Rust Prevention-Non-Coating?

[Richard D]

I have a custom tool prototype I built, I want to keep from rusting. I can't paint it because it is machined to a fairly tight tolerence slip fit. I need a treatment that won't add any thickness to the surface of the part. Did I mention it needs to be in-expensive, preferably done at home?

 

[kazlx]

wax.

 

[Riggerson]

Black oxide is pretty much the standard for rust prevention coatings on tooling. There's less effective versions that can be used at home.

 

[Old Radar]

wax.

Yep. Johnson's Paste Wax does a great job.

 

[Richard D]

Wax you say? I wonder how often I’d need to apply. It’s humid as Hell down here.

 

[kazlx]

If you're not handling it all the time, it lasts a while. Even if you do, it pretty much stays put for a while. Easy to try, easy to remove if it doesn't work for what you want.

Otherwise, you can use cold blue. But I'd prob just go for the wax. Just get a good coating on there there and just wipe it off. Maybe go for a couple 'coats' just to make sure you get all the key areas covered. It really does work well and is super simple and cheap.

 

[CJM8515]

Wax you say? I wonder how often I’d need to apply. It’s humid as Hell down here.

wax and then put wax paper on it as best as possible.



when i was a kid the woodshop teacher would make us sand down with steel wool and wax and then cover it with wax paper. first day of school we would clean everything up and no rust anywhere.

 

[Shiftless]

I use furniture paste wax on the cast iron table of my vintage 1950’s Craftsman table saw and the polished post on my drill press also of the same vintage. No rust! Humidity here is almost always above 50 and sometimes 80%.

It helps a lot to apply to warm surfaces.

 

[Wagoneer1]

Boeshield

 

[awdblazer]

fluid film

 

[ItsNemo]

fluid film

+1 Fluid Film is ideal

 

[matt_i]

Boeshield

That would be my choice. Spray it on and wipe it off. The job is done. That's the technique I use for my woodworking machines so "stuff" doesn't get transferred to the bare hardwood.

 

[Stuart in MN]

Gibbs brand protectant. https://www.gibbsbrandlubricant.com

 

[Bretny]

Never seen anything oiled rust. Thats damn cheap.

 

[Farmallgray]

I use either Fluid Film or one of the LPS coatings.
https://www.lpslabs.com/product-details/612

 

[dkmc]

Transmission fluid. Discovered it years ago when I saw a pile of clutches and drums from a transmission shop at the scrap yard. Parts sit out in the weather for weeks, zero rust. Been using it on machines and tools in the shop for decades. Simple, effective, and very cheap.
You can use it plain, or I make up a mixture of ATF, 85-140 gear oil, and solvent. The solvent thins it so it can be sprayed with one of those sprayers you pressurize with compressed air. Once it's sprayed, the solvent evaporates off, and the gear oil helps it stick to vertical surfaces.