Attack of Ratzilla

[jttoner]

My shop only has 3 walls and rust has always been a concern but easily dealt with thanks to WD-40. I know many disagree with using it for rust prevention, but it seems to be working fine for me. A few days ago I noticed a rat scampering about in my shop. He was huge. I went to Home Depot and bought five of their large traps. I wanted some poison as well but it seems they no longer sell the good stuff. As I was placing the traps in strategic locations, I discovered corrosion, not from rust, but from rat pee, on the table of my 4th axis, some Hardinge collets, and no longer available "Made in USA" Greenfield taps and dies. Because these were not used very often, I stored them on a shelf where they were largely out of sight. The taps and dies cleaned up fairly well after soaking them overnight in dilute bleach. To clean up the 4th axis table I had to use WD-40 and a scraper made from 6061. The surface survived with a few pits and several stains, but checked out as flat, i.e., no high spots from the corrosion.

I enclosed the 4th axis and my Rapid turn inside Tupperware containers. Same for my various lathe chucks. I decided to enclose my lathe tools and holders inside zip lock sandwich bags. Everything is well protected now, but I'm going to have to replace some lathe tool holders. The new ones will be safe from the elements as well as from the rodents, but the question is whether to by Aloris or ChiCom. I believe we get what we pay for and I can afford Aloris, but is there any practical between them and the ChiComs, like rigidity and/or repeatability? The Aloris holders have served me well. No metric screws, the threads don't go south, and the Allen socket holes don't round out.

I went to check my traps. Two of the five were missing, Must've snagged Ratzilla but he was able to get away, trap and all.

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[kstrauss]

I chose a Dorian wedge unit (made in USA, $$$) and ChiCom tool holders from Accusize Tools. I'm happy with the combo.

[jttoner]

I was thinking along those lines. An American tool post and what ever for the rest. On second thought I'll go with American tool holders as well just so I won't have to find somw metric size Allen wrench when I want to change tools. Better threads and screws as well.

[GLCarlson]

I chose a Dorian wedge unit (made in USA, $$$) and ChiCom tool holders from Accusize Tools. I'm happy with the combo.

Ditto on the Dorian. Made my own holders except for the first one. Shop-made have held up for 30+ years now. Today, I'd probably buy Chinese and replace all setscrews (or retap holes and replace). Consider the Chinese stuff as rough machined kits and it's OK, cheaper and faster than buying plain stock, but absolutely replace all the crap screws. Just fixed another stripped, jammed setscrew for a newbie who ignored that lecture.

[popspipes]

My shop only has 3 walls and rust has always been a concern but easily dealt with thanks to WD-40. I know many disagree with using it for rust prevention, but it seems to be working fine for me. A few days ago I noticed a rat scampering about in my shop. He was huge. I went to Home Depot and bought five of their large traps. I wanted some poison as well but it seems they no longer sell the good stuff. As I was placing the traps in strategic locations, I discovered corrosion, not from rust, but from rat pee, on the table of my 4th axis, some Hardinge collets, and no longer available "Made in USA" Greenfield taps and dies. Because these were not used very often, I stored them on a shelf where they were largely out of sight. The taps and dies cleaned up fairly well after soaking them overnight in dilute bleach. To clean up the 4th axis table I had to use WD-40 and a scraper made from 6061. The surface survived with a few pits and several stains, but checked out as flat, i.e., no high spots from the corrosion.

I enclosed the 4th axis and my Rapid turn inside Tupperware containers. Same for my various lathe chucks. I decided to enclose my lathe tools and holders inside zip lock sandwich bags. Everything is well protected now, but I'm going to have to replace some lathe tool holders. The new ones will be safe from the elements as well as from the rodents, but the question is whether to by Aloris or ChiCom. I believe we get what we pay for and I can afford Aloris, but is there any practical between them and the ChiComs, like rigidity and/or repeatability? The Aloris holders have served me well. No metric screws, the threads don't go south, and the Allen socket holes don't round out.

