Advice needed before waxing the press
I just wanted to be clear on this before I did it.
You can use Johnson’s Paste Wax on the bed, rails, etc of a flat bed press? This is the same stuff used for wood furniture? Are there any other tips I should know about? Should I wipe the press down with a degreaser before applying the wax? I’ve read to buff and not to buff.
Before and after Navel Jelly. Need to go over the corners one more time.
web press bed 2.jpg
web rusty bed side.jpg
Could have saved yourself a little money on Naval Jelly and used 1 part vinegar, 1 part lemon juice. It works very well. Johnson’s Paste? I dunno. Why not?
What brand of proof press is that? Kinda looks like a Triumph. I have a 12 x 18 Triumph. Is it a Nolan?
I use the Johnson Paste Wax on the bed of my paper cutter, i buff it with a soft rag, it helps the paper slide on the bed of the cutter. Dick G.
It’s a Showcard press
I know its a showcard press, the wax will help keep the bed from rusting, you must get the rust off before waxing, my cutter bed looked like your press bed when i got it. Dick G.
Regarding vinegar and lemon juice, beware - the acid in this mixture will pit the steel if left on too long! By the way, steve_p wasn’t being a smarta**, he was responding to David Jasmund’s inquiry about the press.
I use johnson’s paste wax on all machined surfaces in my shop. This includes my table saw, drill press, letterpress, cutter. I use an evaporative cooler in the summer, so I need to combat the humidity or my equipment will rust. I buff most surfaces, but don’t on the platen or press bed. These surfaces will self buff as the press runs.
Any rust remover can pit if not used carefully, and that goes for Naval Jelly as well.
If an item is not painted, and can be soaked, a milder mixture of vinegar and salt (2 tbsp. per qt. white vinegar) takes from a few hours to overnight depending on the amount of rust. This works very well for steel galleys, the only limit is how big a container you have. Scrub with a scotchbrite or synthetic steel wool pad, rinse off, dry, than wipe with a dilute oil/kerosene mix or it will start rusting again. The vinegar can be reused.