint just falls off. no kidding , have done this numerous times.
(3408) |
| I think I will go with the 5 gallon bucket method submitted
by "actvus". Sounds to me like it poses the least amount of risk to
the aluminum casting and the least amount of effort from me. Raymond (3409) |
| Johnny, I've used
galvanized tubs for similar purposes in the past and not had any
difficulty. I'm not even planning to boil the solution so I don't
think I'll be anywhere near the temperature required to burn off the
galvanization. Perhaps there will be some burn-off on the bottom
where the flame hits it but I'll be working outdoors and really
don't anticipate any problems in that area. I've run into it before
when welding on galvanized irrigation pipe, gotta spend a lot of
time grinding off all the zinc before welding it, but again there's
some pretty high temperatures involved there. Dave (3411) |
| Removal of
paint rust etc. |
| Try this
for getting rid of paint and gunk that non-toxic and easy. First get
a plastic bucket and some arm hammer washing soda (get the washing
soda) its in the supermarket by the cloth soap. (about $2.00) mix a
good hand full in the bucket and fill with tap water. Take your
metal part and hang it in the solution, take a piece of scrap metal
or two and a couple of clamps and secure the scrap to the sides of
the bucket without touching your hanging part. then hook the neg.
lead of a 12 volt battery charger to your hanging part and the pos.
lead to the scrap metal turn it on and bubbles will start to form.
This is a reverse electroplate and will take off gunk and paint. do
1. use washing soda 2. use plastic container 3. neg. to part 4. pos
to scrap metal don'ts 1. don't let part and scrap touch (bad for
battery charger) 2. don't use copper (makes a big red mess) I've
been
using this for over 20 years know and it works well and wont change
the profile of the metal. this stuff might look bad after a lot of
gunk has been run true it but it will still work well. use it over
and over. that's all for now my typing finger is starting to hurt.
Mike
(4247) |
| Tried your paint
and rust removal method, wish I'd known about it years ago. Works
GREAT. Three questions. 1. Being is an aquatic solution shouldn't
the amperage draw stay constant, why does the amperage draw drop off
during the process? The first piece that I tried the amperage
started at about 3 to 3 1/2 amps. After about 20 minutes or so I
noticed that the draw had dropped to around 2 amps. 2. Do you think
that the process would work a bit faster with 24VDC and a litter
higher amperage. I've been sitting on a 24VDC variable amperage
board for some years and almost dumped it a couple of times. It
would make a great mount on the wall power source for this
application if you think that 24VDC would work ok. Either way THANKS
for the tip. I finally have a way of removing paint from tanks and
fenders with out the distortion and pain in the neck of sand
blasting.
(4345) |
| I have used 24 DC
and it works a little faster and the current draw is more so don't
max out the the supply as for the drop in current the scrap is
getting plated with gunk and wont let the current pass clean the
scrap by scraping it. Mike (4350) |
| I use a 30A
variable bench supply that is handy, and just crank the voltage
until the current meter hits 10A or the current stops increasing
when doing big parts. Lots of foaming for 10 minutes to several
hours, then as the reactive rust diminishes the current begins to
drop off. I guess the rust provides a really large surface area as
it is porous, and as the rust drops off or converts the surface area
decreases to something closer to what you would calculate for the
part. The current draw is driven not only by surface area - you are
correct that it would stay constant if that was the only factor, but
also by the electrolytic reaction that is removing the rust. It
takes more current to convert ferric oxide to ferrous oxide than to
do straight electrolysis. Once the electrolytic rust reaction dies
off you're down to a fairly dirty standard electrolysis, simply
generating hydrogen and oxygen from water. Along with some other
junk no doubt, as it is rather a bit more dirty than the chemistry
textbook cell! Stan
(4351) |
| Do you see a
problem with using a large tub (i.e. industrial parts bin). It is
20.5" x 15.5" x 11" deep. Is there some ratio of washing soda to
water that works best. I also have an Astron 55 amp 12vdc power
supply. I suppose that would handle anything. I am thinking with the
tub and that size power supply I could connect multiple parts in
parallel to progress much quicker. Fred (4358) |
| Fred; When doing
my old SB13 I used one of those large Rubbermaid storage containers.
Seems it was 30 gallon capacity, around 30 X 18 X 18 inches. All of
10 bucks at one of the chains that specializes in cheap, such as
Dollar General, Big Lots, and such, and you can toss it without
feeling much pain when it gets really nasty or the job is done and
you don't have a place to store it. One tablespoon of washing soda
per gallon does the job, some folks like to add a bit of TSP as
well. I tried it and it didn't seem to make any difference, so TSP
is kept for hot tanking paint off of old castings or degreasing
prior to hitting castings with metal prep. If you use stainless
plate for the anode it will last quite a bit longer than plate, but
will still be scrap eventually. I used a stainless fryer basket with
some small parts suspended to get good overall effect, after a week
it was coming apart, two weeks later the mesh was gone. Should have
kept it for the parts washer I guess. A plate at each end evens out
the current density, although as the rust comes off it tends to even
out anyway. I love this process for de-rusting, as it simply stops
when the rust is gone. For paint removal I still prefer either
stripper or hot TSP dunking though. Stripper is my favorite not
because it is so much fun, but because you can capture the old paint
and get it in a can to drop off at the hazmat area of the dump. Old
machines are usually lead based paint, having a well I'd just as
soon not have lead going into my land! Stan (4365) |
| Fred! across
the top of a bucket/plastic container I use a 1/4" rod and hang what
ever will fit in the bucket off a hook what ever works.
Mike (4388) |
| Non-flammable
cleaner? |
| Anybody have any
suggestions for non-flammable cleaners? I got the big chunks-o-gunk
off with kerosene before bringing the 10" in from the freezing
weather. Now, with it in my basement (close to water heater and
furnace), I need something that won't 'splode. I'm looking for
something to get the gunk/chips/oil out of the QC gearbox. Wallace (7839) |
| It depends on just
how much work you want to put into it. When cleaning up everything
for my 9" 10" I just used a large 40 gal. Turkey frying kit from
Wal-Mart
and boiled the parts in a Tri-Sodium Phosphate ( TSP) solution. This
was very effective in stripping off old paint, oil, grease and such.
