Clean and stop rust

[Ted in NE-OH]

Is wd-40 a good cleaner and rust preventative for drills, lathe tools, and hand tools. Needs to be nonsticky and not attract dust?

 

[old]

NO

 

[JGayman]

Fluid Film

 

[kcm.MN]

I've never used Fluid Film, but I can speak from experience -- NO on the WD-40!

Another product that's been around for decades is Boeshield T9. It was developed for use on woodworking blades and bits, so is formulated to not leave residue on wood.
https://boeshield.com/

I've never used that product either, but like Fluid Film, have read many rave reviews over the years. Appears to be available on Amazon and at Home Depot.

Not sure Boeshield T9 is meant to "clean" rust. You might want to research that further, as with any product.

 

[rrlund]

Fluid Film is great stuff,but it will attract dust. All I know about WD 40 as a preventative is that the vet sprays his dehorners with it when he's done with a job.

 

[dahlin]

Old its good to see that you are still kicking.

 

[Mike M]

No on the WD-40 ! I tried it on stuff before and it rusted. I ended up thinning some hyd. oil with kerosene and putting it into a spray bottle. It worked way better.

 

[WAYNE-N-TEXAS]

I don't think so, but I use it to clean my cook stove. Better than any of the stuff they sell for cleaning it.

 

[Mike(NEOhio)]

LPS #1. No silicone. Spray it on and let it dry a couple of days. It leaves a waxy film but feels dry.

 

[Bill in IN]

Old style Simoniz or Minwax that doesn"t have silicone. Has benefit of shedding waterand dirt.

 

[Stephen Newell]

Yes, WD-40 does well to protect tools and machinery. Problem is if they are used regularly it's a pain cleaning the oil off. Regularly used tools it's better to keep them in a nearly air tight container

 

[kcm.MN]

(quoted from post at 07:31:48 05/22/20) Yes, WD-40 does well to protect tools and machinery. Problem is if they are used regularly it's a pain cleaning the oil off. Regularly used tools it's better to keep them in a nearly air tight container

After Dad died in Arkansas, before returning to MN for a few months, I sprayed down the top of his then-new Rigid table saw with cast iron top, as it already had a couple of small rust spots from non-use and being closed up in the garage. When we returned, the entire top of the saw was rusted and virtually every bit of WD-40 had dried or evaporated. It was a very wet time with lots of rain, so humidity was extremely high.

I'll use WD-40 for squeaks, but never again to protect against rust, especially if meant for long-term protection.

 

[Janicholson]

Three things WD-40 is not: it is not Lubricant, it is not a preservative, and it is not a penetrating oil. It drys to absolutely nothing in a few days. Water displacement ? yes. Jim

 

[flembo]

This doesn't answer the original post but for a case like yours Butchers wax works great for cast iron table tops for Table saws, Planers or Jointers I kept a Table Saw and a planer on an open porch for 3 yrs. and just kept waxing them after each use,no rust and nice smooth and slippery surface. Now that they are in my cellar I still wax once in a while.

 

[Mule Meat]

Look into something called splatter shield. It is used by welders to keep splatter from sticking to metal surfaces and weld beads from rusting. 3M WELD-THRU coating is one brand. It is alittle costly. But it works.

 

[Texasmark1]

Silicon spray. Everybody sells it.

 

[Randy-IA]

WD40 is ok for cleaning rust but not as a preservative. It makes a good catfish stink bait additive too from what I hear.

Use fine steel wool (0000) gently to clear away surface rust with WD40. Don't rub hard, time spent is your friend.

As for which preservative to use? I don't know; what I do know is that silicone is worthless for that. BTDT.