Weld Table Rust?

[gengine]

Out here in Wyoming, I don't treat mine with anything, we don't have enough humidity for rust. The only time I had rust issues is when I was purposly rusting brackets for a job by soaking them in muriatic acid. The fumes lightly rusted my welding table, tools, table saw, etc. Cleaned them up with a green scotch brite pad and life was good.

 

[Suburban Plowboy]

From the WD-40 website:
"WD-40 Multi-Use Product protects metal from rust and corrosion, penetrates stuck parts, displaces moisture and lubricates almost anything. WD-40 Multi-Use Product 5-Gallon Pail is best used for heavy duty industrial jobs uses that require repeated treatment."

I wouldn't trust that. What a manufacturer will say is not always the same as the truth. WD-40 is a Swiss Army knife type of fluid. It does lots of things, but not many well.

WD-40 evaporates quickly, leaving a very light film of a waxy substance behind. A lubricant that evaporates is not desirable.

I can see why they would want people to use it to lubricate things. Imagine how much money oil companies would make if engine oil evaporated as fast as WD-40.

I buy it by the gallon, mostly for machining, so I know how fast it dries up.

As for Harbor Freight welders, I bought a Titanium 200 Unlimited, which does stick, MIG, and DC TIG. I already had a Lincoln MIG and an AlphaTIG, but I like toys, and I thought a Chinese welder would be good for backup as well as 120V MIG. Titanium welders have very short warranties, which sets them apart from Vulcan, but I have a basic knowledge of electronics, and I figured I could probably replace any bad components.

I love the Titanium. I rarely use the Lincoln. The Titanium has a nice nimble torch, and I like the digital display. I have different wires in my MIG's, so I am less likely to have to replace a spool. It has worked out great for me.

I'm a hack welder, but I have fabricated a bunch of things, so I know a little about MIG. I have seen claims that red and blue welders give welds that look better when cut open and etched, though. Don't know if it's true.

Nobody is certifying my welds, so it doesn't matter to me.

 

[Jrasband]

I do not treat mine, so far it has no rust on it and it is under a roof outside.

This table is awesome, check it out, it is well worth the price.

Lincoln Electric Portable Welding Table

An adjustable height, strength to hold 500 pounds and 200+ mounting holes and slots, this is the workbench for you. It’s built to last, simple to set up and designed to meet the needs of a plethora of projects. It's the perfect helping hand in the shop or wherever a job takes you.12 ga plated...

north40.com

 

[Suburban Plowboy]

There is an engineering genius named Dan Gelbart, and he makes Youtube videos. Recently, he posted a video of obscure shop tips, and he dropped a surprise. He said the way to protect machines from rust was to spray them with a weak lye solution. He said rust can't form in a basic environment. Pretty amazing.

 

[WranglerX]

I user mine as a work table almost daily.... Keeps the top scuffed and rust at bay....

 

[YanmarFever]

Plowboy, trappers have been soaking their traps in a lye solution for years, they dont rust.

 

[Suburban Plowboy]

And somehow using lye is not well known. How can that be? I have been discussing this topic with knowledgeable people since maybe 2007, and I didn't hear of this until this year.