It did a great job and the parts came out very clean. Dave
(7840) |
| There is
an excellent degreaser named Super Butyl. It is non flammable
water soluble and doesn't smell the house up to the point that you
are looking for a motel for a couple of days. If you decide to go
with super butyl let me know and I will help you find
some. Mike (7842) |
| For now, I just
want to clean it "in place". I want to get it up and running, and I
might consider a full rehab in the spring. Where did you get the
TSP? Wallace (7843) |
| Most hardware
stores or Home Depot type places should carry it. They had 2 or 3
brands in the first place I walked into so I don't think it should
be too hard to find. Dave (7844) |
| How about just
taking the nasty parts down to the auto engine rebuilders, auto
parts houses that have a machine shop, and get them into the gunk
tank. You can usually go back in about an hour and pick it up. The
local shop I use charges about 15 bucks for the de-greasing, and
with that, they even take care of the waste. It's hard to go wrong.
These guys use a solvent that will take the paint off at times. They
even give your goodies a spray with an anti-rust. Neato if
you're lazy like me. Tom (7857) |
| I think Tom has the
answer. A transmission shop usually has a Superdishwasher that will
really do a job too. Mike (7864) |
| Decrudding an
old MT2 |
| I'm a
non machinist who acquired an old Delta-Rockwell heavy duty wood lathe
a few years back (haven't found THAT list yet) and I want to 1) add
an xy table to the headstock gap to use it for facing off and
cutting cast aluminum pulleys and wheelheads (16" dia), and 2)
eventually fully assemble the lathe and convert it to slightly
heavier metalwork similar to "Richard"'s files in gingery machines.
My question is, the headstock spindle MT2 taper is in the
light/medium cruddy stage, with a surface slightly rougher than hot-
rolled steel. What is the best way to clean this up, short of a
machine shop? I have MT2 accessories and was considering using a
series of 600- to 2000- grade wet-or dry lightly glued to the male
MT2 with 3M temp spray rubber cement to hone it out. Better ideas?
Bob
(10173) |
| If the current
(rough) surface of the taper is not concentric with the rotation
axis, then your freshly honed surface will not be concentric either
(like a reamer, it just follows the existing hole), and your MT2
accessories will not run true. One method is to mount a makeshift
tool grinder (like a Foredom grinder handpiece) on your new carriage
(x-y table) and recut the taper while the running the spindle.
Jeff (10175) |
| You might want to
go over to the owwm list. try
www.owwm.com As far as decrudding the tailstock- is is
just junk or is it rusty? There is a big difference. since its a
WOOD lathe, you have no carriage. Precision is not as critical on a
wood lathe. Is the inside chromed and is it flaking? Is that why it
is pitted? You can try and use a taper cleaner to get the junk out.
As far as homebuilt sandpaper mandrels go, I suppose it could work,
but as others pointed out, not very accurate. you might be better
off using a MT2 finishing reamer to clean it up. As long as you are
not going to be cutting chrome plating with it. Use lots of oil! you
can get one for ~30 at a supply house. dennis (10176) |
| Bob, It sounds like
we might have the same kind of lathe? Mine's a Rockwell 12" gap-bed,
variable speed, heavy duty model. Very nice lathe indeed. Minor
dings could be cleaned up using a 2MT finish-reamer, but
free-handing to repair any serious damage in the spindle taper would
cause runout. Not recommended in my opinion. I would say the only
two ways to redress a beat-up spindle taper are: 1) On the lathe
itself, using a tool post grinder on the accessory compound slide
adjusted accurately to a 2MT, but you have to have all the
equipment, and hand-feeding the cut would be a problem. OR 2)
Disassembling the spindle and grinding it on a lathe or grinder. I
would think that the spindle would be hardened so grinding would be
the best option, but a boring bar may work. Be careful about how
much "meat" you remove or you will swallow the drive center.
Paul R. (10184) |
| Thinking on this a
bit more - how about if you just clean it up, decrud it as best you
can, *without* removing any metal, insert some of your MT2
accessories like an arbor or dead center, and indicate the amount of
runout. If it runs true (or true enough, we'll need some opinions
here) then call the job finished. Although rough, there may be
enough of the original surface remaining for the arbor to
register/align correctly. Jeff
(10185) |
| I just recalled, several years ago I had
to ungrunge a tailstock #2 MT, and it came out very well simply
lapping it with loose abrasive using a 2MT toolshank as a mandrel.
#320 grit in WD40 did the trick in a few minutes, using only hand
forces. (10186) |
| Bob: The
lapping method below will work, but again may not guarantee the taper
(hole) centerline will be the same as the spindle rotation
centerline. On a tailstock it does not matter, as you can always
readjust it to get back to spindle centerline. Jeff (10190) |
| The lapping
compound method will work up to a point. we have to remember that in
the process the plug gets smaller and the id of the cone gets
larger. they will not advance axially as we lap to get better
contact. this is why expendable plugs and cups are made when lapping
tapered shaves and couplings. Jon (10241) |
| Boiling lye |
| Actually boiling
caustic solutions (or at least very hot) are standard hot tank
fillers. My preference is for very hot TSP solution, a bit less
nasty to work with and just about as effective for paint
removal/degreasing. Stan (10995) |
| TSP would actually
be my first choice. works very well and even cheaper then a can of
lye. Now where do you get a spaghetti pot big enough to put a 4' bed
in? Kerry (11001) |
| Another suggestion
for cleaning the bed, get some of the brake cleaner in spray cans,
it will clean any of the grease and oils and will also remove any
paint. Sodium hydroxide (lye) comes in many ways, it is also in some
of the drain cleaners, I use it all the time for cleaning parts
before I prepare them for plating. Clint (11002) |
| Kerry, down here in
Dixie, we call that a "55-gallon drum". Split it length-wise and add
legs. If ya hinge the 2 halves together and fit a piece of
expanded-mesh steel, it also makes a dandy grill. That's a "barbie"
for you "DEEP- south" folks down-under. Johnny (11008) |
| Stan, What do you
do with the no longer needed Lye solution? Disposal should be a
concern. Mike (11009) |
| Lye is safe to dump
down the drain just try to skim as muck oil off as possible. Kerry
(11013) |
| As long as you
haven't used it to strip lead based paint you can do just about
anything with it you like. Down the drain, out on the yard is you
have nasty red clay. If used for lead based paint, cook it down, put
it in old paint cans filled with kitty litter, and turn it in at the
landfill. Stan (11015) |
| Degreasing |
At 05:07 AM
5/11/2003 +0000, you wrote: Except for the belt covers and end
cover, if they are aluminum, or if the thing is covered with
aluminum turnings. Violent reaction, used to clean drains (Drain-O),
plus the aluminum part is wrecked quickly.
