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Surface Treatment For Steel

DanH

Legacy Member
Mentor
Brain trust question...

The strips in the photo are the steel edges for the lip and apron on an 8 ft sheet metal brake. Painting them is probably not going to be satisfactory in the long term, as it will probably chip. So how can I protect them from rust?

Anyone care to suggest their favorite surface treatment, conversion coating, etc? I have all the usual spray on rust preventatives. I'm looking for something like passivation and black oxide treatments for the home shop.
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I would think black oxide or cold blue might have an effect on the sharpness of the edge? Come move to NV or AZ.. that’s my advice! No more rust!
 
a cold blue product like is used to refinish guns would work. i also use a protectant called eezox on my guns. it seems to dry after application. cold blue wouldn't chip and i have never had a gun rust if i take care of it.. i would occasionally wipe the metal down with eezox.
 
Wing Stand?

Is that a rolling, adjustable wing stand I "spy" next to the blades. Inquiring minds want to know (more)!

Thanks - HFS
 
Dan,
I've been using Turbine Oil. It's a nice light oil, and will not leave a heavy residue that transfers to work a piece. Used it on older equipment with previous light corrosion and new with no corrosion. I've applied it to work tables and cutting edges on finger break, shears, sanders, and saws.

Can't specifically state there is a inhibitor but any steel I apply to the corrosion stops. Makes sense since internal corrosion in turbines can be a problem.

I've found it to be a nice general lube. Stopped using commonly applied aerosol lubes.

HVAC supply or Hardware stores have a 4 oz bottle with a telescoping tube filled with turbine oil. A qt from an FBO for refill will last a long time. The telescoping applicator gets into spots no aerosol can neatly travel even with the tube in the spray head.

Cheers.
 
My 2 cents - Bluing is beautiful. However, for minimal work effort and expense, I would just use Corrosion X or the similar product ACF-50. Use on bare metal or metal that has been exposed through wear. You could paint the low wear surfaces and then just rely on the above molecular film products for the high wear surfaces.
 
No good answer??

phosphate (black oxide) is not really a protection, it just holds oil longer for protection. Better than nothing, Caswell plating has some concentrate that works at room temps.

I would think a light non-evaporating wax, like a cavity spray, might be good for the clamped, hidden surfaces.

Probably nothing would work better than a sacrificial coating. That would be a significant undertaking to electroplate a long piece, unless, there is a plating operation nearby. or . . . .Caswell might have a nickel or zinc premix solution for a one- time thing. Sorry no link yet. I'll be looking in my Caswell plating manual.
 
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Brain trust question...

The strips in the photo are the steel edges for the lip and apron on an 8 ft sheet metal brake. Painting them is probably not going to be satisfactory in the long term, as it will probably chip. So how can I protect them from rust?

Anyone care to suggest their favorite surface treatment, conversion coating, etc? I have all the usual spray on rust preventatives. I'm looking for something like passivation and black oxide treatments for the home shop.
.

If you have all the spray rust preventatives, you may have this one, but I like Boeshield products developed originally for the aviation industry by Boeing. Keeps my table saw top and other unfinished tool surfaces looking terrific.

https://boeshield.com/about/
 
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Thanks guys. Sounds like there isn't much to gain over spray coatings and waxes, so I'll just go that way and be happy.
 
Don't give up on plating

Dan,

I lived in New Orleans for a while. Unprotected steel would rust as soon as you took your eyes off of it.

Laura Kampf, http://https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRix1GJvSBNDpEFY561eSzw , posted a video about copper plating a motorcycle tank. She used a tampon soaked with a copper solution and the appropriate electrical connections.

You could do the same with a soap dispenser sponge https://www.amazon.com/OXO-Good-Grips-Dispensing-Sponge/dp/B0009J4Y9A and a zinc solution.

Otherwise, you could get a 10' plastic rain gutter with two end caps. Put some zinc anodes from the boat industry in the gutter along with the appropriate solution and wiring.

Don't let that stuff rust. Good luck.
 
cheap and easy is boiled linseed oil. Natures corrossion inhibitor. Shoiuld last longer than wax and more easily removed than paint.
 
Otherwise, you could get a 10' plastic rain gutter with two end caps. Put some zinc anodes from the boat industry in the gutter along with the appropriate solution and wiring.

Rain gutter...good idea!

If you nickel-plate it you gain hardness. What will you be bending?

Just aluminum sheet typical for light aircraft. These restored tools will have it easy compared to some of the abuse they got in former lives. Sort of like most old airplanes.
 
Boeshield type alternative

Grizzley Tools sell a can of jelly from Slip It Industries for this purpose, table saws ,planers etc. smears on easy and dries. Not a silicone, I think its more Boeshild, paraffin based.
 
It's really hard to beat motor oil of most any sort for this application. Wipe on to protect, done. You can rub most off when you are ready to use it if keeping the sheets clean is important.
 
I've never put anything on my shear or brake (they just don't seem to rust), but someone tipped me off to putting "Boeshield" T-9 on the milling machine vice. Wipe on wipe off, and it leaves a film. It works very well, and can be left for extended periods with no rust.
 
Thanks guys. Sounds like there isn't much to gain over spray coatings and waxes, so I'll just go that way and be happy.

Hey Dan, I've lived in coastal S FLA most of my life, commercial boat captain, etc. Kill the existing rust with whatever brand of phosphoric acid (Ospho, etc) you like. Smooth it a bit and then blue it. Cold blue is OK, hot blue is better. I'd still wipe a thin oil or some T-9 BoeShield on it when in storage mode - wipe THAT off before using it (just minimizes cleaning it from the part you just made). Like everyone else said too - wax is good at keeping the O2 & H2O from the surface, tho a polymer type coating (Star brite, etc) holds up better and bonds to the metal a bit more "tightly" than wax. I think the "oxide" type coatings will abrade off too easily at the contact points on your brake. I like the nickel plated idea, but probably over-kill. Like any other machine/part - it all depends on how much elbow grease, how often you feel like applying it, and for some options - $$. You could also replace the parts with stainless steel ones. Machine polish and then electro-polished if you've just gotta have the shine ;)
 
I've had good luck with sharkhide. It's kinda expensive but worked to keep a polished aluminum bezel on the front of a truck kept outside looking shiny for years.

I don't know if using it on a brake will cause it to wear off or whatever.
 
Today's progress. Major parts sandblasted, primed, sprayed blue. Keep those ideas coming. I'll be working on the jaw inserts soon enough.

A bit slower that the shear. Everything here weighs a LOT. Handling the parts with the tractor.

See there Paul, told you I'd find a need for that Kubota... ;)

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