Rusty Tools

[Idlem]

What is the best way to keep tools from rusting in my garage during humid weather?

 

[BlakeTheCarGuy]

Spray a light coating of WD40 or any type of penetrating oil on it and rub it off with a paper towel or shop towel it will have protection and not rust then. That’s what I do and it works fine.


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[nieuport17]

Go to a marine store and check out their corrosion inhibitor spray.

Or a sporting good and use gun oil.

Both work well for me.

 

[matt_i]

I use LPS-3 from a trigger spray bottle. I don't really spray unless its a big area, just drool out a drop and spread it around by hand. It can also be wiped off at that stage.

Boeshield T-9 is the finest but most expensive member of this metal-protector group if you ask me.

 

[NYBODYMAN]

I collect the silica gel packets that you get with items and put them into my drawers, especially the sockets and wrenches. Works well.

 

[turbowoodworker]

Hvac

 

[MeentSS02]

I collect the silica gel packets that you get with items and put them into my drawers, especially the sockets and wrenches. Works well.

This is what I do too...I never realized how many of those came with random products until I started giving them a second life protecting my tools.

 

[denis4x4]

Used to work in a nursery about 200 yards from the ocean. Used the cheapest hair spray you could buy on garden tools.

 

[Jmo371]

Wipe Em down with an Oily rag...putting on tabs of more oil on every so often

 

[nadogail]

Fondle your tool frequently with lube.

 

[Zaxxn]

I am definitely in the Boeshield T-9 camp. It's not cheap, but a little goes a long way and holds up for quite a long time. I like that it dries to a film that doesn't stay greasy to the touch.

I saw a test of a bunch of these products somewhere on youtube, and I remember T-9 not coming out best, but in the top 3. Can't remember what products were better though. I use it a lot around the boat and on my fishing gear (salt water) as well and it's been very good there too.

--Zax

 

[Don1357]

Any oil will do it. A good coat of wax as well. If you have swampy weather you may need to ventilate your cabinets.

The water comes from the temperature differential; moist warm air comes into a nice chilly garage, the colder temperature makes the water vapor condensate. Even when the air temperature raises a bit the chunks of metal will stay colder longer promoting dew to settle on then. Oil and wax are hydrophobic, repelling the surface condensation process. For large kitchen-like cabinets you may want to drill some ventilation holes to help raise in temperature faster. Sounds counter intuitive but faster air flow, even if moist, is better than slow moist air flow because once the temperature equalizes condensation stops.

 

[chuck356]

Run a de-humidifier, I have for years in one building.

 

[Kodiak]

Here in the mid-atlantic there's plenty of humid hot weather and cold winters. My most commonly used tools get wiped infrequently with what's already on them at the time, i.e. motor oil, grease, WD-40. Some get nothing and I've never had a rust problem. I guess it's a problem in some areas, but I've never had to do much to protect mine.

 

[Iowafox]

I collect the silica gel packets that you get with items and put them into my drawers, especially the sockets and wrenches. Works well.

This is what I do and I also throw a old sock filled with rice in a few drawers as I am a home mechanic and don't need the toolbox tools much yet. These ways work but can look cheap if you care about how it looks.

 

[Idlem]

Thanks for all the replies, they are good information.

 

[BlakeTheCarGuy]

This is what I do and I also throw a old sock filled with rice in a few drawers as I am a home mechanic and don't need the toolbox tools much yet. These ways work but can look cheap if you care about how it looks.

What does a silica packet do? Does it absorb moisture? I don’t keep them around cause I don’t want the dog getting a hold of them as adventurous as she is.


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[ZRX61]

Two of the biggest ceramic tiles you can fit below the bottom drawer of your toolbox with one of those heater pads sold at pet stores for terrariums between them.
Drill hole in back of toolbox for power cord, plug it in & within a day the entire toolbox stack is toasty warm so condensation ceases to be a problem.

 

[My Old Tools]

Johnson's Paste Wax, cheap, get it at the grocery store

 

[TuxThePenguin]

I collect the silica gel packets that you get with items and put them into my drawers, especially the sockets and wrenches. Works well.

Did you guys know you can bake those (at low temps) for a bit to dry them out and reuse them? I learned that not too long ago while researching 3d printing (3d printing filament tends to be rather hygroscopic, especially nylon) and people use silica gel and they bake to reuse.

I like Fluid Film for a spray

 

[nikojo]

+1 on Fluid Film. Used in airline industry well.

 

[Jlbc212]

Using your tools frequently helps greatly to keep your tools from rusting .

When I can't get down to the garage to use the tools I run a dehumidifier.

 

[Iowafox]

What does a silica packet do? Does it absorb moisture? I don’t keep them around cause I don’t want the dog getting a hold of them as adventurous as she is.


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Yup it absorbs moisture and does a pretty good job at it.

 

[BlakeTheCarGuy]

Yup it absorbs moisture and does a pretty good job at it.

Cool I never knew the point lol and as I was growing up my parents were like it’s poison don’t touch it.


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[LS6 Tommy]

Use them more.

Seriously, how are they stored? Tool boxes are designed to allow good airflow into the drawers to help avoid that. Locking them up in more tightly sealed storage can really casue a lot of rust.

Tommy

 

[ALinCarolina]

Hvac[/QUOTE

This. After decades of working out of an unconditioned two car garage and dealing with constant flash rust I decided the most important requirement for my new shop was HVAC. But I am in the humid South.
I did add a window unit to the garage after several years but it was not on constantly. If you will have any machinery with cast iron table tops it will be a constant battle to keep them from turning red.

 

[ALinCarolina]

Hvac[/QUOTE

This. After decades of working out of an unconditioned two car garage and dealing with constant flash rust I decided the most important requirement for my new shop was HVAC. But I am in the humid South.
I did add a window unit to the garage after several years but it was not on constantly. If you will have any machinery with cast iron table tops it will be a constant battle to keep them from turning red.

 

[wolfhawk73]

Agree on the silica packets. I had them sprinkled throughout my tool box for years. Eventually I was able to get some bulk bags at work that were going to be thrown away. I ended up with a gallon of the stuff. I asked the wife to sew a cotton fabric tube about an inch in diameter and as long as the box drawers were wide. Each drawer got one of those full of silica in the back of each drawer. Good-bye, rust.

 

[honda_enchineer]

Nothing beats either Eezox (sold for guns mostly) or CorrosionX (sold mostly to fishermen for protecting reels from salt water).

I've personally tested a bunch of supposed "anti-rust" compounds. Mostly of the products that claimed to prevent rust were garbage (some even seemed to increased rusting). These two actually worked.

 

[BentBierz]

Run a de-humidifier, I have for years in one building.

I have a 1500 sq. ft. building that I am converting to a wood shop and am currently running the electrical. I want to go with an installed dehumidifier and will run the conduit and wires in the overhead myself. I was curious if you found one location in the building being better than others? Thanks.

 

[My Old Tools]

I have a 1500 sq. ft. building that I am converting to a wood shop and am currently running the electrical. I want to go with an installed dehumidifier and will run the conduit and wires in the overhead myself. I was curious if you found one location in the building being better than others? Thanks.

Losing proposition in Houston unless you seal it up tight. If you do that you might as well air condition.