[JustinHoMi]

So, I haven't used my PCNC 1100 in about a year. It looks like there's a small amount of surface rust on the ways. It's been in my garage with a dehumidifier, but the dehumidifier failed sometime this summer. Will it be fine to power it up and use it, or is there any preparation I should do? Does the rust need to be removed first?

Thanks,
Justin

[MichaelHenry]

Taking extra care to lube and distribute the way oil after you first power up would probably be a good idea. I'd pull the the Z-axis and back of Y-axis bellows and check that the lead screws and ways all have fresh oil.

[mountaindew]

Get the oil can out! pull back all the Y way covers and lube thoroughly along with y ball screw. Then top of z axis ways and even down the ball screw from top. then some on underside of x axis and ball screw. Start machine and turn on spindle hit the manual lube on the auto lube before I would even reference the machine. Of course if its a manual lube system then you can just pull handle a few times.

I do this sometimes every couple weeks to keep machine well lubed. It cant hurt and lube is cheap.
I also turn machine on every 2 weeks and lube when not in use. I have a program to move all axis in all directions for about 5 minutes while I hit lube button a couple times. Something to consider and it takes little time out of a Sunday afternoon.

I also spray metal surfaces with wd 40 every week or so and I never have a rust problem even when I let vise stay on mill for weeks at a time.

[GLCarlson]

Every machine I've ever owned has been used, except my 1100. While there are many reports of successful revivals of rusty machines, I won't touch one. The reason is that rust, like many oxides, is abrasive. And rust begets rust; iron oxide is somewhat hygroscopic and attracts more water, leading to more rust. Flooding with WD40 and oil certainly helps, but the rust that is already present is still there. Abrasive in oil is called grinding compound.

"Light" rust as a term is worrisome. If you mean a fairly even coat visible on the ways, that's a much more difficult situation than a few pits. I've seen bright orange covering every visible surface on a machine described as lightly rusted.

In older machines, cast iron on iron, clean-up and rescraping can save a machine. Often these efforts start with chemical or electrical conversion or rust removal, which I wouldn't even consider here. Machines (like Tormach) that use engineered bearing materials (Rulon and its cousins) seem to me to be a setup for catching the abrasive in the ways. If that's right, the bearing surfaces will degrade more quickly than they should as embedded rust takes its toll with every movement.

If there's visible rust, there''s hidden rust as others have warned. I think your best long term solution is to tear the machine down completely and then deal with the rust. I know that's extreme and a very expensive approach, but honesly, I think anything less is just deferring a problem that will continue to grow. I'd certainly get it loaded with WD40 and oil immediately, but I wouldn't move anything to avoid the risk of embedding an abrasive in the bearing surfaces. Get it stopped, tear it down, go from there.

[JustinHoMi]

After taking a look with better lighting, there's no rust on it. Just one little dot near one of the ways that wiped right off. I lubed everything up real well before running it and no issues. I guess the dehumidifier and periodic wd-40 coats did their job.

The one thing I did forget is how sharp end mills are. Ouch!

[adamvs]

Glad to hear your 1100 came through it's nap just fine. I use a de-humidifier here in the bay area in California. I'm amazed at how much water gets taken out except on rare very dry days in the summer. I have a manual oiler on my 1100. I have a 'warm-up' program that cycles the machine almost full envelope, X, Y, Z about 5 or 6 passes each way. This is great time to get some oil in there, it gets evenly about everywhere.

I also put on a glove and check none of the oil lines has any blockage, checking to see if there oil on the Z-ways, Z and X ballscrew. The Y axis, of course, isn't exposed.

[JustinHoMi]

I also put on a glove and check none of the oil lines has any blockage, checking to see if there oil on the Z-ways, Z and X ballscrew. The Y axis, of course, isn't exposed.

How do you do this again? I did a while ago, but forgot the process. Do you just disconnect one line at a time and make sure oil is flowing through?

[adamvs]

No need ( and not advised ) to disconnect anything. Just reach in there with a finger to make sure the ways and the screws are wet with oil. You get a little wet spot on your glove for each item and it's good to go. If not, it's a problem .. but that would rare.

[Gilmax]

Take some pictures and post it so people can look at it or even send it to Tormach and ask for advise.

[mountaindew]

How do you do this again? I did a while ago, but forgot the process. Do you just disconnect one line at a time and make sure oil is flowing through?

I'am a little over the top in caring for my machine. About every 6 months I remove the left side chip pan for easy access to clean, inspect and adjust the machine. In the process I disconnect the way covers on the z and x axis. Then use a couple bent copper wires to hold the Y axis way covers in a collapsed positions so I can see the ball screw. The z axis way cover just falls down and wires are not require. I inspect all the surfaces for proper lube and at same time I run the auto lube system manually while looking at each ball screw to visually see lube coming out of the 2-3 lines going into them. I use a led flash light to see this in action. The x axis ball screw is not easy to see, so I run the x axes left all the way to limit switch. Then look in void between x and y axis with light and activate auto lube system. I can see lube come out the one side of ball screw and I know everything is a ok. On z axis I look at ball screw with light and mirror and cycle way lube system to see lube points at ball screw and if the are working correctly.
Much more easy to use a finger and verify each ball screw shaft is getting oil but I also like to see how much is coming out of the lines on the ball screws and visually check all the visible lines for leaks on the whole machine. And as others have mentioned above I would not attempt to take anything apart unless you know there is a problem. From what I see this is a some what fragile system.