Protecting Machines from rust.

[Alpha1]

I spent today in the shed churning out stuff to try and get on top of outstanding orders. A couple of hours in I glanced over at my mill that is covered in boxes of bits and totally inaccessible without moving a lathe out of the way. The table is rusting as is the mill itself. I covered everything in kroil and wire wooled the table. I am going to have to find a way to access it and sort it out.

Anyway, my question is what should I be smothering it with to stop it from rusting, and while I am at it what should I be using on my lathes to prevent rusting.

(The damn things keep multiplying the lathes I mean) This shed thing is getting ridiculous.

[Dark Skies]

I use Lanoguard's lanolin grease on my metal sculptures - works very well on my outdoor installations. It's very sticky and wipes down nice and thin.

https://www.lanoguard.co.uk/pages/why-lanoguard

[Jorden]

must agree with Dark Skies, Lanaguard is the best rustproofer you can get your hands on, but normally I use their spray on rust proofer in the trigger bottle, get it from ships chandlers but it will make your workshop smell like a sheep shed!

[dromia]

Tallow is usually a lot cheaper and just as effective so long as you aren't handling it as it comes off easy. You need proper marine tallow purely rendered sans salt.

Alox is a very good long term preserver, especially the alox grease but the alox used for tumble lubing works too and can be thinned a sprayed on. It was originally developed for protecting deck cargo, mainly aircraft, from corrosion whist crossing the Atlantic during WW2.

[Jorden]

The Americans found out in the Phillippines during the war that lanolin was the best rust preservative commonly available

[dromia]

Therein lies the caveat, "commonly available". Also I suspect that I am safe in assuming that the climactic conditions in Dave's shed bear little resemblance to those of the Phillipines so bit of an apples and oranges comparison of appropriateness.

Lanolin is good but it stinks and sticks like faeces to a blanket as well as your hands and everything else.

I use Lanacote as well as neat lanolin for lubes and Fluid Film for outdoor external such as padlocks etc as the lanolin keeps is self in place.

[meles meles]

It appears from the archaeological evidence that the Vikings lined their sword scabbards with sheeps' fleece to act as both a seal and a waterproofing agent for their swords. The wool would swell in damp conditions and restrict water access and the lanolin in the wool coated the blade to give further protection

[Bolte]

ACF-50

[Egg on Leggs1]

ACF-50

This.

I have an old machete in my shed that I cleaned up and applied ACF 50 to, no rust to date.

Applied 4 years ago.

Cardboard, or any other paper will attract moisture.

[bradaz11]

one of the best ways to stop it rusting is keep a low power heater running in the shed. the condensation from changes in temps won't help it from rusting.