(11006) |
| On "new" machinery
on its way home in the back of the pick up I have found that Gunk,
toothbrushes and the "quarter car wash" (generally real early in the
morning ) works well for preliminary cleanups. Spray on "carb
cleaner" does quite well for advanced cleaning. BTW I recently
bought a Home Depot small pressure washer (Red, Made in Italy--they
make nice cars so what the hell) for 88.00. I generally disdain HD
stuff and wouldn't have normally purchased such an item but was
desperate as local rental concerns want 45.00/day. The sucker works
(and more importantly) and continues to work great.
(11007) |
| Carburetor cleaner
in the one gallon paint pail you can buy at NAPA or Autozone will
clean gears, screws, and most parts you can fit in the can.
Everything will look like brand new. It will strip the paint off as
well. Eric (11024) |
| Greased
Lightning Cleaner |
| My SB 9
restoration is on-going very nicely. I have been trying various
de-greasing methods without having to take the gearbox apart. I
found a post on the Machine Shop Forum where a guy boasted about how
great Greased Lightning worked on cleaning up caked on grease. The
guy was right. I bought a bottle for about 4 bucks at AutoZone last
night and sprayed it into the gearbox. After about an hour of
soaking I rinsed the gear box out with very hot water and blew it
out with compressed air. The gears shined like brand new. Be careful
though as it will eat of any painted finish. Also be careful to not
get any on the SB quick change plate riveted on the housing. I was
impressed with this product. Eric (11096) |
| I took
Eric's advice and tried out the "Greased Lightning" degreaser from
Auto Zone. The cabinet of my underdrive 9" SB had something dark
coming through the paint. I assumed it was grease/grime and tried to
take it off with mineral spirits, Gunk, denatured alcohol, brake
cleaner and a combination of each of the above and a 3M scrub pad
with mediocre results. When I bought the Greased Lightning the first
thing I saw on the container was that it was non-toxic and
biodegradable. While I like to consider myself into the ecology, I
also know that this type of material usually doesn't work as well as
the old stuff that would eat you up. I sprayed a portion of my paint
and wiped it right off. It took off so much of the grease/grime that
I was totally amazed. You're not supposed to use this stuff on
painted surfaces, but my paint was in such bad shape that I felt I
had nothing to lose. Worse case was that I would have to repaint
(something I want to do someday anyway). My cabinet and lathe looks
so much better now that I can't get over it. Dave (11743) |
| Dave, I was
really impressed with the stuff also. It is almost like super
strength 409. I now use Greased Lightening around the shop for all
kinds of cleaning chores. When I use it on painted surfaces, I don't
let it sit for long, usually just spray and immediately wipe on most
painted surfaces. Eric (11746) |
| I'd like to add a
plug for Castrol Super Clean. Having used both Greased Lightning and
Super Clean, I prefer the Castrol as a cleaner/degreaser. Greased
Lightning is a good product but the Super Clean seems to work faster
(more agressive surfactant?) with less product so you get less
residue or emulsified gunk to be sopped up or washed off. It's very
much worth a try in the metal shop and is THE thing for cleaning BBQ
grills! -Shane (11748) |
| Read the contents
and safety instructions before you use these cleaners and others
like them. anything containing sodium metasilicate or sodium
hydroxide should NOT be used without hand and eye protection, and in
well-ventilated areas. these chemicals will perfuse through your
skin and can cause a lot of problems, to say nothing of the fast
damage to the sclera and conjunctiva of the eyes, easily possible
from the exposure to the spray particles and the vapors. It is
ALWAYS good to know what you are working with, and to take measures
to prevent injury. I have seen metasilicate cleaners ( like the old
white magic cleaner in the clear gallon jug) just flat strip the
paint from steel in 3 to 4 minutes, they are that chemically active.
Many of the purple stuff, superclean, and other high-powered
cleaners have these chemical components. Use with care and keep a
bucket of clean water handy in case of exposure to your skin when
you don't want it. When I use it on painted (11777) |
| Degreasing the
carriage |
| I finally earned enough money to afford a Model A
carriage to replace the Model C carriage on my "Frankenlathe" model
A. I bought it from Dave Ficken at Meridian Machinery and found him
a very honest, straightforward machinery dealer. My question is as
follows: This carriage appears to function fine. However, it is
absolutely packed full of dirty grease and chips. Could I use Brake
Parts Cleaner to degrease it?, or could that foul the clutch
mechanism? (I don't know much about it, never having taken it
apart). Bilal (13221) |
| Having just done
this, let me say that if you're willing to paint it afterwards, HOT
TSP works GREAT. I bought a big-ole pan and lid, of the sort used to
cook a turkey. ( I'm smart enough to not use my wife's ). Dropped it
on an old hotplate. Mixed up a bit of TSP ( a little goes a long
ways ) and when the water was hot, dropped in the parts to be
degreased/depainted. Boiled it away for an hour so so, then removed
and spent a bit of time with a wire brush, with frequent dipping
back into the THICK BLACK SLUDGE. I did this all about three times,
( that is, three batches of fresh solution ) with the third followed
by a rinse in hot water. It is now important to IMMEDIATELY oil the
bits of the parts that you're not going to paint, as they are SO
clean that they (surface) rust in seconds.
