Wood: Enemy of Metal?

diamond said:
I built an enclosed shop room inside my 40x50 metal building last fall and it houses my shiny new PM lathe and a bit less shiny and much less new Bridgeport mill. I built it out of wood, all stuff you get from the Depot. It's a lot of wood, including the sheathing on the walls (chipboard). Where it contacts the concrete floor it's treated, otherwise all pine/fir stuff. ...
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Heh, sounds like we went through the same experience, only mine was built in a wood barn. I picked up a GE dehumidifier at Lowes or Home Depot or something, around a hundred bucks. Plugged it into a timer, so it kicks in for an hour twice a day: at 3pm and 3am. Those times seem to be when the temperature in the air changes the most drastically. The hit to the power bill wasn't that bad (we're talking a couple dollars a month) and it sure did the trick.

I like LPS as well, but made some of (Bob's) Ed's Red and have been using that in a Sure Shot mister. Leaves things a bit less sticky.
 
A potential problem with using wood storage boxes is the type of adhesive you use on the joints. Regardless of the wood you use, If you use a yellow glue (Titebond, for example), it's important to apply a good sealer, like polyurethane, to cover the joints.

Yellow glue is a polyvinyl acetate adhesive. And acetate is an ester of acetic acid, which will stain un-coated metal in an instant.
 
oak is notorious for causing rust of steel/iron,as well as splitting ........this is why oak pegs were used to secure oak frames ,not bolts or nails..........one time a GTD tap and die set came in a wood box,with a little compartment for every piece.......oregon pine.or red spruce ?......100 years on the steel is still unrusted ,and the box has held together unlike plastic,which disintegrates into corrosive crumble.
 
Lots of stories here about Wood & Rust from both sides.

As concept I haven't gotten to it yet but I plan is to make a couple of storage boxes for a few of my tools out of TREX Trim material.
It is essentially recycled plastics but machines a lot like wood. I am hoping to avoid the wood = rust problem.

The trim peices come in nice 3/4" thickness and can be glued together.
 
Randomly I had to use my surface plate which I havn't used for about 6 monthes maybe a little longer(yeah I should do more high precision stuff ;) ), the wood cover is 1/2 inch ply wood I have oild with mineral oil (baby oil) the edge pieces are glued and nailed (PVA glue). Their wasnn't any rust issues with it (phew).

My workshop is in a below ground room which is open to the elements (their is a door but it doesn't air seal, like a lose barn door situation).

293510

Stu
 
Crafty. Never thought but makes total sense and mineral oil can be had so cheap when you buy it in non scented baby oil. Very impressive knowing your weather. Spent a year in Basingstoke.
Did you seal the bottom perimeter at all or just rest on as is?
 
MarkM said:
Crafty. Never thought but makes total sense and mineral oil can be had so cheap when you buy it in non scented baby oil. Very impressive knowing your weather. Spent a year in Basingstoke.
Did you seal the bottom perimeter at all or just rest on as is?
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I oiled the ply in side and out , was left to soak in a bit and gave it a bit of a rub with a cloth.

The wood top just rests on the top of the surface plate. I use the height gauge on the ply for low precision marking sometimes.

Stu
 
I made a wood cover for my granite surface plate. Put a felt lining on both top and bottom: bottom to act as a sort of duster for the surface plate, top to give me a safe place to park delicate instruments, newly-polished parts, etc.

I forget where I saw the idea about making a wooden felt-lined tray with a key for holding in the vise. Gave me the idea for the cover, though I still haven't got around to making just a tray.
 
I just lay a well oiled rag on the surface plate then put the plywood cover over that; the plywood having been varnished.
 
I'm both into wood and metal working. I save my lathe and mill metal chips for staining my wood slab benches.
I sprinkle on the chips and water it down for the night. The next day I brush the chips off. Great looking stain..
 
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