Cleaning Rust - Book press

I recently bought a cast iron book press. The very bottom of the base (the underside is rusted), but the rest appears to be in good condition. Although the arms, (not sure what to call them) that hold the top plate that presses, are wobbly. Is this normal? I know the plates is a supposed to wobble a tad, but not sure about the arms.

Anyway :) Any suggestion on removing the rust? Unfortunately, the bolts that hold the arms are rusted to the underside of the base. So tightening them is not an option at the moment.

Any tips on cleaning up a cast iron press and removing that would be appreciated. Thanks all!

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It is normal for the pressure plate on these presses to be “wobbly” as it is supported loosely at the end of the screw, but the “arms” should be stable and solid.

You might try adding some aggressive penetrating oil around the bolts holding the frame on and let it work for a while. Then try to loosen the bolts first, which may break them loose. They then should be able to be snugged up tightly. You don’t want to over-tighten as the base is made of cast iron, and could be damaged or cracked) if taken too far.

You are correct in thinking that they should not be loose, however, and tightening them will be, as Martha Stewart is wont to say, “A Good Thing.”

John Henry