Keeping rust off tools

[Brass_Machine]

How does everyone keep rust away from their tools?

I have just been wiping them down with 3in1 oil or wd40. Is there a better way? Easier way?

Eric

[John Hill]

One thing that can help is to put an old towel in the bottom of the tool box well soaked in oil.

[chipenter]

Rust is usually stated by condensation in spring the air is full of moisture , condenses onto things colder than the ambient air temperature as the air warms up, called the dew point around 4 degrees Celsius , there are three things that can be done to stop this ,
remove the moisture in the air ( silica gel / dehumidifier )
heat the tools above the dew point
cover the tools with a protective layer ( paint oil or wax )

[NeoTech]

I have a 600W dehumidifer going in the workshop 24/7... it works.. =)

[garym]

Hi Eric,

I'm fairly new to model engineering and have similar concerns after spending quite a bit over the last 18 months on tooling. I have an unheated workshop and try to keep a lot of my stuff covered, usually in the plastic bags they came in which often have a coating of oil on the inside. I've noticed some things are more susceptible than others - stock mild steel seems particularly prone and yet HSS tooling seems relatively unaffected. No doubt someone with more knowledge than me will tell us why. I put my efforts into looking after the expensive stuff. Chronos do Rust Inhibiting Paper but I've not tried it.

Gary

[John Rudd]

A rub down with an oily rag...
My machines have a liberal coating of engine oil on their ways followed by a spray of WD40 for everything else....

Tooling that is kept in boxes, my indexer/rotab/taps and dies/etc.. etc...all receive a spray too after a wipe down withg an oily rag..

[Stilldrillin]

Wot John says! 

Oily rag/ WD40. Works for me..... 

David D

[Lew_Merrick_PE]

My first line of defense is light oil.  Beware of WD-40 as it is a water displacing compound that includes shellac to make it stick to surfaces and can gum things up!  Things such as squares get a wax coat -- as does bright steel stock (Treewax works quite nicely).  Each of my tool chests has a box of silica gel & a rag moistened with camphor oil set somewhere out of the way.  I take the silica gel "boxes" out an set them in the oven at 225°F a couple of times a year and, whilst doing that, re-moisten the rag with camphor oil.

I live in western Washington State where the (almost) joke is, We don't tan, we rust!

[mosey]

Moth balls.
Mosey

[awemawson]

A useful tip is to have a 'fridge or freezer in the workshop. It helps two ways a/ the heat ouput helps to keep things above the dew point, and b/ the cold side condenses water - if it is self defrosting pipe it outside

...oh and c/ the likers of cold beer can use it accordingly 

[NeoTech]

BEER! 

[Davo J]

I have the same problem here in Australia and use a mix of motor oil which is cheap and kerosene.
I put about a third of motor oil in a cheap $1 spray bottle and then fill it with Kero and then shake it well.

I have been using this for many years and find once sprayed on, the kero evaporates and the thin oil coating stays on. When I need a tool I just give the light oil coating a wipe with a rag before use.

For longer term use and valuable gear I still place them in a plastic bag after there spray.

It's also great for spraying in collet chucks and collets before fitting, that way they are easier to tighten with no binding.

I am not sure if it's called Kerosene world wide, but we used to use this stuff in indoor Kero heaters years ago and it's blue in colour.

Dave

[Meldonmech]

Hi Eric,

                 I have used spray on clear lacquer on a number of items.  When it eventually becomes worn, it can easily be removed using meths, and be re done.

                                                    Cheers  David

[John Rudd]

A useful tip is to have a 'fridge or freezer in the workshop. It helps two ways a/ the heat ouput helps to keep things above the dew point, and b/ the cold side condenses water

Yup got a big chest freezer for food in the garage ( which takes up valuable toy space...grrrr.) and a small fridge for da beer for when I get thirsty.....

[Pete49]

I reckon the best idea is move to a desert area. ....worked for me
Pete

[awemawson]

I reckon the best idea is move to a desert area. ....worked for me
Pete

Then the sand and dust gets the tools !

[Pete49]

yeah but I save on sandpaper and free sandblasting when the wind gets up
Pete

[Mayhem]

I use Ballistol (a little goes a long way) on tooling. 

On machines that don't regularly see a lot of oil (eg drill press), I give them a wipe down with a 50/50 mix of hydraulic oil and mineral turps (similar to Dave's mix of oil and kerosene/paraffin).

Remember: Rust never sleeps!

[AR1911]

Well, I have been debating this for years. I rarely have issues with rust, but when I came in to find me recently restored Centex mill with rust scabs in several places, it got serious!

I learned to avoid modern motor oil. It has additives in it to attract and emulsify water - not good. Non-detergent motor oil is much better. So I have been using spindle oil and way oil for the most part, but i still have to keep an eye on it.
 
Air circulation helps. I keep a ceiling fan running all the time. I also added window AC units which keeps humidity down.  I also have a $200 dehumidifier for periods when I will be absent and humidity is high.

Lastly, recent threads on another forum indicate that lanolin is the ultimate rust preventer. I bought a pound of the pure stuff on ebay and will mix it 80/20 with mineral spirits, to be applied with a trigger spray bottle.

[awemawson]

Well lanolin comes from wool, and certainly my sheep don't tend to rust even in the wettest  winters

[Brass_Machine]

Lanolin huh? I will have to give that a shot.

I just moved to a different house and will be setting up shop in a garage (instead of a basement). The plus sides... not a damp and moldy basement but now a non insulated garage. I moved up to the hills, so it will be cold in the winter!

Eric

[krv3000]

hi just my bit don't use grees as its hidroscopik ie it absorbs water for long term and short term i use waxoil in the usa it ma be namd sumthink difrent its a pariffin wax its more comanle used on cars as a rust inhibitor and rum new tools is coted with it for shiping you can get it in the uk from most car shops it cums in spray cans or in big tins  if the part has bin atacet by the tin worm in a bad way remove the rust then use one of them rustinhibitor produkts a gane most comanly fawnd in car parts shops  hope this helps

[chipenter]

Im with krv Waxoil put it on with a tissue ( toilet paper ) , and it dries to a non sticky finish that you can hardly see or feel .

[raynerd]

I like the idea of waxoil - cheers krv.

I`m currently in the WD40 club - every few months I buy a large can and go crazy spraying everything and anything I see!

[awemawson]

I've just obtained the worlds supply of VCI paper - good stuff to wrap small tools in to prevent rust. It comes in a 1 metre wide roll. If there is sufficient interest I'll pass it on at cost (not sure what that is at the moment) if people are prepared to send a large stamped addressed envelope - I can fold it to A4.