Green wood = rusty bed

[Marty Tippin]

I'm curious how others deal with the inevitable rust that occurs when turning wet, green wood?

My current practice is to spray the bed lightly with WD-40 at the end of every turning session and use a piece of 800 grit sandpaper to buff out the rust that has accumulated. But I'm wondering if there's a better way - or even something I can do that will totally stop rust? I wax the lathe bed pretty regularly, but that only slows down the accumulation of rust - and once I use the WD-40 and sandpaper, the wax is pretty much gone.

[Jon McElwain]

I use Johnson paste wax as a protective barrier. A good application (wipe on, let sit for a few minutes, then wipe off) prior to turning wet wood does a decent job of protecting. Bottom line though, you've got to get the wet shavings off as soon as possible.

[Prashun Patel]

I assume you sweep the ways frequently?

I only today thought to start using packing foam between my green blanks and the face plate to stop THAT from rusting. DUHHHH!!!!

[Kyle Iwamoto]

My OPINION, and I live in the rust capital of the world, is to NOT use sandpaper. Eventually, if you sand enough, you could change the dimensions of your ways, and if your headstock moves, could lead to issues with staying put when you lock it down. Again, just my opinion. I use a putty knife or scraper with WD-40/CRC 3-36/PB blaster to get rust off. Wax/Boeshield and some protective cover, an old raincoat, even an old towel will help a little bit with rust starting. I like that rust patina. But I do live where rust never sleeps. I like Boeshield to prevent the rust from starting.

[Reed Gray]

When I sold my PM3520A, after 8 or so years of heavy turning, the entire bed had a nice black patina. Just the extra humidity from the wet wood will color the ways, and the only way to keep them from coloring is to get a lathe that has stainless steel. The coloring doesn't hurt. However, do buff it out if you get rust showing. I can't remember if I ever waxed mine or not.

robo hippy

[Brian Myers]

WD40 and a scrubby pad

[Jeff Grantham]

This thread put some fear in me - I was just turning a very green bowl last night that was giving me a good shower. Left all the shavings sitting there afterwards. Time to head to the basement and get it cleaned up!!!

[Prashun Patel]

Forgot to add: I use my homebrew Anchorseal: mineral spirits and wax. I use it on green wood blanks, and I use it on the ways and rests.

[Marty Tippin]

This thread put some fear in me - I was just turning a very green bowl last night that was giving me a good shower. Left all the shavings sitting there afterwards. Time to head to the basement and get it cleaned up!!!

You're probably in for an unpleasant surprise... I had rust on the bed within 30 minutes last night, turning some very wet black locust. (I've got a nice stripe of spray up and down the wall behind the lathe also...)

I think I'll amend my WD-40 / sandpaper routine and use Scotch-Brite pads instead of the sandpaper.

[Jon Nuckles]

Inexpensive wax and a scrubby pad to clean up after turning. A coat of wax as a preventive measure. I experimented a bit to see if Renaissance Wax offered better protection than Johnson's Paste Wax. It might have been a little better, but not even close to justifying the extra expense. You could always buy a Robust lathe with stainless steel ways!

[Jon Nuckles]

I had rust on the bed within 30 minutes last night, turning some very wet black locust. (I've got a nice stripe of spray up and down the wall behind the lathe also...)

My experience with locust is that it starts the staining and rusting faster than anything else I've turned.

[David Delo]

I've used Johnson's and a few other waxes along with T-9 and a few home brew potions without the highest degree of success. Started using Fluid Film and that seems to be the most resistant to the widest variety of species (at least for me). Not perfect but seems to provide the best protection with the least amount of elbow grease needed after turning...if needed at all. I'm convinced that not all CI is created or aged the same even within the same manufacturer and model. I read some 3520b owners state they just wipe on JPW and no problem but for me it provides very little protection.

[Jeffrey J Smith]

I've been using Boeshield for a several years now on my machine tables and lathe bed - it's worked well for me. The only table that's still exposed is the band saw (the table saw has been retired to support work - I pile stuff on it mostly so it sits under a nice plastic cover. That's stayed nice and bright with the Boeshield - and this part of the extreme upper left hand corner of the country is a pretty wet place. Got so tired of rust prevention on the lathe that I retired it, too in favor an AB - stainless is the only way to go if you rough a lot of green wood. Kind of an expensive fix, but worth it.

[Leo Van Der Loo]

I’ve only ever wiped it dry and that keeps things shiny black and smooth, just don’t wipe those wet hands onto your Red Oak turning, makes a real mess out of that, DAMHIKT

[William Bachtel]

American Beauty will solve that problem, Robust has Stainless Steel Bed, I love it.