# Waxing lathe bed



## cowchaser (Dec 9, 2007)

Does anyone wax their lathe bed? If so is Johnson's Paste Wax fine? Just don't want mine to rust and I already wax my drill press and other items with Johnson's. If I can wax my lathe bed can I just use DNA to clean it?


----------



## maxwell_smart007 (Dec 9, 2007)

I use Johnson's on my lathe bed, and it's worked fine thus far! 

Andrew


----------



## THarvey (Dec 9, 2007)

I use Turtle Wax on my tool beds.  Johnson's should do just as well.


----------



## R2 (Dec 9, 2007)

I've used apriduct we get here called Mr.Sheen. It's a silicone based product and Some people thinthink its a No NO arond metal but i also use it on saw table and bansaw table. I NEVER use it on bearings.


----------



## Rifleman1776 (Dec 9, 2007)

I use Johnsons on all my machined surfaces. Works fine. I do everything about twice a year.


----------



## England14 (Dec 9, 2007)

I use Johnson's on all my iron, or any machined surface for that mater.  Apply it with fine steel wool and buff it off with a rag.


----------



## Firefyter-emt (Dec 9, 2007)

Yep, a Johnson's man here as well. 
That reminds me, I need to put a coat on my table saw!


----------



## n7blw (Dec 10, 2007)

I've been using 'Topcoat' for several years on all my cast iron tool tops. I clean the metal with acetone to get all oil and grease off, then spray two successive coats of Topcoat, buffing with a blue paper towel after each coat. The stuff has no silicone, which raises havoc with some finishes. The shop humidity runs around 75-85%, yet I don't have any rust issues at all in this damp climate. I usually respray the surfaces about once a year.


----------



## dbriski (Dec 10, 2007)

R2 I don't the the Silicone no no is because of the metal.  It's usually thought of as a no no on your machines because it could get the silicone into the wood and it could prevent glues/finishes from adhearing properly.


----------



## Daniel (Dec 10, 2007)

I have heard of a lot of issues with waxes etc. for woodworkers that do flat work. Mainly that it can contaminate the wood in one way or anouther. I have not heard any of this from penturners though. Not sure what you should or should not use just pointing out the issue there. I use turtle wax but I don't do custom cabinets or anything either.


----------



## Larry Gottlieb (Dec 10, 2007)

At a demonstration, David Ellsworth advised against waxing the lathe bed because this would allow the tail stock to slip. 
It made sense to me.

Larry G.
http://webpages.charter.net/lgottlieb2/


----------



## Rifleman1776 (Dec 10, 2007)

> _Originally posted by Daniel_
> <br />I have heard of a lot of issues with waxes etc. for woodworkers that do flat work. Mainly that it can contaminate the wood in one way or anouther. I have not heard any of this from penturners though. Not sure what you should or should not use just pointing out the issue there. I use turtle wax but I don't do custom cabinets or anything either.



I have read articles and on wood working forums, a lot of top wood workers use wax on their machined surfaces without problems. I don't believe that is an issue.


----------



## Rifleman1776 (Dec 10, 2007)

> _Originally posted by Larry Gottlieb_
> <br />At a demonstration, David Ellsworth advised against waxing the lathe bed because this would allow the tail stock to slip.
> It made sense to me.
> 
> ...



Does that mean that all the people who wax their lathe beds without problems are wrong? []


----------



## R2 (Dec 10, 2007)

Thanks David.[][]


----------



## DocStram (Dec 10, 2007)

> _Originally posted by Larry Gottlieb_
> <br />At a demonstration, David Ellsworth advised against waxing the lathe bed because this would allow the tail stock to slip.
> It made sense to me.
> 
> ...


That's exactly why I don't wax mine.  For what it's worth ... ShopSmith recommends Johnsons.  Supposedly, that's why Lowes carries it.


----------



## Larry Gottlieb (Dec 10, 2007)

"Does that mean that all the people who wax their lathe beds without problems are wrong?" 

I suspect that turning pens doesn't cause slipping, but working with a large log may be another problem.[]

Larry


----------



## Kalai (Dec 11, 2007)

I wax a lot of my tools and have done so for well over 28 years, My good friend Dan Deluz (master bowl turner) does the same thing and so do most of the other woodworkers I know, David Ellsworth told me the same thing about the wax and the tail stock sliding off, my powermatic has some tabs that screw on each end to prevent this.  I find the benifits of waxing is better than not waxing I even wax my bandsaw blade on my Bandsaw mill while I am not milling, it helps to keep the rust off very well.  Aloha.

Chris
Kalai[]


----------



## DocStram (Dec 11, 2007)

My tailstock doesn't slide when turning pens. However, sometime back I did wax it ..... and had a few problems with it sliding when I was turning a large bowl. Since then I have avoided waxing it.


----------



## Rudy Vey (Dec 11, 2007)

> _Originally posted by Larry Gottlieb_
> <br />At a demonstration, David Ellsworth advised against waxing the lathe bed because this would allow the tail stock to slip.
> It made sense to me.
> 
> ...


Well, this depends on the lathe. I wax mine regularly with Johnsons wax and my tail stock or the banjo do not move at all.


----------

