Cleaning a Rusty Table
George VondriskaGeorge Vondriska demonstrates the best way to remove rust from a cast-iron tool table. A WoodWorkers Guild of America (WWGOA) original video.
George Vondriska demonstrates the best way to remove rust from a cast-iron tool table. A WoodWorkers Guild of America (WWGOA) original video.
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I use crud cutter rust remover and the gel spray it down let it sit 15 minutes wipe it off it’s almost spotless. I also soak my tools in muric acid and I’ve also used miric acid on my old rust vise but do it where you have good ventilation or outside with a mask or respirator on.
I use a grill brick and oil or WD40, then use a good paste wax and I am good all winter long, this makes the table top like new. Thanks and you shows are great
Would this be the same process for surface rust on a hand plane?
Hello David,
Here’s what the experts had to say about your question:
Yes, you could use that approach for a hand plane. Or, you could go this route: https://www.wwgoa.com/video/electrolysis-rust-removal/
Paul
Please let us know if you have any further questions
Sincerely,
Danesha
Wood Workers Guild of America Video Membership
WD-40 isn’t bad either but white vinegar is good too. It does have to soak for a while.
I clean off rust the same way you do–with penetrating spray–but I use a “new improved” version. After letting the spray sit for 15 minutes, I sprinkle on Bar Keepers Friend. It’s like the old timey Dutch Cleanser. It’s intended to clean and polish stainless steel. I sprinkle it on the spray and mix them up until I get a slurry. Usually a scotch Brite pad on a sanding block finishes off the rust removal. I seal it with furniture wax. Top can actually get a little shiny.
George, The chemicals you used for this video are good, WD-40 is also, but the abrasive process you used could leave flatness imperfections on the table surface. I was a machinist then engineer for many years and had to clean up many a rusty or banged up milling machine table. A clean, flat 220 grit, or higher sharpening stone is a much better approach. It’s also considerably faster than using the scotch bright.
Hello. Thank you for the suggestion! We will pass this along to George.
Best regards,
Paul
Woodworkers Guild of America
We hVe been told if there is any difference between the two lubricants that he used for wet sanding. Did he find one better than the other?
That is the exact same question I was asking myself as well …we see both products being used side by side as to have a comparison, but I guess I must have missed the result of the comparison I was expecting from such a comparison…
What is the table sealer used?
Hello. Here you go: https://www.wwgoa.com/product/table-top-lubricant/
Thanks
Paul-Woodworkers Guild of America
What is the woodworking sealer you used after cleaning the rust? I recently found an old cast-iron jointer/planer manufactured in the 50’s that has a rusted surface and I want to restore it.
Dear Frank,
Thank you for your patience. In response to your question-
Here is a good sealer that you can use for this: https://www.wwgoa.com/product/table-top-lubricant/
Sincerely,
Paul
Woodworkers Guild of America
good idea but shouldn’t you have taped off the two areas and used a separate piece of scotchbrite on the other side vs dragging solution 1 into solution 2, possibility of a potential chemical reaction that could have an adverse effect on the CI or with each other? I know i might be too cautious but some products have ingredient names that are unpronounceable let alone what interactions with other products
Hi Woodie,
George has never had any problems using the approach that he demonstrated here. However, if you want to take those additional precautions that’s fine. Better safe than sorry.
Thanks,
Paul
WoodWorkers Guild of America Video Membership
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I love your videos but this one demonstrated a no-no. I was a machinist, then a manufacturing engineer in metal machining shops for over 40 years. I’ve cleaned up rust off of cast iron more times than I care to remember. Plenty of WD 40 works great but NEVER clean it with anything but a very flat abrasive stone, like a sharpening stone. You have a very flat surface and polishing as you did in this video will mess up that flatness.
Hi Andy,
Thanks for your feedback. If one were to do this frequently, yes, it would be better to use a flat stone. For the occasional clean-ups that I’ve done on my saw over the 20 years that I’ve owned it using the same method that George demonstrated here, I cannot measure any ill effects.
Thanks,
Paul
WoodWorkers Guild of America Video Membership
I was a machinist, then a manufacturing engineer in metal machining shops for over 40 years. I’ve cleaned up rust off of cast iron many times. NEVER
George, it’s been quite rainy here in middle Tennessee over the past few months. At the beginning of January I cleaned my equipment in much the same way as you presented complete with the paste wax application. I just got back from a 10 day trip and my cast iron tools are again covered with a light coating of rust. Do I need to think about putting a dehumidifier out in my shop or would that introduce a whole new set of problems?
Hi Doug. I don’t think a dehumidifier would cause any problems other than the electricity use. Also, you would have to keep an eye on the filter if you are working in there because that dust would clog it in a jiffy.
I would suggest a good machine cover. I had a humid shop many years back and I put one of these machine covers on it and it solved my chronic rusting problem.
https://amzn.to/2EC58px
Thanks
Paul-WWGOA
Cleaning up cast iron tops all you need is a ROS or any sanding block with 220 grit.You do not need to use anything extra…..
Once cleaned up with sandpaper (emery cloth to be more specific) clean off the top with mineral spirits,or acetone,etc.then for the last step all you need to protect it is woodworking paste wax.Not car was (most contain silicone),nor do you need to waste money on anything extra….
