Tips & Tricks 101 Inexpensive rust protection

[woody 73]

The following is a simple tip that should (key word) cost you nothing but your free time. The next time you find yourself shopping and you want to kill a few minutes stop and ask the store if they have any of the silica gel desiccant packets that they are throwing away and ask if you can have a few.

Examples like what you find in shoe stores, hobby stores, big box stores, etc.

I find most people are very surprised and give me looks of "you want those little packets we throw away"... After I explain what I want them for most workers are more then glad to put them into a paper bag just to keep them out of the trash cans and the best part is they are free.

Then take the little packets and put them inside your tool box drawers, it will at least provide a little more rust protection and it will cost you nothing but a little of your time.

What I picked up today at no cost.

 

[PFSard]

When I was employed as an industrial mechanic back in MA, there was a product that I used in my toolbox drawers that you were able to reuse repeatedly by drying it out in an oven at a low temperature. Similarly sized pebbles. I cannot recall the name of the product or its composition.

Since I moves to AZ with its low humidity, I rarely (if ever) have the problem with moisture in my toolbox drawers.

But out of curiosity : If you remove the Silica Gel pebbles from these packets, can you do the same?

 

[skipnay]

If you use hot pockets or hand warmers. They do the same thing! Then put in sun to dry out and reuse.

 

[rlitman]

When I was employed as an industrial mechanic back in MA, there was a product that I used in my toolbox drawers that you were able to reuse repeatedly by drying it out in an oven at a low temperature. Similarly sized pebbles. I cannot recall the name of the product or its composition.

Since I moves to AZ with its low humidity, I rarely (if ever) have the problem with moisture in my toolbox drawers.

But out of curiosity : If you remove the Silica Gel pebbles from these packets, can you do the same?

You don't need to remove silica gel from the packets to recharge them. Just bake at 325F for a few hours.

Kitty litter beads are also silica gel. You can buy these in bulk (just get the unscented).

If you use hot pockets or hand warmers. They do the same thing! Then put in sun to dry out and reuse.

No, they do not. Hand warmers are the same as oxygen absorbers. They contain iron powder, salt water, and dirt. When exposed to air, the iron rusts, releasing heat slowly. They cannot be recharged, and they do not remove moisture from the air.

 

[Tonellin]

No way your tool box drawers are air tight enough for those to work

 

[Corndoggeh]

I personally use ballistol on my bare metal tools and use wax on cast iron surfaces. The only problem with the ballistol is that it should be oiled after every use but for some items such as my old hand saws it helps give a little lubrication for the wood.

Couldn't you also use electric dehumidifiers?

 

[woody 73]

No way your tool box drawers are air tight enough for those to work

For all I know you could be right...but doing something is better then doing nothing at all.

 

[woody 73]

I personally use ballistol on my bare metal tools and use wax on cast iron surfaces. The only problem with the ballistol is that it should be oiled after every use but for some items such as my old hand saws it helps give a little lubrication for the wood.

Couldn't you also use electric dehumidifiers?

You are very correct electric dehumidifiers will do a good job, please use them; but the title was Inexpensive (meaning cheap or in this case free) where you can avoid the cost of an electric unit and avoid the electricity costs.

 

[bmwpowere36m3]

The cheapest would be to bring them inside a conditioned space. Second, apply oil to them frequently. I use Boeshield, not "cheap" but a lot cheaper than a couple rusted tools.

 

[vettex2]

I've never done squat to prevent rust on my tools.
Buy better tools

 

[woody 73]

The cheapest would be to bring them inside a conditioned space. Second, apply oil to them frequently. I use Boeshield, not "cheap" but a lot cheaper than a couple rusted tools.

Sigh tough crowd tonight... Sure bring them inside I can see that going over like a lead balloon)

I do second the oil, and the Boeshield which I do use on every tool.

 

[woody 73]

I've never done squat to prevent rust on my tools.
Buy better tools

Good for you, but when the (climate change is Not happening ) we broke a record of 64 degrees this week and it was like an ice berg in my small man cave you could see water; but the small packets were doing there job IN THOSE LEAKY AIR DRAWERS...

On those good American tools I might add.

 

[Warrenator]

I put little blocks of Camphor in my tool boxes and drawers. It is supposed to leave a bit of a film that prevents rust on the tools. You get a nice whiff of camphor when you slide a drawer open, takes me back to childhood visiting old Chinatown with my parents. As opposed to the new China smell you get from walking into a harbor freight....

