Hello,
I have a Bosch 1617EVS (I think that’s the number) variable speed router. The housing is apparently made of magnesium. I have a sometimes damp but never wet (no floods) basement. The router lives in its original cardboard box in the basement, on a shelf, not on the floor.
When I take the router out to use it (usually after it’s been sitting a while), I have to first steel wool the magnesium housing to remove this flaky “rust” that seems to grow on the surface. It’s kind of a whitish powder. It will get smooth with some fine 0000 steel wool, but leaves these black spider web looking patterns in the metal.
I cleaned it off once before, and put it back again. This weekend I used the router, and the “rust” had grown back. This time after steel wool treatment, I applied some butcher’s wax in the hopes that it might keep it from happening again.
Any thoughts on this? Is it typical for a magnesium tool, or do I have a lemon? (Or a too-damp basement?) Will the wax help? Any suggestions appreciated!
Alec
Replies
Alec
The wax should help but it sounds like you have a damp basement.
You can get a product that comes in an aerosol can, don't know the name of it, check with a good tool supply store, spray that on and it will protect it. It is meant for just this situation.
Do you notice rust on other stuff in your basement? If so you may need a dehumidifier, or open some windows.
Doug
>> You can get a product that comes in an aerosol can, don't know the name of it ...
Boeshield T-9?
That does not ring a bell, but I would assume there is more than one brand name.
Doug
Alec: Typical of magnesium. You almost cannot stop any exposed surface from doing that. I have a mid-'50's vintage Pickett & Eckels Mg slide rule. It has plastic lamination faces, but the edges where the slide slides has always corroded like that. I solved the problem w/ graphite from a pencil to clean it up & lube it. Aluminum does the same thing, but not as badly. With Al, you get an aluminum oxide coating that "passivates" the surface so it will not corrode any farther - under reasonable conditions of exposure to moisture. That is without salt, of course. Mg, on the other hand is too reactive to "passivate," so it keeps going. Leave it long enough, & it will crumble to dust. Also burns like mad. And if it starts burning, DON'T use water to extinguish - only makes it worse.
Don
It isn't rust as rust is known.. It's salt... A by product of the CC in your basement and the magnesium..
Ditch the box it acts as a magnet for moisture.. Dry out yur basement.
Dry lube moving or contact parts.. Lacquer the rest...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming....
WOW!!! What a Ride!
This is from a post I made last year regarding problems with the router's ON/OFF switch and the "rusting" that you describe:
"The metal on the housing and base tends to oxidize a bit, creating a bit of friction between the motor and the base. Was a slight pain, as their micro-adjust feature is really nice, but over time, the added friction from oxidation would make it a tough to adjust, negating the niceness and accuracy of the micro-adjust feature. A bit of steel wool and paste wax took care of that as well.
Been in touch with Bosch and they know about these problems..."
In case you're wondering, Bosch recommended the steel wool/paste wax.
Thanks for the tips, everyone.
I'll try the obvious drying out the basement routine. Am planning to dig an exterior french drain to keep ground water from migrating through the walls and creating the dampness.
I don't notice any rust on any other tools, or even things like uncoated plain steel nails. Just seems to be this magnesium housing on the router.
IMERC, what do you mean by "CC" in my basement?
Mongo, glad that Bosch recommended the same approach that I took.
Anyone have experience in how much it would cost (electric wise) to run a dehumidifier? The basement is about 1000 sf, located in southern New England.
Alec
CC is ConCrete... Airborne lime particles from the CC is reacting with yur router... Don't ferget to toss the cardboard box...
Pennies a day to run an average DH....
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming.... WOW!!! What a Ride!
Since the router is the only item having a problem, and you don't use it all that often, perhaps you could find a place for it in a closet upstairs. If you forget things like I do, leave yourself a note where you remember it being to remind you where it is now. ;-)
-- J.S.
This topic was making the rounds on the WW forums last winter. Some folks managed to get Bosch to replace the housing. That reminds me, I got one too....somewhere.