Alan (13224) |
| I used a bio
degreaser from the autoparts store. Some purple stuff, (can't
remember if it was purple power or greased lightning) and it ate
right through the dirt and chips and paint. Gave it a quick brushing
with a copper brush (using gloves!) and gave it another quick
dunking. Hose it off and dry it and you are ready to paint. Then
give it the requisite lubing and reinstall. Worked great.
Steve (13241) |
| Vinegar and
Salt |
A few weeks ago I
wrote about my latest acquisition. An old South Bend lathe.
Remember, the odd sized spindle? 1 3/8 x 10. I think it is what is
called a Junior. Many thanks to all who have responded. The swing is
about 8 3/16ths, so I guess it is nominally an 8 inch lathe. I've
been taking it apart and cleaning/lubing it. It had a six inch, what
turned out to be a Skinner, chuck. It was rusty. It was not the rust
that you can put a drop of oil on your finger and rub off. No, it
was a degree or two beyond that but not scaled or pitted. (By the
way, is there a generally accepted scale of rusting? ) The chuck was
on the lathe and it would not turn, nor would the jaws move. I took
the bolts that held the chuck to the adapter plate off and the chuck
came off. I put wd-40 all over it and finally the jaws loosened up
and I was able to open and close the jaws. But the rust looked
terrible. I took the chuck all apart. The large plate inside that
has the spiral groove on one side and the teeth on the other was
nice and clean, that is no rust. The biggest piece was the one that
I thought I'd start on. But, what to do? The metal working newsgroup
has had a running dialog about vinegar and salt, so I thought I'd
try it. Went to the local Grocery store and picked up a gallon of
vinegar. There were two types. One was called Cider vinegar and the
other was called Grain vinegar. I grabbed the Grain type, and then I
got a plastic container at the local 99 cent store. I put the piece
in the container, outside the house, poured in enough vinegar to
cover the piece by about a half inch and then I put in about a table
spoon of salt and stirred it as best I could with the chuck piece in
it. Put a lid on it and came in. This morning I went out to see what
had happened. Took the lid off and looked in. Still rusty!
Got an old tooth brush and brushed the rust, and it came off as
slick as could be. I brushed it all off and then rinsed it under the
hose. Rust was all gone. Dried it off and doused it with oil, to
hopefully keep it from re-rusting. I could now read that it was a
Skinner made in New Britain CT and it was a model 3106. Had to look
at the trade mark for a while to realize that it was a stylized S
and not an elephant's head. Most chucks seem to have a shinny
surface and I suppose that this chuck was shinny when it was new.
Now it has a clean metal surface but it is rough. Not like a corn
cob but rather like flat paint. Remember when you were a kid and
made model planes and tanks? There was shinny paint and the flat
paint. Well the surface of the cleaned part is like it has flat
silver paint on it. Not a problem but rather and observation. Bob
(13707) |
| For the chemists
out there. There was a post earlier today that extol the virtues of
vinegar and salt as a rust remover. The only thing I was curious
about was that the poster said he did it outside. I do not think
anything toxic is created by such a mixture but I could be wrong.
What is the answer? Fred (13715) |
| My guess is it
might get a little "odiferous" to someone with an acute
"proboscis". (i.e. Might make a might powerful smell in the house for
some people) At least that's my shot in the dark. BK (13717) |
Good idea to do it
outside because of the possibility that grunge will get slopped
about. It would be a pity to ruin your living room carpet! ;) No,
salt and vinegar is not toxic. Been eating it all my life. Of
course, look at what it's done to my bod. Frank
(13720) |
| Cleaning quick
change box |
| I am in the process
of cleaning/painting a SB 9" lathe. I have taken apart all the parts
cleaned inspected and put back together. I don't want to remove all
the gears form the box but I want all the old grease/metal cleaned
out. Any tips? Also is plain motor oil ok to precoat parts for
assembly? I see that SB uses 3 oils I suppose I will have to find
then or some similar oils.
(15852) |
| I cleaned out my
Heavy10 gearbox without taking it apart. No secrets here. LOTS and
LOTS of elbow grease using very small scrapers and plastic and wire
bristle cleaning brushes. Since they're small they wear out quickly,
so get good ones (McMaster-Carr). Castrol "purple" Super Clean
degreaser works extremely well full strength, but be VERY careful
around painted surfaces that you don't want "stripped", like the
feed rate plate. Since you plan to buy some anyway, you might as
start with the right oil. I get mine from Enco, especially when they
run sales with free shipping. Have fun cleaning all of those gear
teeth. I did! Jeff (15853) |
| I just finished
putting my QC gearbox back together. The box didn't look too bad
prior to disassembly, but I did it anyway. I'm glad I did because
there was chips and dirt everywhere that I couldn't see. One good
tip is take several digital photos of the gear locations prior to
disassembly and it will go easier putting it back together. The
gears took quite a bit of time scrubbing in a solvent even with the
box apart. I also replaced all the oil wicks, which were in terrible
need of replacement. Mike (15854) |
| I used some of the
purple power soap and a good flush gave it some oil then posted here
because it was still dirty. That kind of dark grey stuff that's
sticks to everything. Anyhow I gave it a good blast of engine
cleaner and will let it soak for the night. One of the wicks must be
bad because as I added oil it just flowed out at one shaft. Man it
bugs me to see how people run the these things. (15857) |
| Here's
what I did: 1. Buy a 1952 Model A 9 x 42 UND in excellent used
condition with minor paint wear in spots 2. Cut the drive belt to
disassemble to fit in my Mom's station wagon (two trips) 3.
Dismantle entire unit to strip and repaint, QC gearbox included 4.
