SS Leg Corrosion Issue

[KCollins]

Since I've gotten into the SS addiction I have notice a common issue. Every used SS I have seen with any level of age to it seems to have rust around the bottom of the legs. I found this odd. Why would it rust toward the bottom of the legs if there are casters on them?

Does anyone know why this happens and better yet how do I prevent this from happening to my new baby. The Mark 7....

[jsburger]

I would guess it has to do with the environment they spent their lives in. Sitting on a damp concrete floor would do it. I am not sure what the castors have to do with it. My SS's spend all their time with the legs on the floor. The only time they are on the castors is to move them which is almost never.

My bought new 1994 SS has no rust on the legs or anywhere else. My other two were assembled from parts on eBay. Neither set of legs had any rust when I bought then nor do they now.

[DLB]

Since I've gotten into the SS addiction I have notice a common issue. Every used SS I have seen with any level of age to it seems to have rust around the bottom of the legs. I found this odd. Why would it rust toward the bottom of the legs if there are casters on them?

Does anyone know why this happens and better yet how do I prevent this from happening to my new baby. The Mark 7....

I see this too, I'm sure it varies with environment as John said. One contributor for machines that are moved more frequently is damage to the paint at the feet. I've read of people easing the machine off the casters, basically holding the weight of each end and setting it down more gently rather than the drop the casters apply. But I pretty much release the caster with my foot and let it drop. That can't be good for the paint. Maybe something could be applied that is tougher than the paint but thin enough to not change the caster location.(?) There is a very tough and durable tape-like product people use on boat and watercraft bottoms that protects the boat when beaching it. I'm not sure how thick it is though. That might work. Also keeping up with touch-up paint everywhere else would help, I'm not so good about it. I'm sure I have bare metal where I re-drilled and relocated casters for the 3" upgrades.

- David

[jsburger]

I would guess it has to do with the environment they spent their lives in. Sitting on a damp concrete floor would do it. I am not sure what the castors have to do with it. My SS's spend all their time with the legs on the floor. The only time they are on the castors is to move them which is almost never.

My bought new 1994 SS has no rust on the legs or anywhere else. My other two were assembled from parts on eBay. Neither set of legs had any rust when I bought them nor do they now.

[KCollins]

Good thinking DLB... Maybe some kind of vinyl tape would help. Something other than bare metal with nothing between it but paint. I get what you are saying jsburger. But I move mine all the time and I do just turn the cams with my foot and let the SS drop onto the legs. I'm thinking that As-Seen on TV sealant tape. That stuff is very sticky and very thin but would be protective of the paint on the bottom of the legs. I might have to think about that.

[br549]

I found this tip from mountainbreeze very useful. Until I adopted his method, I too just let it drop hard, which never seemed good. I have to roll my machine out onto the driveway to use it, and when stored I always take the weight off of the casters ... especially since I upgraded to 3" softer material casters, hoping to avoid "flat" spots.

Re: Gently lowering the Shopsmith?
Post by mountainbreeze » Wed Mar 01, 2017 7:19 am

I lower mine down gently each time using the following method: Instead of placing the ball of your foot on the arm and pushing down, place your heel on that arm and the ball of your foot will extend to the next arm. As you push down on the arm under your heel, allow the arm under the ball of your foot to "catch" the arm and then slowly allow it to rotate around. Works great.

[DLB]

I found this tip from mountainbreeze very useful. Until I adopted his method, I too just let it drop hard, which never seemed good. I have to roll my machine out onto the driveway to use it, and when stored I always take the weight off of the casters ... especially since I upgraded to 3" softer material casters, hoping to avoid "flat" spots.

Re: Gently lowering the Shopsmith?
Post by mountainbreeze » Wed Mar 01, 2017 7:19 am

I lower mine down gently each time using the following method: Instead of placing the ball of your foot on the arm and pushing down, place your heel on that arm and the ball of your foot will extend to the next arm. As you push down on the arm under your heel, allow the arm under the ball of your foot to "catch" the arm and then slowly allow it to rotate around. Works great.

That seems like a great idea, as does the 'as seen on TV' tape. I even think I have the Gorilla brand competitor of that tape on hand that I used for some metal barn roof repairs with great success.

- David