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ANY TIPS ON KEEPING FINISHING TOOLS CLEAN . IS THERE ANY OIL TO USE ON THEM? TO KEEP CONCRETE FROM STICKING AND STEEL FROM RUSTING
ANY TIPS ON KEEPING FINISHING TOOLS CLEAN . IS THERE ANY OIL TO USE ON THEM? TO KEEP CONCRETE FROM STICKING AND STEEL FROM RUSTING
The easiest thing is to clean the tool(s) as soon as you’re done using it/them. Not an hour later or 2 hours later or the next day. With a reasonably stiff brush and some water you can clean a tool in under a minute. Followed up with a quick blast from a hose and it will be as clean as new. If you have tools that are caked with built up hardened concrete, you could put them in a tray and cover the blades and build up with vinegar. Let them soak for a few days and it should loosen the concrete enough to make it easier to remove. Stubborn areas may require a wire brushing or even a wire wheel on an angle grinder to fully remove. The vinegar will also help with any rust. With steel wool or even a brillo pad the rust should clean off easily after the vinegar soak.
If you plan to store your tools for any length of time a quick spray and wipe down with WD-40 wouldn’t hurtThat’s pretty much my rules as well. No matter how tired or fedup, that nice cold can of beer has to wait til all the tools are cleaned up.
Fluid Film is another alternative to WD-40.
I keep two five gallon buckets of water nearby when I work on masonry – bricks, stucco, concrete etc…when I switch up my tools I put the ones I am not using at that moment into the water bucket to keep them wet.
When I need them again I pull it out of bucket 1 and run it through the cleaner water in bucket 2. I rinse all my tools at the end of the job and clean with a rag.
When I need them again I pull it out of bucket 1 and run it through the cleaner water in bucket 2
You do that with your wood handle tools too ?
I keep two five gallon buckets of water nearby when I work on masonry
Nice system, keeps things moving and clean.
Automotive Pro
Fayetteville, NCWhen I need them again I pull it out of bucket 1 and run it through the cleaner water in bucket 2
You do that with your wood handle tools too ?
Yes.
Sakrete makes a product you spray on that helps remove dried up concrete if you can’t clean them in time . It used to be at my local store but I’m sure it can be bought online .
Always willing to learn .
When I need them again I pull it out of bucket 1 and run it through the cleaner water in bucket 2
You do that with your wood handle tools too ?
Yes.
Myself, I wouldn’t leave overnite in water. A few hours, no prob.
Most of my concrete hand tools are rubber handled. The cheap line sold in BB stores of concrete tools with wood handles don’t even have a decent coat of varnish on the handles, if any.
A few hours, no prob
It’s not the water, it’s the lime from cement that gets into the wood which can cause skin problems.
A few hours, no prob
It’s not the water, it’s the lime from cement that gets into the wood which can cause skin problems.
Didn’t know that.
it’s the lime from cement that gets into the wood which can cause skin problems.
Didn’t know that either. Thank you
Automotive Pro
Fayetteville, NCMyself, I wouldn’t leave overnite in water. A few hours, no prob.
I think when my post was quoted the top paragraph was not included for brevity, but that makes it sound like I store my tools submerged in water. I don’t. I keep the tools wet in a bucket of water during the application when I have to constantly switch between tools like hawks, sponges, floats, pointing trowels, texture combs, different finishing trowels, square and rounded, long and short etc…the ones not in my hand at that moment are in a water filled bucket. There is no time to carefully deal with them and they need to be ready especially if you are raising against time on plasters that sets in 20 minutes. Concrete and joint compound are a lot more forgiving.
Myself, I wouldn’t leave overnite in water. A few hours, no prob.
I think when my post was quoted the top paragraph was not included for brevity, but that makes it sound like I store my tools submerged in water. I don’t. I keep the tools wet in a bucket of water during the application when I have to constantly switch between tools like hawks, sponges, floats, pointing trowels, texture combs, different finishing trowels, square and rounded, long and short etc…the ones not in my hand at that moment are in a water filled bucket. There is no time to carefully deal with them and they need to be ready especially if you are raising against time on plasters that sets in 20 minutes. Concrete and joint compound are a lot more forgiving.
I wasn’t saying that directed at yourself Sami, in case that’s what you thought.
I don’t deal with plaster jobs myself, but when I’m doing concrete work outside, a hose is nearby to mitigate the issue. Even the wheelbarrow and mixer gets the odd spraying to help the end of day full decruding clean up. Just hate clean-ups, so I do what I can as I work the job to make the end of day clean up easier.
A few hours, no prob
It’s not the water, it’s the lime from cement that gets into the wood which can cause skin problems.
Yes I know about skin problems. I worked in concrete years ago. Some days after work my hands wood hurt some bad. Not to mention 2 to 3 months to a pair of work boots. I don’t miss those days.
Greg
Do More of What Makes You HappyThis is How you cn keep your tools clean to increase the durability and life:
Step 1 – Scrape and soak: Tools
Step 2 – Dump and refill: Dump Dirty Water and Fill the Bucket with Clean Warm Water.
Step 3 – Scrub: Use Scrubbing Brush to Wash the Tools.
Step 4 – Rinse and dry: Tools
Step 5 – Apply rust inhibitor: Like WD40
Bingo… You are good to go now.
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