Disassemble and clean
To start work on an old tool, I begin by taking
it completely apart. This lets me check the condition of all the parts
and makes them easier to clean. I'll clean most parts with a mild
detergent solution, and if pitch and resin have built up, I'll scrub
this away with a cloth or nonwoven abrasive pad dipped in acetone,
mineral spirits, or lacquer thinner.
Remove rust
Next, I'll
tackle any rusty areas. Depending on whether it's surface rust or
heavily pitted, this can require anything from scrubbing the part with a
Wonderbar (a great product) to using a wire brush, or even the magic of
electrolysis.
Removing rust with electrolysis
Here's a slick
way to remove rust from your tools using, of all things, electrolysis.
Electrolysis passes a small electrical current from a battery charger
through a rusty tool that's submerged in an electrolyte solution.
An
exchange of ions takes place, and the rust flakes away. Here's how to
do it. First, mix up an electrolyte solution (1 tablespoon of baking
powder per gallon of water) in a nonconductive, plastic container. Then,
remove any nonmetallic parts from the tool. Now clamp the positive
(red) lead of a 2-amp battery charger to an anode-an anode is just any
large, flat piece of steel (like a kitchen pan lid). And connect the
negative (black) lead to the rusty tool.
Slip the rusty tool and
anode in the solution so they're a few inches apart. Make sure the tool
is completely submerged and the red clip that's attached to the anode is
above the solution to prevent it from corroding.
Turn on the
battery charger, and check that it's not drawing more current than it's
rated for (this is where a built-in ammeter is indispensable). If it is
drawing too much, or not enough, current, move the tool father away or
closer to the anode. (SAFETY NOTE: make all of the adjustments with the
charger unplugged!)
You can tell it's working when you start to
see bubbles forming on the surface of the tool. The average tool will
de-rust in about two hours. Turn off the charger, put on rubber gloves
to remove the tool, and unfasten the clips. You'll find a lot of black
crud on the tool.
The quickest way to remove any crud is with an
abrasive pad. Just scrub the surface with a pad dipped in warm, soapy
water. If the rust is gone, you're done. If not, repeat the process
until it is.
Sharpen parts if necessary
If the tool employs a part with a cutting edge, I'll sharpen the edge using my standard sharpening technique.
Reassemble
When
all the parts are clean, free from rust, and sharp (if applicable),
I'll put the tool back together. As I do this, I'll add a drop or two of
light machine oil to linkages and will usually apply a coat of paste
wax to cast-iron surfaces to help prevent future rust. If the tool has
wood parts (like the plane shown here), I'll usually apply a light coat
of tung oil to them to help keep out dirt and grime. Then on to the best
part - using the tool - what better way to spend an afternoon in the
shop!
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