Allow approximately 12 years to pass (be sure to store the gears in
paper grocery bags in a place to which mice have access) 5. Attempt
to recall (futilely, even with the aid of parts diagrams) how
gearbox goes together 6. Buy complete Model A 9 x 36" HOR just for
v-belt drive pulleys 7. Use 2nd gearbox as model for reassembling
1st gearbox (much clearer than the diagrams) It may have taken a
while but I know it is clean and has a better paint job than when it
left Indiana. If you don't want to go that route, try a parts washer
and soak it for a few days. A few (many) minutes spent brushing and
air blasting the gears will clear it out quite nicely.
Peter (15861) |
| I have a telescope
project following the same plan. 1. Get 1/2 way through grinding
mirror blanks. 2. Store away just before 1st baby arrives. 3. Fast
forward to present.... 1st baby is now 8 years old. Second baby is 3
years old. Mirror blanks are still wrapped in newspaper; in fact ran
into them the other day when moving some stuff. 4 more years, for a
total of 12, sounds about right for when I'll be getting back to
that project. Glad to hear I'm not the only one! John (15862) |
| I have had luck
with an aerosol can of brake cleaner from the auto parts store to
clean up some of the old gummed and oxidized oil. A small toothbrush
size Brass brush helps things along as well as a box of square
toothpicks. For oil use ISO-68 Way oil. Motor oil holds particles.
For the spindle use ISO-22 Spindle oil, the grade B oil is called
Turbine oil with a ISO-47 (I think) rating. Machine oil listed is
available from most industrial suppliers, MSC, McMasters, Enco etc.
JP (15864) |
| JP, try Acetone
from H Depot. It dissolves old gummy, dried oil quickly. When
followed by mineral spirits to remove the free oil, you get clean
surfaces. The aerosol stuff is ok, but pricey. RichD (15866) |
| Probably no need to
disassemble the internals if you only need to clean the gears, but
if you wish to, don't be intimidated, it's not that big of a deal.
When converting my "C", I bought a qc box from one of eBay's most
unscrupulous vendors. (It's pictured in Webster's under "POS.") The
gears wouldn't turn because the holes on the right side of the box
were too oversized and allowed everything to bind. I disassembled
everything, turned the shaft ends down until they were round, bored
out the holes on the end of the box till they were also round, then
turned bushings to fit. Been working great ever since. The gear box
is really straight forward so, if you wish, go ahead and tear it
down. You'll gain an understanding of the device and the peace of
mind of knowing everything inside it is right. (15897) |
| Source of
Kroil |
| A couple of days
ago somebody on the list mentioned Kano Kroil as their favorite
penetrating oil. I saw a listing for it in the latest Eastwood
catalog for $35/gal. Eastwood tends to run high, so who has the the
best deal on this stuff? Shane (16041) |
| Shane, Until
Eastwood, there were NO other sellers but the factory. See the Kroil
web site. I wonder what the HAZMAT charges are. RichD (16043) |
| Rich, All the links
on the Kano website dealing with Kroil are broken at the moment. I
did find another outfit called Midway USA, a gunsmith supplier that
lists Kroil at $5.74 for an 8oz. can.
http://www.midwayusa.com/rewriteaproduct/137203 That's
more what I had in mind. BTW, what are the hazmat issues with Kroil?
-Shane (16046) |
| Shane,
http://www.kanolabs.com/ Look
for "Kroil/AeroKroil" Kroil must have changed their ways then about
selling outside. Also not cheap. HAZMAT is a compulsory fee for
shipping hazardous materials. Aerosols, flammables, etc are typical.
It cost me over $22 for a $2.50 spray can of lube graphite! I was
not warned of the fee. Pissed, I am. RichD (16048) |
| Sorta getting OT,
but I don't think a single aerosol can would need to be shipped
HAZMAT... ORMD, sure, but not HAZMAT. ORMD will cost a little more
than standard, but not nearly the $20 fee the shipping companies
currently charge for HAZMAT. I've ordered plenty of other aerosol
products that the supplier shipped ORMD vs. HAZMAT - including from
Midway as someone mentioned as a source of kroil. Heck, even loaded
ammunition is only required to be sent ORMD, although curiously, the
components (smokeless powder and primers) require HAZMAT. As to
where else to purchase mail-order, many of the other gun supply
houses also sell it, but I don't think you'll do much better than
Midway's price as previously listed. The 8oz price mentioned is
actually a current sale price. Other than that, if you are a gun guy
as well, someone at a local gun show will usually have some. Brian
(16049) |
| Another good one is
Break Free with CLP (cleaner, lubricant, preservative). Most gun
shops carry it, $10 aerosol can and $4 for the plastic squeeze
bottle of 4oz. Its expensive but I find it works great. JP (16051) |
| I highly recommend
the following penetrating oil. It is readily available from a Chevy
dealership. I was hesitant when I bought it but I have never seen
anything come close to its penetrating ability. GM General purpose
penetrant and heat valve lubricant Part # 1052627 (16061) |
| Paint removal |
| I know it's been
discussed a lot and many methods were shared with the group, but I
cannot find any in the archives. I need to remove old paint from a
headstock casting. I seem to remember TSP as well as some
proprietary product that was suggested, but can't dig it out of
database. Frank
(17312) |
| I've had
good results cooking the parts in hot (simmering, full boil not
required) TSP solution. I usually use a few coffee scoops of TSP in
around 3 or 4 gallons of hot water. Tough paints that resist TSP
usually come off quickly using aircraft stripper, available at most
auto parts stores in the paint section. Stan (17313) |
| Epoxy paints resist
TSP somewhat but the others types don't. The TSP replacement isn't
nearly as good as the original. JP(17314) |
| Frank, T.S.P. is OK
for paint removal but, it is caustic. My suggestion would be to use
a paint stripper that is comprised of organic solvents. A remover
with some amount to Methylene Chloride will work just fine. Read and
follow the directions on the container and you will be OK.
