OK since I am starting to get a bit deeper into turning things other than just pens, it suddenly dawns on me that I do not know how to remove the wood resins from my turning tools.

Do we wipe them down with alchohol and then a light coat of machine oil? What about the handles?

My tools are starting to get a bit grungy

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Charles Nicholls
Site Host
nicholls61@att.net
http://www.nichollswoodworks.com
This website is new so it doesn't have much to it yet but you are welcome to take a look

Mineral spirits, turpentine, or even lighter fluid.

If you want to go the non-flammable route get some Simple Green- which also works great on saw blades and router bits. Just remember, Simple Green is water based so things will need to be wiped off well to prevent rusting.

I don't think I would use any oil. I would probably forget to wipe down the tool before using it and transfer the oil to the project or my hands. Oil on the handles would probably make them slippery, too.

Just my 2¢

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Lew Kauffman-
Wood Turners Forum Host

Time traveler. Purveyor of the world's finest custom rolling pins!

Charles, 

I know alcohol is a pretty good solvent. I've never tried it on the pitch/tar deposits that turning leaves on the tools but it would probably work fine. As you said it evaporates very quickly and won't harm the wooden handles, either.

Charles Nicholls said:

I was thinking the alcohol mainly for the wood because it evaporates before really getting a chance to soak into the wood and also then for the metal to keep it from rusting. but yea lighter fluid evaporates almost as fast as alcohol so it would be a good bet but I don't smoke anymore so there is no lighters in the house lol.

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Charles Nicholls
Site Host
nicholls61@att.net
http://www.nichollswoodworks.com
This website is new so it doesn't have much to it yet but you are welcome to take a look

I use mineral spirits and a green scrubbing pad.  After clean, I coat them with Johnson paste wax.  The past wax works well on my table saw and turning tools too.  When I am turning I keep an old candle near by.  I periodically wipe the tool and tool rest with it to reduce the friction of the tool across the tool rest.

I like the candle idea, Greg!

Greg Coleman said:

I use mineral spirits and a green scrubbing pad.  After clean, I coat them with Johnson paste wax.  The past wax works well on my table saw and turning tools too.  When I am turning I keep an old candle near by.  I periodically wipe the tool and tool rest with it to reduce the friction of the tool across the tool rest.

Mineral spirits will strip the wood sugars away.

If your tool rest is pitted and nicked you should smooth it with a flat file.  Stroke the file over the rest until all the nicks are removed.  I also remove the file marks with a piece of 400 grit wrapped around a flat scrap stick.  A very accomplished woodturner I know NEVER puts a tool to the rest without smoothing the rest with a file first.  I don't do it that often but I do smooth frequently.

Charles Nicholls said:

I like those ideas too Greg thanks a bunch!

Since it seems that most tool rests are made from cast iron, they are always pitted to some degree and I always wind up getting the tool snagged if the tool is flat such as a scraper.

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Charles Nicholls
Site Host
nicholls61@att.net
http://www.nichollswoodworks.com
This website is new so it doesn't have much to it yet but you are welcome to take a look

Paraffin will also work as a lubricate. I keep some in the shop and you can run it across the tool rest and it will help also. Johnson Paste wax will also help and let the tool slide easily.

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John Moody
Site Administrator


John Moody Woodworks
http://www.johnmoodywoodworks.com

I haven't viewed a Capn Eddie video in awhile but I think what you are describing is a Comfort Rest.  It is supplied by the Robust Tool Company.  They are not inexpensive but they look to be a quality tool.  Woodcraft sells a knock off for much less.  However, The quality does not look as good. 

On some of my cheep rests I have added a 1/4" diameter drill rod to the area the tool rides on.  I cut 1/4" diameter drill rod to the length of my tool rest.  I bonded it to the rest with JB Weld.  The tool now rides on the drill rod instead of the cast iron.  The only issue I have is I can't get the rest low enough to use my Woodchuck Pen Pro dead center of the blank.