K.I.S.S. still rules,Keep It Simple Stupid.
Many today don’t want to take a extra minute or two to do something and always looking for the easy way out.Depending on how much you use your machines you may want to reapply a coat of paste wax up to once maybe twice a week.Takes only a minute to apply a coat,leave the shop,go home,to bed,or what ever.Then come back the next day or when ever and buff it out….only another few seconds to minutes to accomplish.
Aerosol sprays when sprayed add their contents to the air which floats around all over the shop.This can and often does contaminate projects,other wood,machines,etc. that can also end up messing up finishes.If you don’t think it’s messing up your finish,you more than likely don’t know what you’re even looking at.
What are specific products to remove rust?
Hi David. If it’s just light surface rust with it having no pitting I use a green Scotchguard pad and set my palm sander on top of it and slowly move it around the surface with the palm sander running. For deeper rust that has some pitting I spray with WD40 and get after it with steel wool.
Thanks
Paul-WWGOA
Great video! I have an old/cheap 1/4 sheet palm sander and a standard sheet of scotch brite happens to fit perfectly in it. I pretty much only use it for this purpose. Saves a lot of elbow grease, but isn’t as aggressive as some other power options, and it’s relatively flat (someone else suggested a sanding block). I’ve also been following up with a dupont made teflon dry lube to seal the top and it’s lasting a LOT longer than wax!
Hi George: I was wondering if you could tell me what the table top sealer is. I am going to be building a new work shop and I don’t want to have to fight rust in a few years if I can avoid it. Thanks
Hi Dave. George uses Bostik GlideCote on his cast iron tools: http://amzn.to/2ilPB0O.
This product does provide some rust protection, but if your shop is in a high humidity environment, you also might want to cover the tools with a breathable tarp when not in use.
Thanks
Paul-WWGOA
If you use a razor blade window scraper, the kind used for stickers and go over it first ,It will remove most of surface rust into a powder form
I would use a known to be flat sanding block if hand sanding, also 3M produces mandrels for product known as rolock discs, available coarse to fine. Spun in a die grinder these remove surface rust, paint, remains of adhesives, pieces of old gaskets, etc. The fine discs will not dig into a metal surface, merely shine it up. Also way useful for shaping/carving wood.
I’ve used white vinegar and baking soda mixed together like a paste to rub over the surface and soak for a while and most of it rubbed right off.
That table top is clearly pitted, from the first cleaning tto the second one. I could not get through the the second cleaning/sanding, without you were trying to sell a product that doesn’t work!!!!!!
I went through the many sanding techniques on rusty ground surfaces.They all left the surface scratchy, dull,not the nicely ground look. I picked up a 20″ DO ALL that was left outside. Very rusty surface. I used a razor blade in a holder that makes it work like a putty knife, when pushed to scrape the surface of the table. The rust just peels off without any marking to the surface. This technique WILL remove ALL surface rust quickly and easily with little effort. Only slight tuning needed on deep pitting.Lightly oil the surface for a uniform look. I came across this by chance luck. 100% guaranteed to work on any rusty surface.
George
I bought a old Delta Band Saw had a 15″ opening. But the table was a mess. I use a product called MOTOR KOTE . It is used in engines. But this stuff is good foe a number of things like this because it goes into the metal and protects it. Go to motorkote.com and this comes in quart size but think they have a smaller size now.
I used this with my sander and good as new. The ol delta I bought for $20.00 uses a 96″ blade.
Also put this on your saw blades and they will cut better and smother.
just simple emery cloth with wd-40 or like product, would have cleaned this up, using sand paper on cast iron is not a good idea, i don’t know who told you sand paper was a good idea.
DuPont Metal prep which converts rust back to Iron is another liquid to “wet sand” your rusty iron or steel. Auto body people use it to prevent rust from forming under new paint.
Theres a product made by Boeing Co. Yes the airplane folks , called BOESHIELD T-9 that works great for keeping rust off cast iron tops and other tools , and if you have rust really bad they make a product called RUST FREE. that u can use to remove rust , it really works just follow instructions like it tells on bottle , because if u just apply it an leave it it can spot cast iron , but its never happened with me , for years i battled rust on my tablesaw because the concrete floor in my little shop turns into a river everytime humidity gets up ,, i used to use a good floor wax and kept it waxed good to , but still it would rust. I havent had that problem since i learned about the T-9 !
I met a master saw filer back in 1990 that was 92 and still sharpening saws and cutting his own firewood by hand. I stopped by one day when he was cutting up a tree and he told me that was his 250th one for that year. He had a large pole barn full of wood because he did not know how long he would be able to do this. 8>))
The day I first met him he was cleaning up a rusty D8 Henry Disston with that Liquid Wrench and fine steel wool.
Thank you for sharing a bit of his, and this world. Amazing Details we can learn, and do, from those whom came before us!
I used White Vinegar and steel wool and it took the rust off with little effort !!
Good program, but you know there are power solutions using abrasive pads. Car restorers use them all the time. Would do it a bit quicker and just as well (I have done it)