Rusty, Crusty Bridgeport Table

[Hoyt]

I'll be bringing a Bridgeport 2J to my workshop at the end of the week. I've ready solved the transportation issues (gantry crane on site for loading. trailered to my shop and unloaded with a forklift. The head is tilted upside down and snugged against the table. I have 3-phase power to my workshop. It has a non-working Align Al-500s powerfeed on the table (maybe I can fix that, maybe not). The machine was set up some 20 years ago to cut keyways in the same size shaft over and over and the vice and the table weren't moved much. Under the considerable grime the scraping is still very evident on the knee. Once cleaned up, I believe I'll be very happy with the machine; backlash is minimal. I will need to remove the table to get it into the room where it will live and I've ordered new way wipers.

My question is this: the table's T-slots are packed solid with swarf, dirt and rust and the table surface is rusty. What's the best way to clean the table up? (I can handle all the oil and dirt on the machine itself. ) I don't want to use anything abrasive on the table. I see a few shallow holes in the table, but I'm not concerned with them.

 

[benmychree]

If it were me, I'd look for someone to surface grind the table top, or just go at it with a carbide scraper.

 

[JimDawson]

Clean out the T slots with whatever works, screwdriver and make a T slot scraper. Scotch Brite and WD-40 would be my choice for the table top. You will never get the rust stains removed completely, but it should clean up pretty well.

 

[Chipper5783]

Could be good, could be poor. Like Jim says, go at it with a bit of elbow grease - scrape out and vacuum the chips, then some WD-40, a little more scraping & scratching, some scotch brite, more WD-40, run a stone over it. Chances are very good that it is in serviceable condition.

More pictures please.

 

[mikey]

Since the table will be off anyway, why not put it in an electrolytic bath? Clean off all the crud and oil first. It will come out rust-free and you can oil it and move on with the restoration.

 

[vocatexas]

I've had great luck with Evaporust. I used the gel to clean up the table on my K&T a couple of weeks ago. I'd had it tarped waiting to move into my shop. I guess it sweated underneath the tarp and the table and ways had surface rust on them. I smeared the gel on (like brylcream, a little dab will do ya) and covered with plastic wrap overnight to keep the gel from drying out. I then used a razor scraper very carefully to remove the majority of the rust, then some of the fine gray scotchbrite to finish. It cleaned up very nicely.

 

[cathead]

AND when you get done getting it relatively clean, take a 400 grit diamond hone to the table top. It
smooths off the tiny bumps and you can work it over without any danger of removing any significant metal.
I routinely stone off my table and wipe it off with oil when changing vises or RT anyhow.

 

[projectnut]

If yo intend to disassemble the machine I would take the table to a do it yourself car wash. I purchased a Racine power hacksaw a few years ago that makes the table on your Bridgeport look like new. The entire machine was caked with crust and crud. The coolant reservoir had about a 2" layer of swarf that had dried and hardened to the surface. I tried every method I could think of to scrape off the crud including a number of different solvents and several scraping tools. I wasn't having any success whatsoever. Finally my wife suggested I load it in the trailer and take it to the car wash.

It worked great. Between the high pressure and hot soapy water the thing came clean in a matter of minutes. Even the caked on swarf in the reservoir came off without a problem. I would guess it cost between $7.00 and $10.00 to clean every part of the machine down to the bare metal. Now whenever I buy a machine that needs a serious cleaning the first stop is the DIY car wash.

I do have a pressure washer that is capable of using detergents and water up to 140*F. However disposing of the nasty crud is a problem. I don't want it on the drive. Not only is it nasty, it will also eventually migrate into the house. It only took a few minutes to wash everything down the drain at the car wash. There was nothing left for the next customer to step in and track into their car.

Just be sure the car wash you go to is setup for this type of cleaning. The one I go to allows construction and agricultural machines to be washed. It has a huge pit type drain that captures the crud and doesn't allow it to go into the sanitary sewer system. The drain is pumped and cleaned on an almost weekly basis

 

[Cadillac]

Good old vinegar works great. Don’t even have to submerge. Just take paper towels and soak with vinegar then lay them on the table for acouple hours. It will take the rust off and leave the table clean as the day it was machined. Sometimes a wire brush helps get the thicker stuff broke up and the vinegar will do the rest.

 

[Hoyt]

Thanks guys, for the excellent suggestions. I just finished a rehab on a Logan 400 lathe and an Atlas No. 64 drill press, new bearings all around and cleaned up. They are tools and not showpieces and I learned a lot. I don't anticipate any mechanical issues with the Bridgeport since it has had limited use. I'll use your suggestion to get the table cleaned up and try to make some chips and keep you updated. Again, thanks.