Rusting problem

[Frank Downey]

I don't have the luxury of having a fully enclosed shop right now but it is in the making.The problem is my lathe threading guage rust even if I keep a light oil film on it.I have some type of rubberized with pumas stone that will take all of the rust off of it,but is there some type of spray that I can apply that will keep the rust off?Also what happened to Enco,J&L,and MSC web sites today?I can understand if one of them went down but all three are down on my network.

[rockrat]

Well, there is LPS 3 which is a wax based spray for preserving metal. We used this quite a bit where I once worked. It came off with just about any solvent.

http://www.lpslabs.com/product_pg/corrosion_pg/LPS3.html

I was trying to find a cheaper alternative and came across KEL 132 spray. It can also be used as a tap and die lubricant according to the can. This stuff can be found a Ace hardware stores but you have to ask them to order it. Made for Kelloggs by Professional Products Inc Sandusky Ohio 44870 1-800-334-2130
Stock number 57800 (132)


rock~

[speedy]

Boiled linseed oil/turps mix or lanolin oil based product. I use LPS3 as well; only because I came upon a 20litre drum from a aviation supply for cheap (os). It has a slight rust colour now, probably due to the solvent acting on the steel drum.
Boiled linseed oil/turps mix will dry to a hard skin after a period of time. It is cheap, so that is a plus.

[CCWKen]

Enco is still down. Don't know about the others but I think it's all the same company. I know MSC owns Enco. Could be software updates going in over the weekend.

[knedvecki]

Rusting in the South

Hey Frank,
I worked at Naval Air Station Pensacola for 10 years and I know about your type of rust problems and more. What worked good for us on the Gulf was to have a can of automatic transmission fluid with a brush to apply it all over the rust prone surfaces of our machines.
Just a suggestion.
Keith

[nheng]

You may want to try Starrett M1. Tools or parts can be dipped or sprayed from a pump bottle. It leaves a protective film that is thin enough to leave or easily wipe off. The protection does not last as long as LPS3 or LPS2 but it doesn't leave a waxy or oily mess either. Indoors, it is supposed to protect for a year.

Several other things you might try are heating the tool cabinet and keeping the air in motion.

Den

[Boucher]

Corrosion protection

RIG or Rust Inhibiting Grease has been my first choice on everything from guns to fresh machined steel. I have heard rumblings that it may have been taken off the market. There is another gun protecttant called Rust Proof. It comes in a small bottle with a pad and a 4 inch square piece of chamis. The liquid comes in a small bottle like the old Hoppes #9. These are good for small things like hand tools and gauges etc. For things stored in drawers in tool boxes the Vapor Phase Inhibitors (VPI) work pretty good. I used to refurbish large compressor valves after lapping I would coat them with LPS #3 and wrap them in the old wax paper type VPI paper put that in a ziplock freezer bag then into cardboard box. I have a can of RIG kept within arms reach of the lathe. I just dab my fingers into it and coat things that I don't want to rust.

[Ken_Shea]

For a quick and dirty solution, have for years simply used a 50/50 mixture of 30 weight engine oil and fuel oil, keep it in a handy spray bottle for a quick spray of surfaces when done.

Ken

[Forrest Addy]

You gota have three things for rust to form on steel in air. Moisture above a certain level, a surface pH on the metal that promotes rust, and of course air. Temperature accellerates it and many fumeions (chloride, sulfite, etc promote it.

Metal preservatives work very well but they are best used if the metal is in a space hard to seal against outside humidity.

Too bad your space is not fully enclosed. If is was you could get a de-humidifier to keep the relative humidity below um 37% (I think). At that level your rust problems will be no more. If the space is warm a dehumidifier will make it warmer and perhaps uncomfortable. The you might wish to A/C the space.

Your metal may be contaminated in the rust pits with accellerating ions (like from sweat). In such a case, surface abrasion will remove it but the rust nasties will still be in there, lurking. I suggest you treat small uncreviced one piece iterns in a hot solution of sodium carbonate (washing soda). The steel will tarnish a bit but it will stop the spontaneous rust. Oil afterwards. If yours is a skin chemistry that causes rust better get in the habit of washing your hands and applying a few dabs of barrier cream from fingertip to elbows.

Last thing, do not use engine oil as a metal preservative. It's not much better than WD40 at preventing rust. Engine oil is for engines. It has goodies for suspending water so the crankcase ventillation will evaporate it off. You need machine oil with actual metal preservative additives. Turbine and hydraulic oil are good choices. So is gear oil like ATF. But not motor (engine) oil.

[Frank Downey]

thank you for all of the advice,I knew that I would get the info that I needed here.I will try the ATF fluid first.

[hwingo]

LPS3 has been a "life-saver" for me. Love the stuff. If equipment is not to be used for several days, LPS3 works fine. Is easily removed with mineral spirits or other solvents. I have realized no rusting issues even on equipment that has not been used for a year or longer. Great stuff.

Harold

[andy_b]

Frank,

when you clean the rust off, do you go back to shiny metal, or just wipe the rust spots off? the reason i ask is because if you go back to clean, shiny metal, you are always providing a fresh surface to rust. as long as there is nothing to protect the surface, it will keep rusting. rust bluing is basically oiled rust, and the oxidized (rusted) surface prevents further rusting. i have an old farm tractor and some large tools in an unheated polebarn. when it rains heavy some water gets under the doors and there is nothing stopping dampness from getting in any other times. on bare metal surfaces i just rub oil in with some 0000 steel wool. whenever the surface looks "dry", i'll just put some oil on (whatever is handy from used motor oil, to a squirt from the oil can, to ATF or kerosene, etc.) and give it a rub with the steel wool. the surfaces eventually turn gray, but they don't get any red rust films on them anymore.

andy b.

[heidad01]

Any oil is better than nothing to keep the moisture away from bare surfaces. However, if you have and use machines you need to have serious rust protection and not just a substitute (ATF, w30 engine oil, etc). LPS3 is the most commonly available, works very well, and not too expensive. You can use Boeshield if you want to pay more and look harder. DavidH

[Frank Downey]

well I usually rub off all of the rust and it seems that it is all of the way back to the bare metal.I do rub some motor oil on the dials,but it seems to come back pretty quick.Thanks for the information guys.

[MichaelP]

Try LPS2. Unlike LPS3, it leaves no waxy residue that needs removal, yet protects surfaces very well. I use LPS3 only for long term storage.