Mike (17320) |
| Mike,
TSP is pretty low risk stuff. Sure, hot it will scald badly just as any
alkalai solution will, but it's the same stuff that used to be a
primary ingredient in laundry soap. Remember "Phosphate Free" stickers?
Just meant the TSP was pulled out, as it caused algae blooms in rivers
when it ran off. Great fertilizer by the way, it's one way to get the
"P" portion of the KNP ratings up fast (rock phosphate is a common
source in this application.) It will darken aluminum in normal
concentrations, but doesn't become a boiling hydrogen generator (unlike
more caustic solutions) if some aluminum gets into the pot by mistake.
It's sold in the hardware stores around here and is a commonly
recommended solution for cleaning walls prior to repainting. Hot lye
(another occasionally recommended dip and strip mix) is far more
dangerous to deal with, but then so are almost all of the commercial
paint strippers. I use TSP whenever I can, and only resort to the more
hazardous paint strippers when I must. Methylene chloride strippers are
also a big danger to individuals with heart conditions (known or not),
and require lots of ventilation. TSP doesn't produce harmful fumes, and
the warning labels don't talk about harmful or fatal if absorbed
through the skin, just skin irritation. Main issue is that it pulls all
of the oils right out of your skin, rather than having nasty stuff
going in through your skin as is the case with some paint strippers.
Stan (17321) |
| Stan, Nice note
with regard to Tri Sodium Phosphate. As it is true that TSP will
dehydrate the proteins of the skin it is also true that if all of
the solution is not removed and neutralized the result will be
rusting. Everyone has their favorite paint remover running the
gambit from Coke to Carbon tet. Personally I like commercially
available organic solvents and having been in the painting business
for twenty I have learned to read the labels. Some of the Marine Gel
strippers are the best and that is what they are made for.
Mike (17322) |
| All right, are you
trying to remove paint or moisturize yer skin. Removing paint is
dangerous business no matter what method you use. You are an adult
and drive a motor vehicle right, so I assume you can read the
directions on the can of stripper and follow them explicitly. So all
that said, I recommend only one, "Jasco". Sure it's all that scary
stuff some will warn you about. They are right for warning but if
you want a product that works use it. I have also tried the 30 gal.
home brew pot full of TSP cookin on the outdoor cooker. It works but
you still have the by product to deal with (30 gals of sludge) and
don't dare toss it in the drain cause remember there is paint in
there. With Jasco there is less Hazmat involved. Either way, use
precautions and if you do use the Jasco or similar read the can and
the below MSDS link.
http://www.jasco-help.com/msds/premium_paint_remover.pdf (17326) |
| John, HARUMPH!
Coke for stripping indeed. Everyone knows that Coke is used for the
post strip wash - gives a slight phosphated surface so the primer
bites a bit better. Hmm.. Wonder is a splash of metal prep in
a bottle of the current Coke would restore the caffeine bite it used
to have when sugar was the primary sweetener? Stan (17329) |
| May I suggest a
different technique. If you have a battery charger, a plastic tub,
and some Sodium Carbonate. (NOT Sodium Bicarbonate) Then you can
setup a VERY safe and effective way to strip metal from parts. I
have been in the process of restoring my Heavy 10 for the past
several months, and Electrolysis is the way to go. The by-product of
this is old paint, water, and laundry detergent. I would leave the
part in the solution for (at least) 24 hrs. I have left some parts
in for as long as 48hrs. This method will also remove rust. I
would also suggest reading the following information.
http://users.eastlink.ca/~pspencer/nsaeta/electrolysis.html
(17345) |
| Chris, Is there
a write up that I could see about this paint removal system you use?
It sure looks slick A lot less mess and trouble than scraping and
solvents. Is the sodium carbonate an easy chemical to find? Tom (17348) |
| Tom, Its Arm and
Hammer washing soda, available at the grocery stores. Read the
second link there are other electrolytes you can use. You can also
look up electropolishing. Its simply reverse plating with the - lead
on the part. JP (17349) |
| I must
have been a bit brain dead to have missed the second link Looks like
a great system to me. Tom (17351) |
| If we use the 'salt
and vinegar' rust remover and add electrolysis current would we be
'pickling' the part? g rust off faster. JP(17355) |
| I got some aircraft
spray-can remover then read that it had to be done above 60 degrees.
HA! In Vermont we're still in single -digits. So I tried the washing
soda electrolytic method and using a small battery charger, it works
like a charm! I'm just now cleaning up a 19th cent. telescope
mounting and it removes the old layers of enamel very well. Frank (17471) |
| One more note:
After the electrolysis process, I noticed an oily residue on my
parts. Since I was using Benjamin Moore Urethane Alkyd paint for my
parts, they suggest using an Oil and Grease Emulsifier (Benjamin
Moore Product #M83) for cleanup prior to painting. This is great
stuff, and is rinsed off with water after treatment. My parts came
out (literally) squeaky clean. I don't know if your telescope will
have this oily film on it since it didn't require oil/grease for
normal operation, but it is information you may need. Remember be
careful with non-metal parts. I accidentally left a brass plate on
one of my parts, and luckily it wasn't damaged. I don't know about
other types of metal. (17473) |
| Cleaning up
parts |
| Does anyone here
know what kind of solution is used by some of the machine sellers on
ebay to make the iron so bright? Some of it looks new and I don't
think they use Scotchbrite or sandpaper as their is too much area
and too many machines for that. Dann (18846) |
| My secret
concoction is a 9:1 mixture of kerosene and "Gunk" degreaser (it's
made to be diluted with kero - comes in quarts and gallons and is
some type of soap) and a soft wire wheel spun on a bench grinder.
