Liberon Lubricating Wax

[DaveL]

Hi,

I have just discovered what happens when the coating of wax on the thicknesser bed wears off I thought I had done something very nasty to the blades as the timber refused to auto feed though the machine I will admit that I only have the Perform CCNPT planer thicknesser and am putting 9" Iroko though it, well it did a month ago why not today :?:
I stopped for coffee and then reasoned that the planner had coped with the timber, so the blades were not shot in fact I had only just run the diamond hone along them so it must the friction on the bed slowing the timber.

I wax the bed and went for another coffee 8)

Its a new machine :!: It grabs the timber on the infeed, machines it and the spits it out, just like when it was new :lol: A big change from me having to apply most of my not inconsiderable weight on the infeed side then pull like mad on the outfeed to get the timber back

So reappling the wax is as important as keeping the edge on the blades :shock:

I am using Liberon Lubricating Wax and it works really well :mrgreen:

 

[gidon]

Yep - it's really good stuff. I was doing my p/t as well this weekend. And discovered some horrible rust forming on the cutter block!
Cheers
Gidon

 

[Scrit]

It was very humid over Christmas - I clocked 99% RH at 7 degrees in the shop on Dec 25th (well over the norm).

Scrit

 

[gidon]

Blimey!
I was looking at getting a hygrometer a few weeks ago. Maybe a silly question but what is Relative Humdity relative to??
Cheers
Gidon

 

[DaveL]

If I remember correctly 100% RH means the air has the moisture condensing out ie its raining. :!:
The amount of water the air can hold varies with temperature, as the temperature comes down so the amount of water that can be held as vapor reduces. Hence you get condensation in cold parts (on the windows) of the workshop before the warm bits.

 

[Scrit]

Correct 100% is the point at which moisture in the air condenses on the windows, walls, and worst of all my machinery. This is the first time in 18 months I've had to derust worktops - up to just under 90% doesn't seem to give me problems. It does help me estimate the effect of moisture on my wood, though - with a bit of help from Bruce Hoadley's books.

Scrit

 

[gidon]

I bought myself a cheap hygrometer to measure my workshop. Seems to be hovering around 88-90%. Unfortunately 90% is the top of the device's range. As a comparitive measurement this was about the same as measured in our bathroom after a hot bath and shower! No wonder my equipment is starting to rust.
Looking into it the best way to deal with this seems to be to put in a dehumidifier. Far cheaper than heating the workshop (which also will reduce the RH). Anyone do this? My house is around 65-70% RH so should have the workshop at about that level ideally?
Also Scrit - how do you de-rust your equipment? I tried some 0000 iron wool with lube wax. Seems ok - but wondered if there's a better way?
Cheers
Gidon

 

[CYC]

This is very interesting, can you tell me how much is your cheap hygrometer Gidon?
Any particular brands to avoid, any feature that must be in it? Any recommendations?

 

[Michel]

Hello all

Re: -

Looking into it the best way to deal with this seems to be to put in a dehumidifier

I have used a dehumidifier for about a year now and it has worked fine (just ran the drain to the outside to save having to empty the bucket).

Also have a couple in the house.

What is not so widely known is that dust mites only survive in a damp atmosphere, with levels of humidity of 60% and more. So you can use the dehumidifier to remove the damp, and you wipe out the dust mites too. A real boon for asthma sufferers.

Rgds

Michel

 

[Scrit]

Gidon

4/0 steel wool and Lubo wax is the way to do it. For some of my bigger machines I have resorted to 180/220grit (or more often a very worn 120...) alox (aluminium oxide) disc in the ROS (fine orbit) followed by steel wool and Lubo on the grounds that red oxide is a lot softer than the cast iron on which it resides and that a fine aluminium oxide paper isn't going to do alot of damage to it (it is soft and friable) - this is not advisable on steel tables however, as alox cuts mild and stainless steel much more easily.

The point about RH is that if you go out and buy nice dry timber then store it in a damp workshop it will inevitably absorb some of the moisture - leading to problems when you finally do bring the finished piece indoors. If you want to know the effect of temperature/RH on MC (moisture content) of timber then I'd suggest reading Bruce Hoadley's "Understanding Wood".

