How do you keep your beds clean?

[Mark Warden]

I recently bought a new lathe and I waxed the bed but when I turned a couple Walnut bowls the bed turned black.Any tips on cleaning it up I tried wet sanding with WD40 but not happy with the results. Thanks for any and all input.

 

[Gary Slater]

your answer

Boeshield Rust Free and Boeshield T9 Rust and Corrosion Protection. I use it on my lathes and table saw. I think others have posted here about it before, that is how I found it. Works well.

 

[robo hippy]

I never worried about it when I had my PM (8 years). I always turned green wood, and there was water everywhere. Even if I had buffed it out with steel wool, I would have worn through. Just buff lightly, and just make sure you don't get rusting. Blackening isn't a problem.

robo hippy

 

[Steve Russell]

I use Lathe Drapes...

Hello Mark,

I use a set of lathe drapes to keep my bedways clean and rust free. Here is a link to an article I wrote that gives you more detail:

http://www.woodturningvideosplus.com/lathe-drapes.html

Take care and best wishes to you and yours!

 

[Robert Manning]

David Ellsworth piles wet shavings on the bedways to develop a layer of rust so the tailstock doesn't slip 'n' slide when it is tightened.

 

[MichaelMouse]

I'm betting that those who finish on the lathe make a bigger mess than simple corrosion, which doesn't hurt anything, and with a quick wipe with oil or wax, slides fine. Cosmetics, really. Don't think I'd put cloths anywhere near where they might be snagged by a spinning work. Get impatient on cure time with CA, and you'll have to slide a scraper to get the nubs off the metal.

My tablesaw is in line with the throw zone, so I use a tablecloth there, or cardboards, as I use behind the lathe when I think of it. I'd cardboard under, if you think it's a problem. I use dark under light woods and light under dark woods to highlight when cutting or sanding pieces with interrupted edges, and with a magnet, they stay put.

 

[john lucas]

I spray wd-40 on mine before turning any wet wood. Then I wipe it down after I finish. After 6 years and a lot of turning my bed still looks good.

 

[Mark Warden]

I'm still trying to get comfortable working with wet wood (flat work syndrome I guess) I've seen too many older machines with pitting on the cast surfaces and don't want to have that problem in the future.Now for my ignorant ? won't that blackened area be more prone to rust? My shop is not climate controlled and gets very humid in the summer months.

 

[John Jordan]

David Ellsworth piles wet shavings on the bedways to develop a layer of rust so the tailstock doesn't slip 'n' slide when it is tightened.

Not since he got good lathes. All modern lathes will lock nicely with lubrication, polished, or waxed beds. It was the General lathes that didn't lock

As for the original question, WD 40 is hard to beat if you're turning green wood. Just use some scotchbrite or fine paper with the WD-40. I'm not aware of anything that will last a day when turning woods with high tannic acid content, such as walnut.

John

 

[John Jordan]

I'm still trying to get comfortable working with wet wood (flat work syndrome I guess) I've seen too many older machines with pitting on the cast surfaces and don't want to have that problem in the future.Now for my ignorant ? won't that blackened area be more prone to rust? My shop is not climate controlled and gets very humid in the summer months.

I answered on another posts, but: It won't pit if you clean it off after you finish turning. Just rub it with scotchbrite and WD40. The black looks worse than it is-a reaction to the tannic acid in the wood. Other woods have little or no tannic acid and don't look so bad immediately.

I've turned literally thousands of pieces over the last twenty-five years and have been through gallons of WD40 I expect. Ask anyone who knows me the condition of my lathe and equipment. I spray the toolrest and polish it with a little sandpaper, and spray the bed each time before I start turning. I also remove the toolrest base and spray the cam etc. every couple of uses. It makes a BIG difference.

There is really no equivalent to waxing your saw table-not if you're working green wood.

In my demos the first thing I do is stress lathe maintenance, starting with this process. It makes you a better turner with no learning curve and minimal cost.

