Thread: Clean Metal

I was just looking through the thread on the Douglas Shaper. Anorak Bob has pics there of putting a new leadscrew in the downfeed on his shaper. The ways in the pics looks new/pristine. How do you get it that way given that I am leery about cleaning ways by any abrasion? I purchased a Douglas Shaper but have only cleaned the various ways with diesel and a bit of scotch brite.

David

Great question David.

I too would like to bring back the ways on my Hercus, and will be very interested in replies to your post. AB, what's your secret. Some more "buttering up" won't go astray.

Ken

Sorry Boys,

I hadn't read this so didn't realise a question was being asked of me. The shaper head ways are "as is".

For general maintenance of shiny bits, I use a grey Norton Bear-Tex scourer. Like a Scotch Brite kitchen scourer but much softer. I bought a new selection of Bear-Tex scourres the other day from a paint and panel supply shop. Cost 1.90 each. They range from aggresive to nappy soft.

Keep everything oiled up and covered and you'll reduce the problems of corrosion.

BT

Keep in mind, these things are abrasive. I don't use them on my ways. A single sided razor blade is good for removing any projecting corrosion from your ways.

BT

I'm having trouble cleaning the ways on my lathe, it's not really rust but a really dark brown coloured stain. I've tried a few various methods and none of them have seemed to work very well. WD40 & rag, razor blade, oven cleaner. I'm running out of ideas.

I took the belt cover off that is bolted to the ways and that section was like new, I would like the whole thing to come up like that if possible.

I think the only way to get them nice and shiny is to have them re ground/scraped, which would be a waist of metal if they are still true.

I use the cheap green scourers for the kitchen dishes to keep general metal up around the shop. I find they are not very abrasive and if it don't come up with one of these it is not going to come up.

If it was just on metal for cosmetic looks, I use wet and dry sand paper wrapped around a oil stone and used with oil instead of water to save it rusting which brings it up nice, and keeps it flat, but I wouldn't use it on ways or precision surfaces.

I think you will find they will wear in and shine up when you use it a bit. Also I find the older looking ways with a few little scratches/pits here and there to hold oil a lot better than new shiny ways. With the new ways the oil just seems to get wiped off as it's moved along.

Days

Do you reckon a roloc scotchbrite pad on a air sander will be ok without causing any damage? They normally use them to remove gaskets and there are different grades available to suit aluminium and steel surfaces.

The only other thing I can think of would be sand blasting, but not sure it would do any damage or not. The lathe has been disassembled, it's just the bed with headstock casting (no spindle)

How do they get so stained, is it because way oil maybe wasn't used?

I was in Carb-i-tool one day, they have a "system" for removing rust from bare steel, couple of bottles of liquid. Wipe one on, wipe the other on. Says it removes rust marks and helps stop rusting in the furture.(or something like that). If your near 12 Levanswell Road, Moorabbin you chould check it out.
Maybe I should have bought some and I could be more help.
Stuart

yeah might be worth a go, I am not all that far away. I have been reading up on all sorts of things.

electrolysis seems interesting and I would do it if the lathe wasn't so big and heavy. I think i'd need a bath tub to fit it in!

Originally Posted by Com_VC

Do you reckon a roloc scotchbrite pad on a air sander will be ok without causing any damage? They normally use them to remove gaskets and there are different grades available to suit aluminium and steel surfaces.

The only other thing I can think of would be sand blasting, but not sure it would do any damage or not. The lathe has been disassembled, it's just the bed with headstock casting (no spindle)

How do they get so stained, is it because way oil maybe wasn't used?

Forget about anything on a drill as it will be to aggressive for ways, I wouldn't even recommend gluing the kitchen scourer to a disk to use, only by hand.
Sand blasting will kill it, it will bring up a light grey really porous surface, definitely not suited for ways, only good for painting. When things get blasted they cover the ways so they don't get touched.
I think the stains are a combination of surface rust and oil stains over the years.
There are still companies around to regrind the ways, but you then need to pack the saddle up to keep the lead screw aligned because of the drop in height.

Dave

I think this thing spins at 21000rpm

I don't really want to regrind the ways, I heard that costs lost of money

It's one of these things..
http://www.justtools.com.au/images/cp875kit.jpg

The ways on my Hercus ARL are definitely not pristine looking. Those on my ten year older A look in better nick but in reality are quite worn.

The ARL's aren't worn. They are marked with corrrosion, the outcome of the previous owner's decision the use the lathe for wood turning. All I did was use a worn green kitchen scourer and oil and wipe uniformly along the ways. The pitting remains.

Early last year, Hercus auctioned a couple of NEW long beds on Ebay. While the rest of the Hercus owners were having their Saturday afternoon rest, I won the auction for one of the beds. Cost me a bit under a hundred and fifty bucks. It's still in the pine box it was sent to me in, GREASED UP.

BT

I've just reread the thread. Do you have a picture of what you are trying to clean? If its the oil residue, I fold brake cleaner works well.
As for sandblasting...... I think Dave covered it well. Same goes for the pads on the grinder, great for cleaning the heads on an engine, keep them away from your ways.

Stuart

CT 18 (Truckwash) and a soft scourer. Rub and leave on for a while before washing off. Helped with stains on my shaper table. Didn't get rid of all of them but made them lighter. I only left it half an hour. Longer might work better.