Problem with my LN 102 :(

[ByronBlack]

I'm hoping some of the more galootish members could perhaps help me with a wee problem with Lie Nielsen 102 bronze apron. In the picture below you can see a purple and green stain on the underside. The plane has been stored in a pocket in a tool bag, and I don't remember having to wipe anything of it, or of it getting wet.

Does anyone know what it is, and how to get rid of it, and will it spread?

 

[Philly]

Hi BB
Never seen anything like this on mine. Try rubbing it off with steel wool. Otherwise lap the sole on some wet and dry to clean it off (and keep the sole flattish)
A coat of paste wax should keep most nasties away.
Hope this helps
Philly

 

[ByronBlack]

Hi phil, cheers for the tip - i'll definitly clean it off, just slightly worried it might be a rust type of thing that will either come back or effect other tools - it's also annoying to me of where it came from, it doesn't seem to effect the tools finish elsewhere though. So i'll clean it off and see what happens

 

[Woody Alan]

Hi

Bronze is a copper alloy, The green copper is copper oxide i.e corrosion. Copper reacts with oxygen in the air to form this green copper oxide. This reaction is encouraged by heat, water, and salt. So you need to know what most likely caused it so as how best to neutralise it, if some sort of chemical was involved if just moisture cleaning it and waxing will hopefully stop it. I am not sure what the reddish colour is but it could be zinc which is more properly a component of brass, which would make the "bronze" a bit of a misnomer. When brazing with a brass rod and accidently catching it in an electric arc the rod metals seperate and this colour shows up. It sounds mostly like the tool bag has absorbed atmospheric moisture in the warm and perhaps been put in a cold van where the temperature of the plane drops greater than that of the bag and so moisture condenses on the plane, the Copper corrodes and leaves the zinc behind, also well known in plumbing when radiator vales go porous through loss of the Copper.

Hope that helps and someone with more technical knowledge may be able to help more.

If cleaned up and treated I think it'll be OK but the stain may always show

cheers Alan

 

[ByronBlack]

Thats a great insight allan - thank you. I was afraid someone might say that the stain will remain as I thought to myself that it might be deeper than the surface.

I don't suppose Lie Nielsen would exchange the plane under their warrenty? I'm assuming not as i've obviously not stored/handled it correctly.

 

[ByronBlack]

A bit of an update - wire wool removed all the green stuff, and some of the redish/purple, but it seems to have gone into the bronze a little as there is a wee bit left, but it's a lot better.

 

[les chicken]

Byron

If you had been sweating when you used the plane and just wiped it off with your hand it may have caused the problem. In engineering we call it "rusty fingers" it is the acid and salts from your sweat that can cause corrosion, some people suffer more than others. Suggest that you wipe it clean with a cotton cloth to see if that improves the matter.

Les

 

[pduck]

Hi Byron -

I just received my 102 today. The little owners pamphlet says this about maintanance:

Maintenance: The Bronze bodies are lapped, to a tolerance of less than .001". Depending on how much use your tool gets, an occasional light sanding with 400 or finer wet/dry paper on a flat surface will keep the sole in as-new condition. A light oiling on the threaded rod, adjuster nut and spinwheel will keep them moving freely. We recommend Camellia Oil, a vegetable based product. It is non-toxic, oder free and easy to use. Also in our shop, we use a fine abrasive handblock to remove any light surface oxide from tool bodies and blades. Camellia Oil and the abrasive handblock are available from us.

Many people like the patina that Bronze gets with age and use, but if you wish to keep the finish bright, a little brass polish is in order.


Hope this helps
Pete

 

[Newbie_Neil]

Hi Pete

Welcome to the forum.

Cheers
Neil

 

[Adam]

Welcome to the forum pduck!

 

[ByronBlack]

Cheers for the update pete - I forgot to look at the de-structions

 

[ydb1md]

I think that's why LN offers the bronze/iron option on some of their planes. Bronze doesn't rust but it can leave stains on light wood or get some odd discolorations itself.

 

[Waka]

Pete

Welcome to the forum