I went to check my traps. Two of the five were missing, Must've snagged Ratzilla but he was able to get away, trap and all.

I had mice in my shed, and they pead on everything, was really a mess! I fixed it by covering the shed with metal siding, painting all lower wood that I replaced with used motor oil (let um chew on that), I made new doors and finished them with the used oil as well, no mice no spiders or other bugs now......... The used oil is a very good insect killer as well, it does take awhile to dry though.

I also had mice in my air cleaner on the old pickup truck, that was a real mess too!! I finally repaired that with 3/8" screen wire ove the inlet as they kept coming back.

I like Corrosion X for a rust preventative on the machine parts, mix about 2 ounces of it with 8 oz of WD 40, spray everything down and when the WD dries it leaves a thin coating of the Corrosion X.

[kstrauss]

Not all of the Chinese holders are awful. Mine are almost indistinguishable from a genuine Aloris and the dozen cost little more than the single Aloris.

[jttoner]

I like Corrosion X for a rust preventative on the machine parts, mix about 2 ounces of it with 8 oz of WD 40, spray everything down and when the WD dries it leaves a thin coating of the Corrosion X.

I actually have some Corrosion X I'd forgotten about. It's probably almost as old as I, but I'll go ahead and mix some with WD-40. (We used to say, and sometimes still say. "If it can't be fixed with WD-40 and/or duct tape, toss it and buy a new one.")

I like the used oil idea, will give it a try. Still, I'll continue covering all exposed tools with sandwich bags.

A few years some rodents invaded our pantry. I got a cat. Problem solved. My shop is just too dangerous for a cat. You remember the thing about curiosity and cats, right?

Thanks

[popspipes]

Ditto on the Dorian. Made my own holders except for the first one. Shop-made have held up for 30+ years now. Today, I'd probably buy Chinese and replace all setscrews (or retap holes and replace). Consider the Chinese stuff as rough machined kits and it's OK, cheaper and faster than buying plain stock, but absolutely replace all the crap screws. Just fixed another stripped, jammed setscrew for a newbie who ignored that lecture.

Those chinese setscrews and their tapped holes sure leave a bit to be desired thats for sure! I replaced mine right after I got the 1100.......

The tool holder labeling thing we talked about awhile back, Lazer etching would be nice and oil and coolant proof but a bit expensive for a home shop system. I am thinking I will just engrave numbers on the nuts of the er 20 and 16's, I am thinking just number the nuts in succesion and use that number in CAM, I think that would work OK, maybe give it a bit more thought though as I would have to modify the old programs with the new tool numbers......

[popspipes]

I actually have some Corrosion X I'd forgotten about. It's probably almost as old as I, but I'll go ahead and mix some with WD-40. (We used to say, and sometimes still say. "If it can't be fixed with WD-40 and/or duct tape, toss it and buy a new one.")

I like the used oil idea, will give it a try. Still, I'll continue covering all exposed tools with sandwich bags.

A few years some rodents invaded our pantry. I got a cat. Problem solved. My shop is just too dangerous for a cat. You remember the thing about curiosity and cats, right?

Thanks

The used oil wasnt my idea, I saw a farm wagon that the planking on it looked new, so I asked the fellow if he had replaced the planking, he said no that it was 30+ years old and sat outside all that time, he then gave me the story about mopping it down once a year with used motor oil.
Fishermen in the North West used it to mop the wood decks on their fishing boats to help preserve them, probably before the EPA??

I used the corrosion X wd 40 mix to spray on steel tuned pipes as they would rust here in the midwest, I sprayed them with this mixture and no more rust, the WD 40 will dry out over time so I added a bit of Corrosion X to leave a nice thin coating on them.

[jttoner]

Fishermen in the North West used it to mop the wood decks on their fishing boats to help preserve them, probably before the EPA??

