[TheForge] routine maintenance with WD40?

[Catherine Jo Morgan]

I used to follow Francis Whitaker's prescription of spraying just about
everything in the shop with WD40 every Monday morning. Since WD40 is
mostly mineral spirits, I'm wondering if this is something I really want
to breathe so much. What do other people do to keep things like post
vise, cone mandrel, swage blocks, and small tools from rusting?
 
The fine measuring tools I keep waxed with Renaissance. I store those in
a toolbox with rust inhibitors. Same with hammers. I'm gradually moving
more and more tools into closed boxes with rust inhibitors since this
works well in Georgia.
 
That still leaves a lot of iron exposed. If you spray with WD40 the
weekly spray is mandatory because it's a very temporary solution. For
longterm protection of course there's the Boeing waxy product and other
similar ones. But that's not for things that are used often. Years ago I
was enthusiastic about some woodworkers' products called Dri-Cote and
Table-Cote, but they produce toxic fumes when exposed to heat, so
they're not good for a forge.
 
I'm sure I'm overlooking a good solution. Ideas?
 
Catherine Jo Morgan
Morgan Sculpture
Iron and mixed media vessels
cjmorgan@hemc.net
706-754-3812
 
online artist journal: http://radio.weblogs.com/0120691/
 


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