Options for fixing up old steel workbenches.

[monster stealth]

I just picked up 2 6 foot steel workbenches that have been sitting outside for some time. One was painted and now is 50% peeled paint and 50% surface rust. The other one is just covered in surface rust. What are some inexpensive options for cleaning these things up? I was looking at rustoleum's website and found a primer that may help fill in some of the imperfections, and then just use some standard black rustoleum paint to finish them off. Any advice?

 

[jkeyser14]

I assume the surfaces are mostly flat. I would use a $30 orbital sander from home depot and take it down to bare (non-rusty) metal before painting.

 

[rsanter]

sand blast them

use naval jelly to derust them

take a wire wheel to them

take a sanding disc to them

bob

 

[monster stealth]

Sand Blaster would be ideal, but not really an option. Sanding disc seems to be the general consensus. What is naval jelly and is it something I can pick up local?

 

[dreamingmuscle]

Navel Jelly is a rust neutralizer works pretty good at getting the rust in the pits stabilized. You can buy it in any paint section to include wally world. Look for a pink labeled plastic jar. It works better then Muric acid because it will stick to the surface and not run off.

If you can't sand blast them use the elbow grease methods above. Then Navel jelly and repaint or a coat of bed liner would be nice.
________
penny stock

 

[Charles (in GA)]

I have a metal workbench (actually several) but this one was overlain with particle board for some sort of specialized work. The particle board was soaked in something (and had dried out) but the metal was rust pitted all over. I sanded it (using a DA sander and a mask as I had no idea what chemicals had been on it) and blew it off and put several coats of Rustoleoum on it. Yes, its still pitted to some extent, but who cares, its a work bench.

Charles

 

[gravygrabber]

My metal bench has spent the last 3-4 yrs. on the side of my garage in the elements. I got it from an uncle who bought it at a scrapyard for $50. No idea who made it but the top on it is 1/2-3/4" steel. I've had a lot of friends try to buy it from me but I love it too much. It's so heavy I can only lift one end about 6 inches and not for very long. I'd say it's at least 400-500 lbs.
Anyway I started to clean off the rust from the top in this picture,



Another a little later,



Then once it was pretty clean of rust on top I cleaned the surface with brake clean to rid it of rust dust or whatever and then I sprayed down some POR-15 so it won't rust again hopefully. It came out kinda glossy I think which isn't the look I was really going for. I read the can later and it said if I sprayed 20 psi instead of 30 psi I would get a flatter look. Oh well. Better than rust I guess. I also don't paint much and was using the smaller of two guns I have and didn't have the fan on the front positioned correctly. I was fanning it sideways as I moved the gun sideways which left tiger strips in the finish. I fixed it on the next coat but it still has some flaws. It is POR-15 though so I'm not worried about it, don't flame me guys!




I'll put up some better pictures tomorrow when it's in the light. Overall I think it's going to turn out pretty good. If you guys do the same thing make sure you use a mask. I'm dying over here with throat and nose burn from that paint. It's nasty. I figured with a low PSI I'd be okay but I was wrong. Also POR-15 doesn't come off like regular auto paint. Once dry it's on your hands for a couple weeks. I got a small vise in Naval Jelly right now disassembled and getting clean. The other bits are in my reloading tumbler getting clean. Tommorrow it's going back together and getting mounted on the table's top. I have a Reed too I'm going to do as well but I'm starting on the smaller Eclipse to get the hang of it.

 

[bb1970]

You can put por-15 right over the rust. I've used it on rusty frames. It will adhere directly to a rusted surface. And is some tough stuff. But it is $$$. Eastwood has several products for automotive uses. Rust encapsulator, frame paint ect.. Check out both web sites. www.por-15.com www.eastwood.com

 

[PurdueSD]

Nice table, but your killing me painting the top. I guess your not a welder....

 

[krusty the clown]

Nice table, but your killing me painting the top. I guess your not a welder....

even if your not going to weld on it the paint won't stay on the top for long. i would just use a DA on the top as suggested. paint the legs and the edges of the top but leave the work surface bare steel.

