Anyone have any links to recommended paste wax they recommend for use on steel tubing? Ones that are commonly available in the US at the big box or auto stores.
I tried Minwax Paste Wax and holy crap it was hard as a rock and difficult to apply and gummed up my bearings somewhat fierce. I keep hearing about Johnson’s but it appears like its for wood just like the Minwax so I’m hesitant to buy it.
I also keep hearing about turtle wax but theres some argument on whether or not it has silica in it.
No worries, the S C Johnson’s will do what you need it to do, mentions metal right on the lid of the can, and should be readily available. I used to use it on the bare metal parts of a South Bend lathe I had in the basement with good results.
I’m not familiar with the MinWax but you can easily run a finger thru the Johnson wax and push up a blob of wax. Applies easily and like many waxes better two light coats than a single heavy one. Along with rust protection I’ve been surprised with the hardness it can add. Many years ago built a plywood boat painted with gloss exterior latex enamel. After drying a few days I could still mark the paint with a fingernail. A coat of wax and that was no longer true.
I use johnsons on my table saw. I keep a cut of an old T shirt in the can and I just wipe using that. It is not as hard as a candle. But harder than butter. It really doesn’t take much at all.
We’re using the wax as a coating, not a lubricant! If you’re gumming up the bearings, you’re using too much. Apply it like car wax, give the tubes a good rubdown with the stuff, then wipe it all down again with a clean rag.
You might want to try Bostik Glidecote. It is sold at most places that sell woodworking tools. I use it on all my cast iron table tops - table saw, jointer, lathe bed, etc. Should find it for less then $20 USD - sometimes on Amazon for good price and sometimes really high.
It sprays on and then dries to a white wax. You then buff the white powder till it’s gone (a few firm stokes back and forth). When doing a new tool I start with a few very light sprays and buff each - makes the entire process easy. You don’t want to spray too much at once or it is more of a workout.
It leaves the surface protected from rust and slippery. Nothing comes off on the wood when used so I can’t imagine the mpcnc bearings picking up anything.
I used the Johnson’s paste wax on my tubes. I cleaned them with brake clean first. Then I put a good coat of wax on them. I let it sit for a bit and then wiped most of it back off.
Actually, there is a good answer right there…car wax. If all you are doing is sealing, it would be perfect. Light coat and let it dry. Any coating isn’t going to last long with metal-to-metal contact.
Silicone in the wax could.posably get on the wood and close finish problems That is why Johnson paste wax is recommended but any Silicone free wax will work
Anyone else using ptfe on a scotchbrite here? When I built my primo I scrubbed the pipes down with that, and only have seen like 2 small rust spots (where my sweat dripped on them). I have been getting those with the same old triflo soaked scotchbrite, and it seems to be holding up well.
FWIW I use the Johnson’s Wax on my dad’s shop smith. You can find it at stores pretty easy, I got my can from the home store in orange. anyway, I applied it to the tubes where the headstock is mounted on, cleaned them up ok & the headstock slides so much easier now, so it does seem to do both protect and lubricate. A little goes a long way. once it dries good, it helps with cleaning too, I don’t think the sawdust sticks as easy now.
Good question. I always assumed that it originated in context where someone was making a video and didn’t want to say home depot in case they were later sponsored by lowes or something. Maybe in some forums, the ads get annoying with that kind of thing.
Or, it’s a side effect of WotC/Hasbro and their demonic legions of vampiric, illithid lawyers protecting the IP of the “Most Popular RPG in the World” that caused geek podcasts/blogs to refer to it indirectly, lest they risk the baleful gaze of that flint-hearted lot.
At least, that’s the first place I started seeing the indirect referencing of corporations. Well, that and The Walt Disney Corporation disclaimer: I’m an ex-employee… But that’s a different rant for a different forum.
But then why bother to even reference it? Just end the statement with, “I bought it locally”.
I really am not singling you out, and I really don’t have any argument in this. I find it more amusing than anything else. I think I’ve even done it in the past on other posts.
Meh. That should be enough derailing of this thread. I guess we should get back to waxing stuff.