I used the corrosion X wd 40 mix to spray on steel tuned pipes as they would rust here in the midwest, I sprayed them with this mixture and no more rust, the WD 40 will dry out over time so I added a bit of Corrosion X to leave a nice thin coating on them.

My car uses 9 qts w/o the oil filter, so that should last me a while. Yes, the WD-40 does dry out after a spell. That's why I always have to re-spray everything periodically. I heard that WD-41 didn't dry out at all but company's bean counters decided that would hurt sales so it was WD-40 that went to market

[machinejack]

In the machine shop I worked at we used WD for rust prevention. But what I found out is, if you store your tools on the open back shelf you will accumulate dust on the fresh coating of WD then the WD dries out giving you a nice crust of nasty stuff. We found another product called LPS that at the time 40 years ago worked I am sure there are better products now. I don't even own a can of WD.
Jack

[popspipes]

My car uses 9 qts w/o the oil filter, so that should last me a while. Yes, the WD-40 does dry out after a spell. That's why I always have to re-spray everything periodically. I heard that WD-41 didn't dry out at all but company's bean counters decided that would hurt sales so it was WD-40 that went to market

This also works on wood fences, does a number on Carpenter bees, a friend had the problem and I told him about the insect killing properties, got rid of his Carpenter bees completely.

Not much problem getting it in my area, service stations have to pay to get rid of it, when I needed some more to finish the guy wanted me to take a whole 5 gallon bucket of it!

[popspipes]

Now I need to get on my Y axis ballscrew, I have about .0024 of slop in it, the parts I make arent really that critical, I notice it when in the problng routines Making a clunk as Y axis stops and starts. I read an article about a fellow that reshimmed his and it worked. I sure would like some more articles on how to do it and to get up enough nerve and arthritis pills to get it done!

[MetalShavings]

This also works on wood fences, does a number on Carpenter bees, a friend had the problem and I told him about the insect killing properties, got rid of his Carpenter bees completely.

Not much problem getting it in my area, service stations have to pay to get rid of it, when I needed some more to finish the guy wanted me to take a whole 5 gallon bucket of it!

If those carpenter bees are unionized it doesn't work quite as well though. I use some stuff called Fluid-Film on my 770 and I don't have to worry about any kind of evaporation or drying out on the surface of the metal parts where it's applied.


MetalShavings

[jwatte]

I hear LPS-2 is still the bee's knees, 40 years later. (Not related to carpenter bees.)
I just put a coat on my bed, after the WD-40 wore off and the coolant started causing small rust spots (even with the blue corrosion inhibitor in it), but haven't used it before, so I don't know how well it will last.
And from what I know, WD-40 was designed to take the water out of very thin aluminum fuel tanks for some of the earliest ICBMs, so it too probably has a history as old as myself!

[jttoner]

Since my "shop" only has three walls, surface rust has always been a problem. Frequent applications of WD-40 have been effective, but as noted, it does dry out. But the rat pee, that's got to me the most corrosive substance in the entire universe. Only had rat problems the past few years, but it seems that at least a good portion of So.Cal is infested. These guys are very large. I think they may be an invasive species that either hitched a ride on the trucks from south of the border or on cargo ships from the Orient. I have everything protected now but might let my cat come into the shop, at least when no machines are running.

[jwatte]

Every shop needs a shop cat, so that sounds like a win-win to me!

[jttoner]

Yes, every shop needs a shop-cat. My cat seems to love being in the shop with me and has learned that he must go out when ever a machine is running. I believe it was Confucius, or maybe some other dude, who said "life is a rat race and the rats are winning." Not so in my shop since the cat took over. Not a sign of any rats. No rat poop. Nothing. They must sense the cat's presence.

[levis]

I couldn't bear to see them anymore. I chose to chase away rather than beat them to death. You can refer to <a href="https://roachexpert.com/best-ultrasonic-pest-repellers-reviews/">this article</a> to choose. Wish you chase them away quickly, I really hate mice.