Sometimes I add a little oil to the fresh mixture. For brass it work
better that way. Stuff comes out super bright! The stuff is great
for a degreaser. With a parts brush and an old washtub you can clean
anything. Pour the old stuff into a can and use it again when it
settles. Wipe down lathe and tooling for cleaning. Andy (18858) |
| I use varsol
for degreasing and various methods of polishing metal, depending on
how bad the surface is. One of the best products is called "Autosol"
metal polish. It works best on aluminum, but will work on most any
metal, with varying degrees of shine. I use it mostly on the engine
cases of my Triumph, but recently used it to shine up the chuck on
my lathe. Works on chrome, too. John (18862) |
| Cleaning brass |
| Does anyone have a
good way to remove paint from brass? I am concerned about pitting if
I use electrolytic techniques - small galvanic currents will be set
up between the different metals in the brass. Is using organic
solvents the only way out? Frank (19497) |
| I was running
my tank so I stuck a 1/4-20 brass screw in it. After 2 hours there
is no difference that I can see even under 150X magnification. I
used to work at a small Microwave component company. Most of what we
made was in aluminum or brass. It all got silver plated. There was a
large electrolytic tank in the plating room. Everything went into it
for cleaning. It was heated. I don't know what the solution was.
Some of the things were very precise and I never heard of any
dimensional changes in them from the tank. Even the aluminum. We did
use plating to build up ID's that had been honed oversize. Home
Depot sells a product called "CITRISTRIP". I could not get it at the
local Benjamin Moor store. It does not contain Methylene Chloride.
It will burn If you get it on you. I stripped a Bedroom Ceiling (No
Don't ask why) wit it. It is very slow but eventually will get the
job done. Jim B. (19505) |
| About the
WD-40 |
| I only use WD-40
for a rust preventive when not in use. I spray everything I want to
keep shiny including the chuck and all the bare metal. Before each use I
wipe down everything and use the proper oil. But that's just me and
my 2 cents I don't like to see new chucks turn brown from the acid
on your skin. Bob (20863) |
WD-40 is a
water-displacement (hence the 'WD') compound. It has penetrating-oil
properties and can be used as such, but should be cleaned off ASAP.
WD40 can damage some metals (it corrodes brass, for example) and one
is far better off wiping down with oil to prevent rust than spraying
with WD40. This is also not a lubricant for bearings and can ruin
them. Suggest using way oil on your ways and machine oil on your
other surfaces (if you must) and that should be sufficient and
without risk. Having seen what it can do, it is my personal opinion
that WD40 should not come into contact with anything of value. Frank
(20866) |
| I used to think
WD-40 would protect my machines. This was for use going thru the
winter in an unheated garage shop. Well it didn't seem to help too
much. On aluminum it seemed to be ok but my steel (maybe cast iron)
machine tables started to rust. This is just from the moisture in
the air. I will try regular spindle oil this winter. I think I read
somewhere that WD-40 was developed to protect the Atlas rocket
boosters from corrosion. They are made from aluminum or one of it's
sister metals. I will still use it on our Goldwing motorcycle engine
to protect it's finish in the off season. Tom
(20867) |
| I am a gunsmith who cares about firearms, and I see lots of
guns that would be still rust free if they had been washed with
WD-40 periodically. As for WD-40 corroding brass, no, I don't think
so, and I can't imagine where that idea came from. I use it on brass
regularly. WD-40 has a use, and properly used is a valuable part of
the arsenal against metal corrosion. It is not a lubricant, not a
coating like cosmoline, it is a displacer of water and water soluble
chemicals. To use WD-40 correctly, spray it liberally and wipe it
off along with the displaced water and corrosive chemicals. Then
whether you decide to leave a film of WD-40 which evaporates to wax
or some other neutral ph oil, you have taken a major step in
protecting your steel items by removing the corrosive chemicals.
With guns it is fingerprints that are so corrosive because they are
loaded with skin acids. There are better things to cover metal with
long term, like cosmoline for instance, but properly used WD-40 will
definitely help by penetrating and lifting moisture from contact
with metal and from hidden crevices. Conventional oil will not do
that, and in fact, iron can rust and corrode while submerged in oil.
Jack (20872) |
| I note you
suggest wiping off the WD40 after applying it. I work with brass
antique scientific instruments and have seen some pretty severe
damage done by WD40. Most horologists I've spoken with have WD40
horror stories regarding brass movements. I suppose it's
better than having water on the surface! Frank (20874) |
| Jack, can you give me some idea why my tables
started to rust the past winter even though I sprayed them with
WD-40?I'm sure I did something wrong because they did get a fine
rust color and it was a lot of work to get it off. I sprayed the top
surface and just left it that way but I may have used the table a
couple of times. Could I have destroyed the protective properties so
easily? Any ideas, I don't want to go thru that again. I thought the
spindle oil was the way to go but maybe not after what you said.
Tom (20880) |
| I guess this reply
is only relevant to UK members, so apologies up front. I've found
that the WD 40 equivalent from Screwfix Direct, called SX 90, knocks
spots off the "real" thing. As a penetrating oil it's better, and as
it evaporates it leaves a thin film of oil behind which protects my
lathe in a cold concrete/metal roofed shed. It's in a bigger spray
can for less money too. Len(20882) |
| I use WD-40
for washing rather than as a preservative. I find it an excellent
solvent for dried grease, better than other spray solvents and it
does not attack acrylic gun grips like brake cleaner/ gun scrubber.
It does leave a wax film but I wouldn't depend on just that for rust
prevention. I use it on lots of guns with brass parts and I have
never noticed anything unusual myself, not even discoloration. Some
oils do not have a neutral ph and they will discolor brass, usually
by attacking the Zinc and turning it copper reddish. Exactly what
kind of damage have you seen? Jack (20884) |
| Wood Magazine
recently did a test of rust preventatives. They found BOESHIELD T-9
to be superior to the rest. It comes in a spray and leaves a thin
waxy finish. I have used it for several years on my wood working
machines which are in the garage. (Attached and somewhat heated gets
down to 55 in the winter). All the metal tools are inside. Jim B.
