rotary table, photo

[billyboy]

hi fella's
i need to know what's the best way of protecting the cast steel base from rust, ideally without painting!, i thought of an enamel clear varnish?, what would you treat it with?, here in the north of england its pretty damp and there is signs of the dreaded rust already! and the tool has only been machined in the last week or so! well its nearly finished,
all that is needed is to stamp the numbers on the skirt, and fit a handle for manual rotation,

bill

[Tinkerer]

Rub Corn Oil or Vegetable Oil on it. It with dry into a protecting film. That will not harm it in any way.

[Mcgyver]

nice project,

Not a direct answer but it’ll help with the rust – get a dehumidifier for the shop. I did this this year and am taking out 10l every couple of days and for the first time in memory haven’t cursed the rust during a muggy Toronto summer. plus shop is a lot more comfortable

[ibewgypsie]

My vari-speed bridgeport head was sticky today. I had to tap the air motor with a brass hammer to make it change speeds..

I blame no use, wet air. I was quite disturbed since when I need the machine, I need it. It has been humid.

David

[Your Old Dog]

I kind of like a surface that has once been rusted, cleaned up and then lightly oiled. Maybe that's because I've been exposed to that finish so much up here in the North East (Buffalo). I use a dehumidifier when the airconditioner isn't being used. It removes about 10 liters per day during the muggy summers but my shop is bone dry and very comfortable to work in.

[billyboy]

hi,
sorry for the photo been so large, im trying to get them smaller, as to the problem with the dampness i think ill have to invest in a dehumidifier, thats the only solution. thanks for the tips.

[jkilroy]

Forget a dehumidifier, just buy a small window AC unit. Dehumidifiers will produce a lot of heat and warm up your shop. A window unit will dehumidify the air *and* cool your shop. Also a small window unit will cost less than a decent dehumidifier of the same capacity. As an addition to this I would suggest a ceiling fan or two to keep the air moving around the shop. This will limit stratification.

[John Lawson]

To utterly simplify the problem, clean the surface with solvent, dry thoroughly and apply a coat of silicone auto wax. It will protect the surface from oxidation for months or years or until it is abraded by chips or other impedimenta.

[Mcgyver]

The AC is a good idea, but with the humidity gone, I find the shop comfortable most of the time. I went the dehumidifier route for a secondary reason – during those times of the year when the air conditioner is off but there’s still significant moisture, the swings in daytime/nighttime temperatures can lead to condensation. If I keep the air dry, I’m hoping to reduce/eliminate rusting from condensation. I’m under the impression (perhaps mistaken) that a dehumidifier will get the air dryer than AC and that’s something I want for most of the year.

[This message has been edited by Mcgyver (edited 08-10-2005).]

[Michael Moore]

I live in the chemical milling environment near the beach, so rust is all too common. I don't see being able to remove enough water from the air to make any difference - the ocean is constantly replenishing it, and if the fog is in, oh well . . .

I've got spray bottles of LPS3 scattered around the shop and I'm trying to get in the habit of liberally dousing everything with it.

Our daily temperature swings tend to be from about 52F to 58F, so that isn't a huge problem.

cheers,
Michael