rstor

I ended up spray painting over the Penetrol on the chassis and front of the drawers with a metallic look paint.

For the handles, I am removing the existing paint to bare metal and would like to keep the bare metal look on the handles. If one had to choose between Penetrol or clear acrylic spray paint, which one would it be?

36 minutes ago, John McPherson said:

No water, water based, or water containing compounds ever on carbon steel. Alcohols will actually draw moisture from humid air. Maybe not much, but enough. And at $30 US per gallon, there are cheaper alternatives for metal finishing.

Once you thoroughly clean the surface, it will flash rust, as in right before your eyes. Using a heat gun will not be fast enough to dry it before it starts to rust.

I am guessing that is what happened as I used lots of IPA and it just rained... so it probably drew moisture from the air before I could apply the Penetrol

I'll use acetone in this case.

For the drawers (attached picture) the individual who blasted it mentioned it is not steel like the chassis but an alloy... would you be able to advise if this rusts in the same way as steel?  

56 minutes ago, John McPherson said:

Isopropyl alcohol contains 10-30% water, which is why no one who does car restoration uses it. Far better to use mineral spirits or acetone as a final cleaner/degreaser.

 

Thanks John,

The IPA that I used was 99%... I think I have some acetone so I can give that a try on the drawers.

Are there any issues with washing blasted metal with a degreaser and regular water, drying, then cleaning with a solvent before applying Penetrol ?

Hello,

I was reading on the forum about the use of Penetrol to clear coat bare steel. Someone had mentioned earlier:

Quote

We use a product called Penetrol which is actually a paint additive but it does give a fairly durable clear finish, even outdoors it lasts a couple of years before needing re-coating.

https://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/48866-clear-coat-sealer-question/

I had purchased a metal drawer cabinet that were in rough condition and had someone blast it with copper slag. The cabinet chassis  in the attached pictures was then sanded using an orbital sander to smooth the finish. (Outdoors) I had cleaned the surface with isopropyl alcohol and then proceeded to apply Penetrol. Outdoor humidity was about 70% and it had just rained. On the attached pictures you see some brown discolorations. I am curious to know is this rust or something else?