 

[orange02ss]

I keep my steel table bare for welding etc.. I just hit the top every once in awhile with the DA sander and some 120grit.

 

[Frank Elson]

Wire brush the loose stuff off, for me red oxide the sides etc, leave the top, if you use it enough it won't re-rust, if you don't, then wire brush it every now and again.

 

[ddawg16]

Wire brush the loose stuff off, for me red oxide the sides etc, leave the top, if you use it enough it won't re-rust, if you don't, then wire brush it every now and again.

x2.....

You can give the top a light wipe with oil...even WD40....that will keep the rust away....in fact, try that spray that you use on stainless steel in your kitchen....it's most likely a variation of WD40....but it's real light and does not attract dirt like other oils do.

 

[gravygrabber]

Nope no welding on it for me. I'm a mechanic and I want it clean all the time. I painted it to keep it from rusting. I can take it off later if I really want to. I think the gloss the pictures show make it look crappy. I just checked it out again and it's not a glossy now. I'll take a picture later out in the sun. I have to mount the grinder and vise on it.

 

[gravygrabber]

even if your not going to weld on it the paint won't stay on the top for long. i would just use a DA on the top as suggested. paint the legs and the edges of the top but leave the work surface bare steel.

We'll see, it's not just paint it's POR-15. It's suppose to be tough stuff.

 

[gravygrabber]

You can put por-15 right over the rust. I've used it on rusty frames. It will adhere directly to a rusted surface. And is some tough stuff. But it is $$$. Eastwood has several products for automotive uses. Rust encapsulator, frame paint ect.. Check out both web sites. www.por-15.com www.eastwood.com

Yeah it was like $44 a quart locally at the paint supply house. I could have sprayed it right on but I wanted to make the surface flat and nice before the paint.

 

[gravygrabber]

My wife just mentioned when she picked up my POR-15 that they make a clear type that isn't colored if you want the "metal look" on your table. Still can't weld on it but it's more natural.

 

[ZRX61]

The stuff sold by Eastwoods are actually relabled Bill Hirsch products..

 

[Jack Olsen]

It came out kinda glossy I think which isn't the look I was really going for.

An easy fix for this is to roll it outside for about a week. The normal POR-15 doesn't have any UV protection, and it loses its gloss (and goes slightly more gray) when it's exposed to sunlight. Maybe set it on its side for a week on each side, somewhere where it will get direct sunlight.

There are versions of POR-15 available with UV protection built in. They work the same and cost about the same.

If you guys do the same thing make sure you use a mask. I'm dying over here with throat and nose burn from that paint. It's nasty.

It's strong stuff. You can cut it (or thin it) with lacquer thinner. I personally wouldn't spray it -- who knows how toxic it is. But it brushes pretty nice.

 

[gravygrabber]

An easy fix for this is to roll it outside for about a week. The normal POR-15 doesn't have any UV protection, and it loses its gloss (and goes slightly more gray) when it's exposed to sunlight. Maybe set it on its side for a week on each side, somewhere where it will get direct sunlight.

There are versions of POR-15 available with UV protection built in. They work the same and cost about the same.

It's strong stuff. You can cut it (or thin it) with lacquer thinner. I personally wouldn't spray it -- who knows how toxic it is. But it brushes pretty nice.

Yeah it was harsh last night. Burnt my throat and nose good. Hopefully a short exposure won't take too many years off my life. I read later that they recommend a real mask like painters wear if you spray it. I didn't want brush strokes on the table. lol

 

[NUTTSGT]

POR-15 is some good stuff. When you brush it on, it tends to lay flat and not leave brush marks.

 

[gravygrabber]

Here's another picture today in the light. Still super glossy but I don't care. I like the smooth finish and how it cleans up easy. I mounted my cheapo C-man grinding/wire wheel to it so I can refinish my vises.