John

 

[Bill Boehme]

I use Johnson's Paste Wax on the cast iron tables of all of my woodworking machinery. It is fairly durable and long lasting and tends to repel dust and dirt as well as water unlike some of the oily or greasy treatments available. The biggest advantage of Johnson's paste wax is than it reduces friction considerably so that the tool rest, tailstock, and headstock (if applicable) slide much more easily than no treatment or some of the other treatments which may increase friction.

I have been a big fan of Boeshield T-9 ever since I became an aircraft owner in the 1970's. However, I have been less than impressed with using it to coat any cast iron surfaces in my shop.

 

[MichaelMouse]

I'm still trying to get comfortable working with wet wood (flat work syndrome I guess) I've seen too many older machines with pitting on the cast surfaces and don't want to have that problem in the future.Now for my ignorant ? won't that blackened area be more prone to rust? My shop is not climate controlled and gets very humid in the summer months.

Oddly, the engineering world will tell you that cast iron pits less, and with less harm to the integrity of the material than steel. Consider those hundred-year-old plus water and trash pipes buried all over the country. They're cast iron for that very reason.

Condensation happens when the temperature of the material is below the dewpoint. So unless your machine and walls are sweating, you have no worries about lack of climate control.

 

[Richard Baker]

After reading the title of this thread I wanted to write "Don't let the dogs sleep in them.", but I manfully resisted that temptation.

Bill, I still like T-9 on non-working or semi-working surfaces like the drill press column and RAS column. Frequently clean the lathe bed and bottom surfaces of the banjo with WD-40 and paper towels.

 

[Bill Boehme]

After reading the title of this thread I wanted to write "Don't let the dogs sleep in them.", but I manfully resisted that temptation.

Bill, I still like T-9 on non-working or semi-working surfaces like the drill press column and RAS column. Frequently clean the lathe bed and bottom surfaces of the banjo with WD-40 and paper towels.

Richard, it is great for low speed moving parts like the acme screws on clamps or the jackscrews on my planer cutter head assembly. On my airplane, it was used on bellcranks, pulleys, and control surface hinges.

It was also a useful substitute when I was out of propwash. (it was more fun to send a helper over to the FBO to pick up some propwash, though).

 

[Bernie Weishapl]

Whenever I turn walnut I do like John. I asked him about it a couple of years ago. I use scotchbrite and WD40 then wax with Johnson paste wax.

 

[Odie]

It was also a useful substitute when I was out of propwash. (it was more fun to send a helper over to the FBO to pick up some propwash, though).

I remember that joke! .....it's been a few years!

We used to send the newbies out for kiniffel pins, too! Ever heard of that one?



ooc

 

[Clifton C]

Odie
If I remember correctly, Kniffle pins were cleaned in a bucket of steam (prop wash being in short supply). A short piece of water line was tied to on so as not to burn your fingers.
Now that we are supposed to be “kinder and gentler†even snipe hunting is politically incorrect…
cc

 

[MichaelMouse]

Odie
Now that we are supposed to be “kinder and gentler†even snipe hunting is politically incorrect…
cc

Is that a PETA thing?

I can still remember the call from the guffawing guys at base supply wanting to know who had sent our jeep down to pick up a fallopian tube for a Collins R390 receiver.

 

[Odie]

Odie
If I remember correctly, Kniffle pins were cleaned in a bucket of steam (prop wash being in short supply). A short piece of water line was tied to on so as not to burn your fingers.
Now that we are supposed to be “kinder and gentler” even snipe hunting is politically incorrect…
cc

Clifton......

HA!

Yeah......those are the ones!

They always seemed to be in short supply......and, those that got burned couldn't wait to play the trick on the next unsuspecting guy! I guess it's a "tag, you're it" sort of thing.......you couldn't get rid of this cootie until you passed it along to someone else!

Yeah.......The guys didn't waste any time to give me my initiation!

.....sort of rites of passage, I guess!

ooc

 

[Jim Killen]

I worked on a rifle range, and as each new batch of recruits arrived, we'd pick a dummy and sends him for 25' of firing line, or a bucket of steam, or, best of all, the brass magnet. The rules were, if he came to you, you had to send him to someone of higher rank, trying to get as high as possible up the chain of command. I think the record was a Colonel, who didn't find it amusing..............no sense of humor!

