Help and guidance sort: hand planes renovation 🙏

[Cabinetman]

My go to when I see rust on cast iron machines tables has always been Scotchbrite pad and WD 40

Most helpful thank you Jonathan, I bought some green pads today and with WD40 it really worked a treat on my cast iron saw and planer, just about back to brand new look!
Cheers Ian

 

[Jonathan]

Ian if your lacking elbow grease you can always put a orbital sander on top of the pads, makes it super easy on big surfaces

 

[Woodbloke]

Most helpful thank you Jonathan, I bought some green pads today and with WD40 it really worked a treat on my cast iron saw and planer, just about back to brand new look!
Cheers Ian

I wonder if 0000g wire wool + WD40 would be as effective? I rarely see rust on anything because of the way I accidentally built the 'shop years ago, but it does annoyingly happen occasionally. The last time was on a LN plane blade where a smear of water was trapped between the back of the iron and the underside of the cap iron - Rob

 

[Cabinetman]

Ian if your lacking elbow grease you can always put a orbital sander on top of the pads, makes it super easy on big surfaces

Well that’s a good idea too, but as yet I haven’t acquired any powered sanding stuff over here, sanding never really was something I did when furniture making, and I can’t see myself doing it in the house with Pam’s aversion to dust lol.

@Woodbloke bet it wasn’t that much of an accident, you ( like me) probably don’t like adverse temperatures when working and the side effect is no humidity. My combination mc has sat here suffering the worst that America can throw at it, I sprayed it with WD40 after the first attack which caught me out in its speed, came down one day and it was red all over, should be ok soon as the last areas around the doors are being done soon and a dehumidifier will be working when needed.
It will be good to have a sealed room at last.
Ian

 

[Jonathan]

Rob, yep it would work, just wire wool is just a little messy with WD40.
I always apply wax with fine wire wool, can’t remember where I learned that one but it de nibs and doesn’t leave any scratches.

 

[Woodbloke]

I always apply wax with fine wire wool, can’t remember where I learned that one but it de nibs and doesn’t leave any scratches.

I use a grey Webrax pad to do that (like the green stuff but a bit finer) as 0000g wire wool disintigrates in use and may leave particles behind in the grain which could then turn black; not good especially on Oak with plenty of tannin in it. That said, if the Oak is well sealed (coupla decent coats of Osmo PolyX say) there's not much chance of it happening - Rob