scraping table surface

[Herm Williams]

Has anyone used the Lindsay pamplet on scraping? Or is there another sorce of information for someone who will be cleaning my own shop tools? I don't need to restore to like new condition. I just need to remove the rust from an old drill press table and an Oliver table saw. The cast iron is rusty but not pitted, sanding works but it still leaves a lot to be desired.
I appreciate any information anyone is willing to share.
re

[SGW]

I'm not sure I'd recommend scraping as a way to remove rust. Scraping is a fitting process, or to make a surface flat.

For removing rust from a drill press table or something like that, I'd try some penetrating oil, or plain kerosene, with a green ScotchBrite scouring pad. (n.b. get the Scotch brand ones; in my experience, the generic look-alikes aren't anywhere near as good.)

[Michael Moore]

Use electrolysis for that kind of rust removal - it works very well.

http://antique-engines.com/electrol.asp

cheers,
Michael

[pcarpenter]

You already got some good advice. Scraping is a process for making surfaces flat and planar. It is also a good way to end up *un-doing* the same.

I would recommending buying a cheap carborundum stone and soaking it in kerosene and wetting the table with kero. Stone all the high spots down. If you have some bad ones, nock them down with a file laid flat on the table first. Once you have stoned the dings down, use Scotchbrite pads with kerosene to brighten it up overall. You can even follow with flitz metal polish to really brighten it.

I know how to scrape. I have also used the above process for cleaning up tables on my mills. Scraping is not the right process except to flatten a warped table.

good luck!
Paul

P. S. I have the Lindsay books pamphlet. It is a reprint of very brief overview information on scraping from a handful of really old texts. It is in no way adequate to teach the process, principles, or even methodology of scraping, given what I know now.

[Millman]

Have to agree with SGW and PC.

[cadwiz]

Try the electrolysis method. I did and it works incredibly well:
http://www.homeshopmachinist.net/bbs...ad.php?t=19063

(hope the link works)

I dunked the bottom in a large trash can for a few days then flipped it over to do the head. Worked so well I was able to save the expensive Jacobs chuck. Still haven't gotten to the bandsaw yet (I'm working on restoring my new to me mill!)

There's lots of info floating around on eletrolytic rust removal. It's easy, give it try. Beats all the sanding and grinding effort.

Hope this helped
Cadwiz (Clinton, La)

[pcarpenter]

I don't know how anyone thinks that electrolytic rust removal on big machine tools is *easier* than using a gentle abraisive process as described above. It may be better, however.

I used electrolysis to clean up a couple of "user" hand planes and it worked well...but that is a small part.

Getting a tank big enough to work on something the size of a table saw table is at the very least difficult. Add in getting large parts like that in and out of the tank and finding a supply big enough for very large stuff and disassembly and re-assembly time and it becomes quite a bit of work. For parts that are partly painted, it may remove or loosen the paint, too as it works on the first layers of metal underneath the paint.

I guess the question becomes whether Herm was talking about a full disassembly and restoration or not.

Paul