General welding questions that dont fit in TIG, MIG, Stick, or Certification etc.
cj737
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MFleet wrote: Edit:
I looked up the mil-spec #'s and found this. Not sure how close these two products are.
http://www.cosmolinedirect.com/cosmolin ... reventive/
I don’t think you’d want to use the Cosmoline product you linked on a table you weld upon. It’s very thick, almost a goopy grease, hardens when it gets very hot, and would likely contaminate anything you weld from contact. It surely would protect the table surface, but may not be a good choice for regular use.
MFleet
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cj737 wrote:
MFleet wrote: Edit:
I looked up the mil-spec #'s and found this. Not sure how close these two products are.
http://www.cosmolinedirect.com/cosmolin ... reventive/
I don’t think you’d want to use the Cosmoline product you linked on a table you weld upon. It’s very thick, almost a goopy grease, hardens when it gets very hot, and would likely contaminate anything you weld from contact. It surely would protect the table surface, but may not be a good choice for regular use.
I hear ya :). It's a tall order an honest attempt to meet the criteria for the original post:

"I want to store this table outside in the elements and wanted to ask if anybody has a good recommendation as to mitigating rust without compromising the grounding abilities for welding?"

You're thinking of the stuff gets slathered on a new rifle at the factory. The stuff that I posted a picture of will dry to the touch (slight waxy feel)and claims that you can weld through it. The stuff in the link claims to dry to the touch as well. If you can weld through it, you can ground through it.

This is another product link that may be closer to what I have:
http://www.cosmolinedirect.com/cosmolin ... -veto-344/
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cj737
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MFleet wrote:
You're thinking of the stuff gets slathered on a new rifle at the factory. The stuff that I posted a picture of will dry to the touch (slight waxy feel)and claims that you can weld through it. The stuff in the link claims to dry to the touch as well. If you can weld through it, you can ground through it.

This is another product link that may be closer to what I have:
http://www.cosmolinedirect.com/cosmolin ... -veto-344/
That “waxy” finish is the problem. That’s the component that hardens under heat. For instance, if you fire a gun with cosmoline in the barrel (brand new, uncleaned) a few times, that residue will be hard as a 2-part epoxy after the heat cycles. Probably a great “storage/protection” choice, but not for a welding table.

You’re right though, his needs are a tall order!
Poland308
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Why not try beeswax?
I have more questions than answers

Josh
MFleet
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cj737 wrote:
MFleet wrote:
You're thinking of the stuff gets slathered on a new rifle at the factory. The stuff that I posted a picture of will dry to the touch (slight waxy feel)and claims that you can weld through it. The stuff in the link claims to dry to the touch as well. If you can weld through it, you can ground through it.

This is another product link that may be closer to what I have:
http://www.cosmolinedirect.com/cosmolin ... -veto-344/
That “waxy” finish is the problem. That’s the component that hardens under heat. For instance, if you fire a gun with cosmoline in the barrel (brand new, uncleaned) a few times, that residue will be hard as a 2-part epoxy after the heat cycles. Probably a great “storage/protection” choice, but not for a welding table.

You’re right though, his needs are a tall order!
Maybe so. The cans are old and will not spray well anymore. No way for me to properly test it out.

This is another product that I came across when I searched for a replacement:

http://chemtool.com/corrosion-inhibitor ... ventative/
Scroll down to the "WeRP 6" product. Seems difficult to find small quatities of the their products.
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cj737
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It would be easier if he simply made the entire table from aluminum :D
Poland308
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The second product you posted info for only has a protection time of 48 hrs. Hope you use the table every day.
I have more questions than answers

Josh
MFleet
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cj737 wrote:It would be easier if he simply made the entire table from aluminum :D
I'm almost with you on that. It may come down to the question of how it is going to be used and abused. The stuff is spendy too. Would aluminum riddled with gouges and raises work the same as a rust pitted steel?

Poland308 wrote:The second product you posted info for only has a protection time of 48 hrs. Hope you use the table every day.
That may be part of good solution...just use it often :) Are you referring to the chemtool link? That is the only product in that link that claims to be 100% weld compatible. Is there anything else listed that looks like it would be worth the time to test?
They don't list small quantities, but that can't stop us from requesting samples.

I looked into products months back for media blast>storage hold>coating process. I will dig through those notes and report back if anything looks useful. I suspect that they turn out to be lightweight, indoor "synthetic soap" types.
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cj737
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MFleet wrote:
cj737 wrote:It would be easier if he simply made the entire table from aluminum :D
I'm almost with you on that. It may come down to the question of how it is going to be used and abused. The stuff is spendy too. Would aluminum riddled with gouges and raises work the same as a rust pitted steel?
I have a 42"x60"x3/8" aluminum topped table I use for welding sheet goods, stainless especially. It has taken some abuse, but a "bad gouge" I just fill with weld, gently grind flush. Voilá! Good as new! But it IS pricey. Mine is bolted to a steel frame I had powder coated first. It lives in an unconditioned garage shop, and has spent many a night outside with work on it (its light and portable so I use it too for Stick projects when I need a large flat work surface). My primary table is too heavy (6'x4'x3/4" steel) and its on leveling casters. Still to move it around I use a floor jack because it weighs well over 1400#.
Bradk
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I want to thank all for their inputs on protecting my outdoor welding/work table, much appreciated. I never heard back from Sculpt Nouveau as to my question as to using "Clear Coat" on my table but as one forum member pointed out, the product is designed to protect static metal objects from the environment i.e. non worked surfaces. I am going to clean the top of any rust and then apply CorrosionX Aviation lubricant as this should protect the surface relatively well and does not inhibit any grounding abilities. With an occasional reapplication I believe the table will survive. I guess it goes that any item that is outdoors requires occasional maintenance.

Thanks,
Brad
ex framie
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Paint the legs in a rustproof paint, if your earh point is on the legs leave that bit unpainted and coat with lanolin.
Regarding the top, get some lanolin, rub into both sides.
Have a local canvas place make up a canvas or herculite cover, canvas breaths better, herculite is more waterproof and uv resistant.
Lanolin is not toxic to you or the environment, will prevent spatter from sticking to the table and has been used for thousands of years to prevent rust on ferrous metals, also cheap.
Wax on, wax off, grass hopper.
That and the cover should solve your issue.
Pete

God gave man 2 heads and only enough blood to run 1 at a time. Who said God didn't have a sense of humour.....
Donniev
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I blacksmith as a hobby and I usually take a rag, shoot some wd40 on it and wipe down my anvil and post vise with it. This would allow you to still get a good ground if you want to weld on it occasionally, something clear coat could take away- the wd40 works like a charm
Bradk
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I finally put up some pictures of the outdoor work/weld table (4 X 5 X 1/4" thick top).
BradK
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Antorcha
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I wipe mine down with a little mineral spirits with paste wax dissolved in it.A pint bag of paste wax and about 1/2 pint of varsol. I use the same thing on my shop floors every several weeks. I had a gallon can leak a big glob of John Deere green on the floor the other night. Peeled it right off the next morning. Same with the welding tables. Treat the steel with some Ospho after wire wheeling and put a floor wax(or my mix) on it.Like a car hood it'll bead up in the rain for many weeks if not in use.
In all reality a "full time" table never gets a chance to rust.
315 am......out to the shop.1100 feet of 1x1 fence panels to build.Good thing I have no neighbors. That Metal Devil will wake the dead
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