Preservation of tools from rust, methods?

[Gy1]

I read elsewhere that paraffin wac is not particularly effective. PRS1 ? aerosol is good. WD 40 I think is ok for shorter time. Camphor blocks are good to thrown in the drawer. VCI strips also apparently work.

I have a bunch of 5 gal plastic pails with lids. I’ve been storing a bunch of hand tools from my dad’s collection i Inherited. Then I sprinkle the inside with a bunch of cat litter.

My concern was moisture getting into the pail. And maybe getting rid of some of the more greasy/oily coatings.

Does this sound reasonable? I suppose the cat litter can be refreshed ever so often.

 

[MACbox]

If you’re going to store them in sealed buckets, you might look at products in the VCI realm. These are tabs/paper/etc that emit “vapor” that will keep the rust in check. That, plus a cup or two of DampRid in each, might do the trick.

 

[toolenthusiast]

Cat litter absorbs liquid, right? Like a sponge? Why would you store your tools in a wet sponge?

 

[rlitman]

If you’re going to store them in sealed buckets, you might look at products in the VCI realm. These are tabs/paper/etc that emit “vapor” that will keep the rust in check. That, plus a cup or two of DampRid in each, might do the trick.

I agree with the VCI. But DampRid is calcium chloride. It is VERY corrosive if the liquid escapes.

 

[neophyte]

Daubert Cromwell makes a line of protective products under the brand name Ferro-Pak.
The products are VCI, ie. Volatile Corrosion Inhibitors, products, and include paper and plastic wraps as well as VCI emitting powers and blocks etc.
They slso manufacture corrision preventative sprays and coatings.
Companies like Lie-Nielsen ship and store their products in the Ferro-Pak paper.
I presume other companies might as well.
The products are designed to be used in a closed space, although some of the paper and plastic products can also be used to wrap tools to protect from moisture as well.
Some of the products are available on Amazon.
https://daubertcromwell.com/products/

 

[matt_i]

In a sealed container a dessicant pack(s) that's freshly baked in an electric oven would be best.

I use LPS3 from a pump sprayer, wipe around with fingers just so its not dripping. Wipe off excess with paper towel.

 

[Gy1]

Thanks for the suggestions. I was only putting about a cupful of litter in the pal. It was a desiccant approach but also as a telltale if there was moisture.

I’m going to try the LPS and the VCI approaches. They sound good.

FYI - I have about 40 of these pails. Here in San Antonio we have a Recycling firm that specializes in all kinds of containers- “The Barrel Man”. The latest cost was $2 a pail with a lid. They are used once for beverage mixes, pharmaceutical products. They are food grade.

My question- haven’t thought to ask him yet, the lids can be a real headache to remove if you put them on tightly. I have one of those lid removal tools but it doesn’t work that well.

Is there something I might use as a lubricant around the rim. The lids have a rubber ring insert to really make them airtight.

There’s got to be a larger tool - “lid remover” that the end users are using. Like I said they go on real tight - rubber hammer to seal.

My only real gripe is they are all ‘round’. He doesn’t get square ones like cat litter pails you see at the store. I don’t have cats and don’t use cat litter for oil spills. That’s just a minor gripe - @ $2 for a 5 gallon storage pail that’s pretty efficient.

FYI - I bought the Costco plastic racks 4 tiers for about $40~ . I can put 9 buckets with some weight in them - 12 if they are light. Makes retrieval pretty easy.

Thanks for the replies.

 

[Empty Pockets]

My shop is fairly dry, but I have a number of dessicant packs in each drawer. Each summer, I spread them out on cookie sheets, placed on the dashboard in the hot sun. No rust problem, here

 

[Gy1]

My particular situation is they are outside exposed to whatever humidity. SA can get real humid at times. Because the lids are hard to get off I’m not sealing them as tight as I could.

I have a bunch of the desiccant packs, bought a bunch for my shop cabinets and such. They seemed a little small (or how many to use) for the buckets being outside.

I haven’t run a test on the cat litter approach. I’ll let everybody know what I find.

 

[General Geoff]

A dehumidifier in the shop works wonders.

 

[giants]

Why don't you just clean the tools well, then coat them in penetrating oil or motor oil?

 

[Maddog3355]

I would give them a good coating of fluid film. I store shovels and rakes in an outside storage shed and they never rust with fluid film.

 

[zendriver]

I have never understood this issue being complex.

As long as I have everything wiped with either wd40 or light oil, there is no rust even if they have water droplets on them.

This includes picks and shovel in an heated unventilated garage out back.

and yes it's plenty humid here.

 

[orangeblood]

are the tools high quality or "rare?" ....or just sentimental value items?

are the buckets stored inside, temp controlled? if they are then zendriver's response is on target.

if you have high quality / dollar stuff stored in plastic buckets outside youre going to have a problem no matter what you add to the bucket for humidity control. i'd spend more time and effort in finding a way to get the buckets in an enclosed storage area.

just my $0.02 that comes from a san antonio boy