For anyone interested I bought a cheapo Clarke temperature/humidity meter for about a tenner. It has an external sensor you can poke through the wall to get the outside world temperature as well as a min/max feature on both read-outs (only the internal sensor has RH, though). I believe that Boots sell something similar and Maplins (electronics) certainly has in the past.

Scrit

 

[gidon]

CYC
Many places sell them - usually together with a digital thermometer and alarm (if you're very lucky :wink Maplin have a few - search on weather station, hyrometer etc.
I got mine for £7 from an ironmongers in the middle of Dartmoor whilst on a walk! But I would get one that measured up to 99% if I could - mine only does 90%.
Michel - did you find it made a difference - ie less warping etc? They are quite expensive and take up a fair bit of space - although some double as heaters.
Andy - another suggestion for your mag perhaps - rust prevention??
Cheers
Gidon

 

[Michel]

Gidon

did you find it made a difference

I did notice a difference, especially with rust, plus i don't need the heating on 24/7. Like you say they aren't cheap , but you can get some smaller ones. Which should be ample for the average workshop. Most of the small ones claim to be able to control a 2 bed house (as long as the doors are open or vented) :!:

Its just my opinion but i like them

Might be best to get a second opinion from some of the other guys though.

Regards

Michel

 

[CYC]

Gidon, thanks I will most certainly look into it. Didn't realise you could get then that cheap

 

[Alf]

Something that's been on my "to do" list for some time is to finish sealing off my timber store (unimportant things, like hanging the door...) and then try out using a dehumidifier in there. Cheaper to do than dehumidify the whole workshop, but cuts down on the need for stickered piles of timber in the guest room Scrit's absolutely right; no point in having kiln dried stuff if you then stick it in a cold, damp workshop for a month. Pesky wood is awfully keen to stabilise itself with the surrounding conditions. That could account for why making projects for the workshop is more enjoyable than for the house; no carrying of timber up and down stairs between workshop forays! :roll:

Cheers, Alf

 

[gidon]

Scrit - missed your post there. Thanks for the info and book recommendation - another one for the Amazon "wish list" (amazing how many hints I dropped and I didn't get one book off that list!)
Thanks Michel - good to hear - I've managed to find a few cheaper ones that may do the trick. Trouble is they get more expensive if you want them to cope with temperature's under 5C.
So Alf - you going to get one of those industrial dehumdifiers and make your timber storage a dehumdified kiln .
Cheers
Gidon

 

[Alf]

No such luck, Gidon. There's a domestic one going spare-ish. I just have to, er, "liberate" it... :wink:

Cheers, Alf

 

[CYC]

I got my hands on an electronic hygrometer for the WE, made a quick reading in the workshop and it reported 62%. Is this an acceptable humidity level ?

My house to my surprise is only showing 55% in the driest room. So I guess my workshop is not doing too bad.
Furthermore, I was taking a reading outside and only got 70%, now remember this is Ireland, and it's been a rainy day. Is this thing ineffective, my house and workshop are really damp or it's all normal??

 

[Anonymous]

Blimey!
I was looking at getting a hygrometer a few weeks ago. Maybe a silly question but what is Relative Humdity relative to??
Cheers
Gidon

Relative humiditiy is a measure of the moisture content of the air when compared to air that is fully saturated (holding as much moisture as possible without precipitation) at the specific temperature and pressure of the environment in which we are measuring.

It is actually quite difficult to measure acurately wihtout expensive instruments.

cheers

Tony

 

[Cutting Crew]

Hi all,

Liberon's Lubricating Wax works well on lathes too, I use it on the lathe bed and on the tool rest. Its the best product I've found for this job.

Just wish Liberon would sort out the caps on their tins though, they can be a sod to open, the plastic threaded part rotates in the tin.

CC

 

[Chris Knight]

CC,

Chuck the lubricating wax cap away and substitute the cap from a used tin of Liberon finishing oil (we all have that don't we?). It has the same thread and won't drive you barmy with a woodworker-proof cap