(20885) |
| Some people
lubricate with WD40 for long periods of time (I'm talking a few
years - obviously a single application or a few won't hurt if you
wipe it off). If they do this to brass, they can get surface pitting
and brittleness. Besides, who would ever want to use penetrating oil
on bearings? Or spray it on a tool that has bearings where it might
get in? For delicate stuff I use Kano penetrating oil and Kano
instrument oil (unless something else is spec'd) For stuck nuts and
stuff on machine tools I use regular hardware-store penetrating oil.
When I was young, I had a Ford with a cracked distributor cap and in
order to start it on damp days I had to spray WD40 into the
distributor to displace the moisture. Good for that kind of thing. I
unstuck a neighbor's garden shed door hinges with it once, after
they had rusted closed during the winter. Good for that too. There
are lots of oils made specially for guns and that kind of mechanism.
Even Starrett Instrument Oil is very good. Next time you're in a
museum that has old guns, ask to talk with a conservator. They are
usually very nice and helpful and eager to share their knowledge -
ask them if they use WD40. Frank (20888) |
| 3InOne makes a spray oil that's just oil, I believe abt
30WT.The only thing wrong with it is that it smells like mothballs.
My wife cant stand the stink. I just use 30wt oil like what is used
in big compressors. Typically a turbine oil with R O (rust and
oxidation) feature. The colder it gets the thicker these oils get,
so they stick to the bare metal for a long time. RC (20893) |
| SX 90,
knocks spots off the "real" thing. As a penetrating oil it's better,
and as it evaporates it leaves a thin film of oil behind which
protects my lathe in a cold concrete/metal roofed shed. It's in a
bigger spray can for less money too. Do you think maybe that is why
they called it WD-40. Water dispersion formula #40? (20895) |
| I don't know for
sure, Tom, but perhaps something in the atmosphere around there is
corrosive. I use acid to pickle work in just before putting it into
the plating tanks, and the vapor does permeate the air even though I
don't smell it. Over a long time this obviously condenses on
everything because any steel in the area will rust no matter what I
have on it. Aluminum will discolor also. I have also found that use
of chlorine bleach in a washroom will cause rust on metals in the
same area, and even excessive use of bleach or letting the bottle
sit around the machine will cause rust because the vapors seem to
come through the plastic. Acid vapor also does come through the
plastic containers and it also should be stored where it is
ventilated and can cause no harm. I am ok in my gun shop because I am
in a separate building and I do all my wet work in another area. You
might look around for whatever is creating your problem. I'd say
that ordinarily a washing with WD-40 and a good neutral ph oil would
prevent rust, unless some vapors are changing the ph on your metal.
Most motor oil ph is adjusted for less corrosion, btw. As it is used
that changes and that's one reason why is needs changing.
Jack (20898) |
| Incidentally, this
brings to mind an old memory. My grandfather was a gunsmith, like
his dad before him, and he used mothballs for rust prevention.
Jack (20900) |
| Do you think I
could wipe things down with 10W30 oil and it will be ok? I have a
lot of that lying about. I also have some muriatic acid in the garage
but it's about 15 feet away in a plastic container in a closed
closet. Could that be a problem so far away? I wouldn't have guessed
it could. I'll move it outside anyway just to be on the safe side.
We also have a few gallons of bleach near the washer in the house.
I'll move that somewhere else too. Tom (20904) |
| Does the mothball
trick really help? I could put some in my cabinet drawers with my
odds and ends, not to mention all my calipers etc. Tom
(20905) |
| You can also buy
VCI (volatile corrosion inhibitor) emitters from McMaster (search
for VCI) and other places. You can drop one of those in your drawers
and it will prevent corrosion for quite a while. The VCI stuff also
comes in Ziploc bags and wrapping paper.
James (20908) |
| WD means "water
displacement" If you haven't gotten around to replacing the
distributor on your Fordson tractor, a shot of WD will get you
going! Frank (20916) |
| Don't get the WD 40
on the breaker ignition points. You may never get a spark built up
from grounding out the "switch". Eric(20917) |
| Cross country
Motorcycles hose down the ignition points and cavity in the
motorcycled - let it air for a few seconds as WD-40 can be used as
starting fluid, so it is explosive- then they are able to ford
rivers without drowning out the bike. I had to try before I would
believe it as oil fumes will kill a set of points, but WD40 is not
oil based! Darrell
(20929) |
| WD-40 wasn't
electrically conductive last time I used it to dry out ignition
wiring. Jack (20930) |
| The other old-time preventative was a lump of
camphor in the tool chest. Dave (20935) |
| Cleaning lathe
ways |
| I got my first SB
lathe, a 9"C, 3' bed brand new from SB in 1947.A recent ad in my
local paper listed a 1947 9" A, 4' bed in very good condition
considering its age. I happened to be first in line and was as the
ad said and bought it. The second owner I bought it from got it
years ago at an estate sale in like new condition and he never cut
metal and used it a short time to chuck up pieces and polish them,
so the carriage was not used. When I got it home it was in great
condition and the scraping marks could still be seen near the
headstock. Checked it out with a precision straight edge and found
almost no wear. The question I have is how do I clean the ways of
any polishing residue so I don't lap them. Google says honed
cylinders are cleaned and scrubbed with hot soapy water. I don't
like the idea of water on the lathe and wonder if acetone or similar
non rusting stuff would work on my new jem. Walt (23189) |
| I used mineral
spirits (paint thinner) on mine with a rag. When I was a millwright
in the big factory we used min spirits to clean all our big presses
before a teardown. Just be careful of the vapors if using inside by
a furnace. Bob (23195) |
| Don't use
acetone! It will eat up the paint and make a big mess as well as
evaporate too fast and likely leave some of the residue you are
trying to remove. Get a bucket, rag and some solvent (paint thinner,
mineral spirits) and wash it as you would a car. If it has a chip
pan it will be easy to contain what drips off, but if it is just on
a bench you can use some plastic sheet or rags to soak up the drips.
Don't be stingy, keep the surface good and wet and then wipe
everything down with a clean rag before it dries. Once everything is
clean, be sure and oil all the bare metal surfaces. Roy (23214) |