 

[john lucas]

Jim When I left basic training and got to Keesler AFB our barracks chief sent me out for a yard of flight line. I filled his bunk with concrete and ashpalt. He didn't try that again.

 

[ssinner]

Easy solution - get a Robust. The ways are stainless steel. Problem solved.

SS

 

[Thomas Daluisio]

lathebeds

WD-40 has water in the ingredients , i use Starrets M-16 on a rag. car wax works well for a time too

 

[Dave Peebles]

Hi Thomas,

Not according to the FAQ on the web site. Question number two says this..

What does WD-40 contain?
While the ingredients in WD-40 are secret, we can tell you what WD-40 does NOT contain. WD-40 does not contain silicone, kerosene, water, wax, graphite, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), or any known cancer-causing agents.

http://www.wd40.com/faqs/#a92

I have been using it for years on my lathe bed.

Best wishes,

Dave

 

[Odie]

I have used many things in the past, including paste wax, and a coating of WD-40, and I haven't seen anything that doesn't work to prevent rust and corrosion.

I have a can of the PG2000 penetrating lubricant that I used for a couple years......it works, too.....but, expensive stuff.

click:
http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/s...Pro_Gold_Lubricant___pro_gold_lubricant?Args=

For the past couple years, I've gone back to what I was using a couple decades ago! I have a lidded container with a rag saturated in plain old motor oil. Use it after roughing wet bowl blanks, and every couple of months, or so. If you leave the bedways wet, dust will stick to it. This is the common complaint, but if you use it correctly, it'll prevent rust and will not be a dust magnet. Wipe it on with the wet oil rag right over any existing rust and black corrosion, and take a clean rag or paper towel to rub it off, leaving a very thin coating, almost left dry......very simple, quick, cheap and effective!

As with many ways I do things, I suspect there will be those who disagree with my methods.......and, this is why I didn't respond earlier. Right now, I'm in one of those moods where I can care less if anyone agrees with me, or not. The oil saturated rag works, just do it right!.......and, that's all I need to know!

ooc

 

[-e-]

I recently bought a new lathe and I waxed the bed but when I turned a couple Walnut bowls the bed turned black.Any tips on cleaning it up I tried wet sanding with WD40 but not happy with the results. Thanks for any and all input.

As a production turner who is on the lathe almost every day, for years I've been using WD40 to cleanup, HOWEVER I have to be cautious of using anything that might lubricate the banjo and tailstock. I've experienced slipping after cleaning (which is incredibly dangerous) and have to crank down much harder to secure the components, which is not good for the components.

Therefore, the lathe is kept "DRY", not pretty -- with the objective to eliminate pitting of the metal without making the surface slippery. In the early years, I used wax but that was a BIG mistake because it accumulated under the banjo/tailstock as a huge hardened cakey mess.

Simple Green works well too, wiping it dry.

However, if you're putting your lathe into storage or not using it for months, then using a metal protect-ant with a plastic sheet covering works, just be sure to remove it when you're back in production.

 

[Nate Hawkes]

Well, I'm not a production turner, but have turned a couple hundred bowls on my PM since the spring; I haven't turned much wet wood for a couple months; (school). I keep a spray bottle of WD-40 next to the lathe. An oil spray bottle is about $5, and a gallon of WD-40 about $15, IIRC. Far cheaper and more enviro friendly than the aerosol cans. My brother in law's father suggested using lathe bed way oil in 50/50 ratio with the wd-40, or a little less than half. He said he had no problems with tailstock slippage, and much better water protection. I haven't tried it, only because I haven't needed anything from the supply catalog lately, but I will on my next order. Thanks to a couple of John Jordan's articles and suggestions, I keep a file, steel wool, and a block of paraffin wax next to the lathe, which has improved my finish cut quality tremendously! I find that daily prep and cleanup are paramount to lathe maintenance, as well as my personal sense of organization in the shop; don't quote me if you visit.

