rust prevention

[Bluekingfisher]

Paste wax and baby oil. Never have rust problems. You could also invest in a dehumidifier. (Which would require regular emptying of collected water) Assuming you have a power source of course.

Good luck with it.

 

[MattRoberts]

Thanks for the update Andy - interesting to see real world results

 

[andersonec]

Expensive,,,but so are your tools, this was developed by Boeing.

http://www.rutlands.co.uk/sp++dk7130

 

[custard]

Here's an interim report

That's interesting, I expected them all to be pretty much useless, but that's clearly not the case.

However, there's another "test" going on there that might be the most significant one of all. When this is over lift up the masking tape, the metal underneath may well be better than the best of the coatings.

In a workshop context that means dust sheets on machines, and tools placed in a chest rather than hung on walls. In my experience those are the best rust prevention methods of all. I suspect part of the reason that wooden tool chests were so ubiquitous was that practical craftsmen discovered how good they were at keeping tools rust free in primitive workshops.

By the way, kudos to you for trying to be objective about the issue!

 

[wallace]

I have found that too, just a sheet of plastic over the machine can help stop the rust monster

 

[Yorkshire Sam]

I have my 'shop' in an unheated uninsulated brick garage, and I tend to use silicone spray as a routine. For example, I have five metal plane which I use fairly regularly and every time I sharpen them, I brush off the sawdust while the plane is semi dismantled, quick spray with silicone spray, sharpen the blade, give the whole lot a quick wipe with a rag and reassemble. Same for all the tools. Quick cheap and very effective, over the last 10 years I have had no problem with rust even when I have not been in the garage for a few days. Because the silicone dries and forms a barrier I dont get a problem with glue either. Works for me.

 

[Farmer Giles]

I shy away from silicon as It causes fish eye issues when painting with some finishes and tends to find itself onto everything if you spray it around. I spray a lot of metal in the workshop, I use panel wipe before painting but silicon is very pernicious.

 

[andersonec]

I would be very wary of covering any machinery with plastic sheeting as this will trap any moisture or condensation already in the air and will not allow said condensation to dry out naturally, a simple experiment would soon show what I am talking about.