what to use to prevent rusting on finished projects

[rmanning]

Just wondering what to use to keep stuff from rusting without painting it after you finish it.  Inside and outside stuff?

[Pug}{maN]

Wow try a search! Lots of information here on that. I use bee wax at low heat.

[Marksnagel]

Bees wax for most items for me. Paint for others, Lacquer for others. It depends on what the use is. Too many options. If you give specific uses that may help to narrow down the answers.

[Countryforge]

I use a combination of bees wax lindseed oil and turpentine canola oil can be replaced for the turpentine this makes it soft for working, all my tools get the treatment with a

cloth just rubbed on to stop the rust. Up here the temps go from - 30 to 12 degrees in days and the tools all sweat this helps a lot

[Pulsepushthepopulace]

Gibbs penetrant. Use it as is and it does awesome in rust prevention/reversal.... Or, when it dries you can paint over it!

[nutinauniversalshell]

Ill second the Gibbs Brand Lubricant. My dad had trouble finding it for years, so he finally became the Indiana distributer. By the case saves a bunch of money or a gallon and a spray bottle.

[Frosty]

The only sure rust prevention is stainless, monel or inconel but talk about advanced techniques, monel and inconel are real bears to forge.

 

Iron or steel needs either coating, be it wax, oil or a polymerized chemical. The other main method is chemistry as in a sacrificial anode or coating. Zincs attached in out of sight locations or galvy coating.

 

Hot dip galvanizing isn't usually pretty for a couple reasons: #1 being thick coatings softening edges and corners, #2 being uneven thickness and globs. Take a look at a galvy lamp post around the base and you will see what I'm talking about. If it's an intricate design you'll get even more pronounced unevenness and globs up to oh say 1/4" drips like a bad paint job.

 

Another method is electro plating galvy, you can get precise coatings and no runs, drips or errors.

 

Then you get to blacken or whatever the work.

 

Traditional since it was discovered/invented is paint. Modern paints are really darned durable and can be applied in ways that mock hammered iron, Hammer rite is only one brand, there are methods to get similar results from other paints. I don't know if anyone has come up with a paint as durable as the old heavy duty lead based paints though. Got my fingers crossed on that one myself.

 

Paint can give you some really cool effects. You can apply a base coat and cover it with a contrasting cover then rub the cover off to create highlights in cool colors. A version of this one I like is apply a coat of yellow, orange or red wrinkle paint, let it dry and cover with black and rub the highlights. Done properly (lucky in my case) the finish looks like a black boulder with a molten core. Laying a coat of contrasting paint down and covering it with "Crackle" paint is easier and leaves a really cool effect. And, it doesn't have to be black over a HOT color, why not blue over pink or maroon or whatever.

 

Frosty The Lucky.

[Robert Yates]

Vaseline on steel simple and effective .

 

Sam

[ThomasPowers]

heavy gold plating  also keeping it in a hard vacuum

 

Theophilus mentions tinning iron objects to prevent rust in his 1120 AD Divers Arts 

 

Paint/varnish is the traditional method for the last several centuries.

 

For low maintenance or harsh environment items I generally suggest folks forge them from stainless steel

[homeshow]

I use a combination of bees wax lindseed oil and turpentine canola oil can be replaced for the turpentine this makes it soft for working, all my tools get the treatment with a
cloth just rubbed on to stop the rust. Up here the temps go from - 30 to 12 degrees in days and the tools all sweat this helps a lot

What are the proportions?

[eric sprado]

My homemade is Beeswax,Linseed Oil,Turpentine in EQUAL proportions. Store bought I use Johnson's Paste Wax or Bowling alley Wax. Johnson's Paste Wax is readily available in grocery stores. A can lasts a long time. I use end of a piece of black heat project to dip in can to melt a bunch and then apply with a CHEAP  natural bristle brush. Rub off excess with cotton cloth.

   Truthfully-The Johnson's works best. I need to work on the proportions of homemade to harden it up a bit. It just seems too sticky and won't wipe off and polish up as well.

[Frank Turley]

The wax or oil finish is OK for some interior work, as perhaps hardware. How long it lasts depends on geographical location. It can last up to five years or more in the Western desert areas of the U.S. It's going to rust fairly soon in coastal, saline environments. It is not recommended for exterior installations, although I have installed a 30 year old, exterior, wrought iron door latch with a Johnson's wax finish, and it has yet to rust. I'm in the New Mexico high desert. I applied the wax when the metal was about 700 to 800F, just under a black heat. At that heat, the surface will take a black coating.

 

For more permanence in outdoor settings, I use paint. Lately, I've used Varathane brand primer and enamel. Galvanizing is supposedly the best before painting. I've heard of cold galvanizing, but haven't tried it.

 

"RUST NEVER SLEEPS."