 

[N7BLW]

Topcote works very well to prevent rust from forming on cast iron surfaces.

That black film is a form of oxide (some antique tool collectors call it 'patina', especially if they're the seller) and will not cause the more familiar red 'rust' to form any more readily than if it weren't present.

 

[Odie]

My brother in law's father suggested using lathe bed way oil in 50/50 ratio with the wd-40, or a little less than half. He said he had no problems with tailstock slippage, and much better water protection. I haven't tried it, only because I haven't needed anything from the supply catalog lately, but I will on my next order.

Nate......

We use way oil on machinery where I work.

My understanding of way oil is it's engineered for the specific purpose of maintaining lubrication between sliding surfaces of machinery parts under a state of high compression.

This probably isn't the best choice for wood lathe, because what we want is for banjos and tailstocks to stay put!

ooc

 

[David Somers]

Nate......

We use way oil on machinery where I work.

My understanding of way oil is it's engineered for the specific purpose of maintaining lubrication between sliding surfaces of machinery parts under a state of high compression.

This probably isn't the best choice for wood lathe, because what we want is for banjos and tailstocks to stay put!

ooc

Morning Odie,

By way of vindication.....the machinists I know in Hilo, HI all use the same method you are using. Old oil, wiped on very thinly, to maintain their metal surfaces and traveling ways. And they are in a humid, salt air, tropical environment. The only time I had real trouble with this was if I was working with a tannic wood.....and the fix for that obviously was a quick clean and lube right away, as everyone has already mentioned. Volcanic fog was an issue though and seemed to cause corrosion almost overnight. Sulphur Dioxide was the main component. Regular fog didn't cause problems.

Up at 4,000 feet in Volcano I was able to keep the lathe rust free with Boshield for about 2 weeks an application. Never did try the oil trick. The only time I had real trouble with this was if I was working with a tannic wood.....and the fix for that obviously was a quick clean and lube right away, as everyone has already mentioned. Volcanic fog was an issue though and seemed to cause corrosion almost overnight. Sulphur Dioxide is the main component of Vog. Regular fog didn't cause problems. Now that I am in Seattle rust happens very slowly, even though I am right near the water. Go figure.

Dave

 

[Odie]

Morning Odie,

By way of vindication.....the machinists I know in Hilo, HI all use the same method you are using. Old oil, wiped on very thinly, to maintain their metal surfaces and traveling ways. And they are in a humid, salt air, tropical environment. The only time I had real trouble with this was if I was working with a tannic wood.....and the fix for that obviously was a quick clean and lube right away, as everyone has already mentioned. Volcanic fog was an issue though and seemed to cause corrosion almost overnight. Sulphur Dioxide was the main component. Regular fog didn't cause problems.

Up at 4,000 feet in Volcano I was able to keep the lathe rust free with Boshield for about 2 weeks an application. Never did try the oil trick. The only time I had real trouble with this was if I was working with a tannic wood.....and the fix for that obviously was a quick clean and lube right away, as everyone has already mentioned. Volcanic fog was an issue though and seemed to cause corrosion almost overnight. Sulphur Dioxide is the main component of Vog. Regular fog didn't cause problems. Now that I am in Seattle rust happens very slowly, even though I am right near the water. Go figure.

Dave

Howdy David.......

I'm a few blocks away in Montana! Rust never seems to be particular problem anyway, but vigilance is advised......same as you!

Yes.....plain ol' motor oil on a rag kept in an old peanut jar. Just a quick swipe on the bed rails once in awhile, and every time after roughing wet bowls......followed by a dry rag, or paper towel wipe down. A little blackening or discoloration doesn't bother me a bit! I'm not one to care about keeping everything new looking.....but, I hate rust! :mad:.....and, this method is working like a charm!

We don't have any volcanoes over here that I know of.....but, you still got that Mt. St. Helens over in your neighborhood!

ooc

 

[Don Geiger]

Keeping bed clean and rust free

Ballistol works for me.

 

[Mark Warden]

Thanks again for all the replies.