If you do this, most of the Camphor is from the Camphor tree, made in China, but used extensively in India. Red Deer brand is not of the highest quality, smells like a urinal cake. I bought Elephant brand, smells nice. Sanvall brand is supposed to be the purest.

 

[tripplejl]

Throughout the years I have thrown those packets in my toolbox every time I got some with shoe purchases ect. I have had decent luck with them. I don't know if it's these packets but I don't have tools that have rusted. I do have handsaws ect outside of my toolbox that have plenty of rust on them so it leads me to believe that these play some part in helping prevent rust.

 

[tvtaurus]

I've thrown these packets in my tool box for a whenever I find them. Never thought of asking for them places though.

 

[californiaHank]

Unless you your toolbox is more or less air tight, I can't see the point of using those little dessicant packages. They work fine absorbing trapped moisture inside small sealed spaces, but I doubt they'd have much benefit in a tool box that is open to fresh (humid) outside air.

I've used much larger purpose-built dessicant containers in storage spaces on boats and had indifferent results - the dessicant has to be re-charged frequently, and even then it's a losing battle against Nature who's constantly sending new damp air into the space you're trying to keep dry.

If rust is a problem in your shop, use a protectant on the tools and/or buy a dehumidifier, as others have suggested. There's no free lunch.

 

[OldToolz]

Put a stick in each drawer of blackboard chaulk absorbs the moisture...

 

[Roberts210]

Here is something I've done for years in my unheated barn, for my table saw and other machines with a cast iron top or table. When cold weather hits I put a piece of cardboard I've cut to the exact size of the table top, jointer top, drill press table, etc. And I put a few 2X's on top to weight it down. If I have to use the saw, DP, etc., in cold weather I'll use it and then put the cardboard back on. This has worked for me for a number of years.

 

[WWheeler]

i keep a rag hanging on the side of each box to give every tool a quick wipe down before putting away. Every once in a blue moon I give the rag a spritz of Boeshield T-9.

If the tool was wet or covered in oil/grease/whatever else I use a different rag or rags to dry it off / clean it up first, then it gets wiped with the T-9 rag before getting put away.

Never have I seen a bit of rust on any of my tools.

 

[bsg1]

if possible, it is helpful to keep tools and box in an area that has a constant temperature rather than one with frequent changes. i would not place my box with tools immediately under or near a central air/heat vent from the wall or ceiling because of the frequent changes in temperature in the immediate area.
i run a GoldenRod inside my gun safe. there is no maintenance required other than my monthly checks to ensure the rod is still working as intended.

 

[bsg1]

i'll add that inserts of open cell foam to store metal pieces creates an environment that is an invitation to the formation of rust.

 

[pstemari]

+1 on the Boeshield T-9.

As far as buying better tools goes, things like v-blocks, angle plates, 123 blocks, etc, are bare hardened tool steel. Chrome or other playing would destroy the dimensional accuracy.

I've been putting vci emitters in each drawer and it seems to work. Zerust and Bullfrog are both available on Amazon. The bullfrog ones are cheaper and can be cut in half for smaller drawers, but the &$@##! printing on them will transfer onto your tools if you let them touch.

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

 

[zendriver]

I'm a little shocked, since GJ junkies, usually like to go "all in".

http://www.impakcorporation.com/desiccants/bulk_desiccant

Personally I just coat everything with either WD40, or motor oil and remain rust-free.

My tools have water beads on them today, from 76% humidity. No rust. I guess I'll wipe them off, if I get a chance.

 

[zendriver]

I've never done squat to prevent rust on my tools.
Buy better tools

I have Snap On tools, that if not protected, will rust, where the chrome has chipped off, through normal use.

What tools do you use that are so much better?

 

[Crazyjake8493]

I throw the silica gel packets in my tool box drawers whenever I get them. Any metal tables or surfaces I try to get some WD40 on.

I'd really like to run a dehumidifier in my garage but it isn't heated 24/7 in the winter, so that would only be good for summer and fall/spring.

 

[Rickss96]

Red Deer brand is not of the highest quality, smells like a urinal cake. I bought Elephant brand, smells nice. Sanvall brand is supposed to be the purest.

Where do you buy camphor now? I seems most 'camphor' now sold in USA is something else. Searching on Amazon, Deer and Elephant are no longer available there. See comments under Deer brand, someone has tested it and verified it is not real camphor. Even some comments about the Sanvall brand does not smell like true camphor.
So short of driving to Canada, where could I find the real stuff?