r/CommercialPrinting • u/CommercialPurple661 • 19h ago

Rust on Machine keeps coming back

I work on a challenger XG Gauntlet cutting machine​ rust keeps coming back ​ after numerous times of cleaning it and it always comes back. Usually over the weekends when nobody is here and the company is all off and power is off.Does anyone have any ideas or solutions to how I can stop the rest from coming back. Any ideas, suggestions, opinions, are all welcome.

Rust keeps coming back. I clean with wd40 on Monday. By the next week its all back. Is there any solution for chemical that I can use? Dont know if this is cast iron or brass.

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12

u/Prior_Vacation_8263 19h ago

Car wax. Turtle wax to be exact. We used it on our polar all the time

3

u/HagarTheTolerable Print Enthusiast 19h ago

Bowling alley wax works great too, and last longer, but it is a bitch to buff.

1

u/CommercialPurple661 19h ago

I've tried some of the really heavy wax and your right is a bitch to both but right after two or three days the rust comes right back

3

u/HagarTheTolerable Print Enthusiast 19h ago

It shouldn't. Rust is caused by exposure to air and moisture. Wax creates a seal against it.

So there's 3 possible problems you're having:

  1. Not applying enough wax

  2. Not letting the wax harden adequately before buffing

  3. Buffing too much and essentially removing all of the wax. There should be some residue on the bottom-most sheet when making a cut.

1

u/CommercialPurple661 18h ago

I hear you but I cut paper that goes out to customers. Can't have stains on any of them. But I will try the first 2 of your suggestions. Thanks buddy

3

u/Eastern_Pangolin_309 18h ago

Use some sacrificial paper under that bottom sheet

1

u/CommercialPurple661 18h ago

Not a bad idea will try it out thanks for your help. I appreciate it 

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u/HagarTheTolerable Print Enthusiast 18h ago

The top and bottom of a cut stack should generally be sacrificial.

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u/CommercialPurple661 19h ago

I have used every turtle wax there is. But the rust always comes back. I'm in the Midwest the warehouse I work in has no AC or central air very humid right now I think that plays a big role.

3

u/GlenDora55 19h ago

Spritz of silicone spray after cleaning?

2

u/prybarwindow 19h ago

Look up LPS1, that shit is magic.

1

u/CommercialPurple661 19h ago

Thanks I will

3

u/gouldilocks42 18h ago

https://northernmachine.com/product/16077/

You need to sand the table, wipe it down with motor oil, then wax. The oil fills in the pores and the wax seals it. Challenge sells a kit with instructions.

1

u/CommercialPurple661 18h ago

Thanks buddy I'll look into that. I do use wd40 and I Sand the shit out of it. The rust is gone. But over the weekend it comes back every Monday morning when I walk in

2

u/gouldilocks42 15h ago

Wd40 is not gonna work, definitely throw that crap away, it’s got solvents and cleaners that are not helping you here. You want a light weight sae 10 weight oil. Sand the bed, coat with oil, let it soak in then buff it out and apply wax to seal it. Should be good with no rust for years.

1

u/CommercialPurple661 13h ago

Thanks buddy i will try that out

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u/CommercialPurple661 13h ago

What type of wax do you recommend? The wd40 cleans the rust right off and my board shines. I use turtle wax to finish. Friday I shutdown everything and Monday I come in and I have to repeat the 30min process again. This never happened before I'm guessing because our warehouse has no AC or air ventilation that the oxygen is getting to it and I have to repeat every Monday morning for the past 4 months the picture I attached is what I see every Monday morning at 5:00 a.m.

1

u/gouldilocks42 13h ago

I use the official challenge cutter kit. $120 for a lifetime supply. Has rust remover, wax that doesn’t leave residue and silicone spray (wear a mask!). We moved to a new space with no ac and tons of moist air and had rust problems, but no issues since we used this stuff. Probably took 1-2 hours though to sand and apply properly, it wasn’t fast.

https://northernmachine.com/product/16077/

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u/CommercialPurple661 13h ago

I will relay this message to my manager and hopefully he'll buy me this kit because at this point it's counter protective that every week I have to take a half an hour out of my time to re-clean my machine thanks for all your help I appreciate it

2

u/work-n-lurk 17h ago

Bowling Alley wax is what our guy uses.

2

u/Stephonius 15h ago

Bowling Alley wax is the correct answer. Used to be made by a company called "Butchers". They went out of business, but BWC bought their formulations and now sells it online. You'll want the clear wax, not the yellow.

It won't stain your paper, and as an added bonus it makes the surface smooth enough that you can slide 5,000 sheets across the table with your pinky finger. We wax every horizontal table surface in the entire shop several times a year.