Tool maintenance

[Jamie Copeland]

Hi folks

I'm looking for your thoughts on tool maintenance. Wood turning tools are expensive and valuable to us. Storing them correctly, keeping them sharp, etc all go towards keepng the tools in peak condition, but does anyone oil their tools? I've heard of people using camellia oil, but is it worthwhile?

Cheers

Jamie

 

[adidat]

If your workshop getsbcold then its might help. Anything else metal in your workshop go brown or get rusty.

Light surface rust wont damage anything like that but its better not to have. Also tooling like that will react with sweat on your hands. Give them a wipe with an oily rag when you hang them up.

Adidat

 

[SVB]

yes ........but!

Beware, if you have a light coat of oil on your tools they will stay rust free - a good thing. However, it is tricky to avoid some of it getting onto your hands when you next use them and if that then gets onto a clear surface pre finish being applied it can cause problems. I'm told some products are better than others but unless you have a big rust problem I'd not bother.

(I use a prevention rather than protection approach and run a desicant based dehumidifier on low, keeps my (well insulated) workshop to approx 10 dec C and rust not an issue.

S

 

[deema]

I use Metal Guard which is available from Axi, and others. Every tool and machine surface gets a coat once a year at the end of summer just as the weather starts to get a but nippy. On the machine beds Liberon machine wax is also applied it also goes on to to the soles of my planes. I cover my machines with removal rugs / blankets when I leave the shop to limit the amount of condensation that may gather. Not had any issues with rust / blooming, since I started, but if did beforehand.

Every machine gets a strip down every year, (takes about 4 hours per machine) saw dust cleaned out, sliders greased with white grease (it dries so it doesn't clog up with saw dust) and other moving parts either doused with white grease or silicone depending on where it is. All exposed metal surfaces equally coated or given a good coat of Metal Guard. I'm always surprised how many minor issues I find such as loose bolts, stiff rack and pinions, stiff bearings etc that are easily fixed before any real damage is done and then how pleasant the machines are to use afterwards.

 

[chipmunk]

+1 for Simon's comment about oil. Camelia oil is probably ok though.

Another thought would be microcrystalline wax. It was originally formulated to preserve metal items in museums and I use it on my lathe bed anyway. Contamination with any finish is unlikely to be a problem.

The main problem occurs IMHO when you turn green wood. Anything with tannin in it will send all you iron/steel items black in no time unless you get rid of all of the shavings and dust. It's not much use for anything else but WD40 actually does a reasonable job at this.

HTH
Jon

 

[yetloh]

I have used Camellia oil but it doesn't last all that long if you only put a very thin coat on. The late lamented Jim Kingshott mentioned this and recommended chain saw oil instead. I have tried this and it certainly is much better in that respect, cheaper too. If you clean oil off before use and take care to clean any off your fingers too, I don't think the contamination issue is significant.

Jim

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Years ago I used chainsaw chain oil on my motorbike chain - It might not have been a perfect lubricant, but at least it stayed where it was put.
Castrol used to do a product called Surecoat? iirc that you painted on like varnish and was soluble in just about anything other than water. Perfect for laying stuff up for winter, you just wiped it off with white spirit in the spring. I came across a tool the other day that I coated with it 34 years ago - it was perfect.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Fwiw - I didn't have any problem with rust until I heated the workshop. If you're not prepared to maintain a little warmth (or dehumidify) perpetually, you will get condensation.

 

[Sawyer]

Vigilence is the best defence. For the tools that I use every day, rust never gets a chance in the first place, but the more occasional ones, I check regularly. When I see rust beginning, a quick rub with wire wool followed by an oily rag does the trick.

With time, maintenance and use, chisels, the sides of planes &c. naturally dull down to a gunmetal finish with is in itself, pretty rust resistant. Looks good too.