water table additive review

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_Ogre
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water table additive review

Post by _Ogre »

hard to believe i've had our bulltear 4x8 table for almost a year now
when setting up the table i did a lot of research into water table additives; commercial and home grown options.
i started out using arm and hammer washing soda; aka sodium carbonate or soda ash for rust control
at $3.24 a box and available anywhere i figured i try it first. i can confirm that it works exceedingly well :mrgreen:

arm & hammer washing soda: i use 2/3 of a box in a 4x8 water table.
i mix it well into a 5 gal bucket full of water and add it to the table
i do add 1 oz of pond algacide to the water to keep the critters at bay

we cleaned out the table over the weekend, the slats and water table are rust free
the white powder is washing soda residue from splashing and evaporation

Image

we keep a lot of fixtures on the table all the time, they're made of mild steel parts welded together
this fixture has been on the table since january 2014, any rust on it is splash from filling the table with plain water

Image

i also notice that any metal that has been on the table and gets coated in washing soda doesn't rust while leaned up on the metal rack (wall)
since my water table treatment only costs me $3 i try to flush the table ever 2 months or when it gets real murky
we use the table maybe 8 hrs per week at best, this is not a hard used table
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Cracker Red
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Re: water table additive review

Post by Cracker Red »

I'm going to try that! I just cleaned out my table last weekend. Chip chip chip away the slag. Was all a pile of rust mess on the bottom. No thanks says me, it's on the grocery list of things to get now.

Thanks!
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_Ogre
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Re: water table additive review

Post by _Ogre »

wallmart... $3.24 per 55 oz box :mrgreen:

the black parts are paint.
when we were setting up the table i asked a guy to paint the pan
i meant the outside of the pan...
he painted pan inside and out and all the slats :lol:

but where the paint has pealed all i see is bare metal
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Re: water table additive review

Post by PineLane »

Used the same washing soda to keep the Ph up...very little rust...primarily on top of the slats where exposed to air. It works, super cheap and occasional ph checks with a meter, good to go.
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Re: water table additive review

Post by urbnsr »

Thanks for the info. I will try next time. Anything for anti-freeze?

PK
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Re: water table additive review

Post by WyoGreen »

I also use the washing soda, and the only rust I've had is the top of slats that are above the water level. I've only just finished a drain down tank to empty the table when not being used. I was finding that leaving the table full all the time was raising the humidity level in my shop, which is hard on tools, and increasing the moisture in my air compressor.
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Re: water table additive review

Post by Stout »

urbnsr wrote: Anything for anti-freeze?

PK
Yea. Cut 3/4" plate for a while.
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Re: water table additive review

Post by kkroger »

Consider the "RV" antifreeze (the Red stuff from Wal-Mart) for use in RV Potable tanks.
That is what I plan to use.
Propylene Glycol Base so it is non Toxic.
Or the Swimming pool concentrate 1 quart to 3 quarts water.
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Re: water table additive review

Post by islander261 »

+1 for using washing soda. I tried to use pink RV antifreeze as treatment (don't know why as I have a heated shop) and had real problems with things wanting to grow in it (really stunk after a short while). I use about 2 lbs in 90 gallons of well water, a much weaker solution than described by others. My drops hardly rust at all in the outdoor scrap pile.

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Re: water table additive review

Post by urbnsr »

Thanks for the insights... I didn't know if some antifreeze would flame-up when cutting
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Re: water table additive review

Post by jimcolt »

I have posted this many times on many sites: Don't add things to your water table that have not been approved for plasma cutting use. Many chemicals.....when exposed to high temperatures and high levels of UV light will react in ways that are not expected. You can be breathing highly toxic fumes, carcinogens, etc. if the wrong chemicals are in your water table when plasma cutting. Worse....and I have seen the results of this....fire.

Best bet is to use additives that are specifically designed as water table additives for plasma cutting. Easy to find by "googling" "plasma cutting water table additives". These generally come from chemical companies that properly engineer the additives for rust prevention, for freeze protection and for bacteria and algea growth.

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urbnsr
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Re: water table additive review

Post by urbnsr »

Stout wrote:
urbnsr wrote: Anything for anti-freeze?

PK
Yea. Cut 3/4" plate for a while.
...This winter operating is getting expensive :D :)
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Re: water table additive review

Post by urbnsr »

I went to the local Ace hardware store to look at their RV Anti-freeze. It contains propylene glycol and is marked for fresh water system. But it also has ethyl alcohol, Keep Out Of Reach Of Plasma Tables (at least that what I got out of it). Do Not Use Near Fire Or Flame. Bummer.

I need to check out Wal-mart.
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Re: water table additive review

Post by plain ol Bill »

If freezing is your worry just go to your local farm/ranch store and get a stock tank heater and put it in the water. They come on around 40 degrees and will keep your table liquid.
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urbnsr
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Re: water table additive review

Post by urbnsr »

plain ol Bill wrote:If freezing is your worry just go to your local farm/ranch store and get a stock tank heater and put it in the water. They come on around 40 degrees and will keep your table liquid.

Good idea - Thanks!
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_Ogre
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Re: water table additive review

Post by _Ogre »

thanks for the feedback on washing soda. i see quite a few use it.

as for antifreeze? i wouldn't do it. nasty stuff. use the tank heater.
that said... if we didn't use our plasma table in a heated shop i would have used a downdraft table
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Re: water table additive review

Post by btburn »

I got a big jug of PlasmaGreen by KCI chemicals with my Dynatorch.
It seems to work great, not sure if it has any antifreeze properties. It has the same color as antifreeze and it keeps the slats and parts from rusting. I'm happy with it but I'll probably try some of the homebrew stuff when it runs out for cost effectiveness.
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Re: water table additive review

Post by Fabwerx »

Hey to the guys using arm and hammer are you adding a food coloring also or leave it alone let the water down in my table after a few weeks with the plasma quench home brew. Slats are staying submerged while not in use. Man they are bad looking
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Re: water table additive review

Post by gamble »

hmm, i will have to try this. i'm at 2 years with water only. I don't look forward to taking it apart
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Re: water table additive review

Post by superoverenginered »

I have a 5x10 arclight and I add 3 jugs of evaporust to my table after awhile when i decide to clean out the table there isn't any rust so I'm pretty sold on that stuff...
Why make one when you can make 2
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Re: water table additive review

Post by Twincam88 »

Morning am just getting started my table is a 5x10 is there a formula for how much arm and hammer to use or just mix until u get a certain ph level ? Looking for help thanks
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Re: water table additive review

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Re: water table additive review

Post by Kirkamiller »

With the Soda detergent based quench. Is there any issue with mosquito's breeding in the water bath? The building this is in has a mosquito problem and I don't want to make it worse. I am guessing since the only mention of mosquito in a search is for mosquito shaped projects, that this isn't an issue.
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