Misting oil to protect machine surfaces in a damp environment?

[Bob Korves]

I see no reason to buy lanolin based rust preventatives premixed in spray cans or in liquid form at the high prices they get for them. Anhydrous lanolin is cheap on eBay. Mix it with some good oil (I use ATF) and with mineral spirits or some other solvent to the consistency you are looking for, and get to work. The lanolin needs to be carefully melted before mixing and the other ingredients should be room temperature or higher. You can easily make several different products for rough stuff that lives outside, and for fine metrology tools with the same three ingredients mixed in different ratios. It is not magic, lanolin is the best rust inhibitor, oil helps to spread it out evenly, and mineral spirits thins it for the thickness you want to apply. The recipe I posted is for machinist tools, tooling, and machine tables in the shop. YMMV.

 

[Aaron_W]

Bob do you have an approximate ratio for the lanolin, oil, mineral spirits blend?

Also what is the reason for ATF vs say motor, gear or way oil?

Up to now I've just been using a way oil soaked paper towel to put a light coat of oil on exposed metal which has been effective, but the basement does get damp in wet years as this one seems to be looking like it might be.

 

[Bob Korves]

Bob do you have an approximate ratio for the lanolin, oil, mineral spirits blend?

Also what is the reason for ATF vs say motor, gear or way oil?

Up to now I've just been using a way oil soaked paper towel to put a light coat of oil on exposed metal which has been effective, but the basement does get damp in wet years as this one seems to be looking like it might be.

1 part anhydrous lanolin, carefully melted until completely clear, using no flame.
Add 1 part ATF, stir until thoroughly mixed in.
Add 5 parts mineral spirits, stir or shake until dissolved and blended together completely. This leaves a light bodied transparent coating on metal after the mineral spirits evaporate.

That recipe is for use on my machinist tooling. It leaves surfaces that you cannot tell it has been applied by sight or feel, but I have never seen the slightest amount of rust after applying it to the ENTIRE SURFACE with a tooth brush, Q-tip, or similar to a wet coat and then letting it dry. My tools are kept in my Sacramento California unheated garage shop, mostly in ordinary tool boxes. If the environment is tougher than what I have, I would recommend using less mineral spirits to make the coating thicker after the solvent dries.

 

[Aaron_W]

Thanks Bob, I've got some lanolin coming from ebay, $11 for 8oz so I'll pick up a quart of ATF and a gallon of mineral spirits and I should be rust free for life.

I think my climate is pretty similar to yours, but the basement does get some water on the floor in a heavy rain. It never reaches the area where the machines are, but does result in some dampness for a few days until everything dries out. I keep a couple of fans going 24/7 and that air movement does seem to dry the air pretty quickly. I've not had issues with mold or rust on the stuff that has been stored down there.

 

[Bob Korves]

Also what is the reason for ATF vs say motor, gear or way oil?

ATF is highly resistant to oxidation, which keeps it oily longer in contact with air, and is inexpensive. Buy the cheap stuff for anti rust formulations.

 

[Rhino169]

ATF is highly resistant to oxidation, which keeps it oily longer in contact with air, and is inexpensive. Buy the cheap stuff for anti rust formulations.

Thanks for the recipe Bob. I have also ordered some Lanolin on eBay and have mineral spirits and ATF ready to mix. I also just received a can of the Fluid Film I will try as well to see if it can do the job as well.

I may use the vertical metal pole on my old Delta drill press and coat half with the Fluid Film and half with your recipe and look for any differences.

This gets me to a secondary question...

For lightly rust coated areas that area not lathe ways, such as the chuck, what is a preferred method to remove this rust prior to misting oil application. Then for the ways, what is a suggested method to remove light rust?

 

[Bob Korves]

Thanks for the recipe Bob. I have also ordered some Lanolin on eBay and have mineral spirits and ATF ready to mix. I also just received a can of the Fluid Film I will try as well to see if it can do the job as well.

I may use the vertical metal pole on my old Delta drill press and coat half with the Fluid Film and half with your recipe and look for any differences.

This gets me to a secondary question...

For lightly rust coated areas that area not lathe ways, such as the chuck, what is a preferred method to remove this rust prior to misting oil application. Then for the ways, what is a suggested method to remove light rust?

Evapo-rust is what I use for almost all my rust issues. It is not cheap, but it is reusable over and over many times, especially if you keep oil and grease out of it and remove most of any thick rust with another method. It is safe to use, and can be poured down the drain after it is used up. The items should be fully immersed or you can get unsightly lines in the metal at the air to Evapo-rust interface.

 

[Aaron_W]

ATF is highly resistant to oxidation, which keeps it oily longer in contact with air, and is inexpensive. Buy the cheap stuff for anti rust formulations.

Ok, that makes sense ATF sits in a transmission upwards of a couple years vs 3-6 months for motor oil, or frequent reapplication in the case of way oil.

This gets me to a secondary question...

For lightly rust coated areas that area not lathe ways, such as the chuck, what is a preferred method to remove this rust prior to misting oil application. Then for the ways, what is a suggested method to remove light rust?

Evaporust seems to be the go to for many if you want to get rid of rust entirely.

If just halting it works for you, I've been having good luck with Ospho. It turns rust (iron oxide) into iron phosphate which stops the rust process. The plus side is you can just brush it on vs immersion, and it won't discolor the base metal. Cosmetically Ospho turns the rust into black spots which may or may not matter to you. It can also be used as a metal primer on rusty metal.

Looking at what I paid for a gallon of Evaporust vs a quart of Ospho, it doesn't have much if any cost advantage over Evaporust.

 

[ThinWoodsman]

fter applying it to the ENTIRE SURFACE with a tooth brush, Q-tip, or similar to a wet coat and then letting it dry.

I use a SureShot mister. For anything more than spot-spraying, you better leave the shop for a bit until the pink fog settles.