side blast forge

[Car23l]

Any ideas what I could add to the water on my side blast forge to stop the tank rusting, as its impossible to paint the inside of it, we also have really harsh winters, is there something to stop it freezing. 

[Glenn]

Is harsh 50*F, 32*F, 0*F or -20*F ?

Where do you live so we can better answer your question. 

[Frosty]

Welcome aboard Car, glad to have you. If you'll put your general location in the header you'll have a chance to hook up with members living within visiting distance.

What's harsh? Harsh in my area, is shirt sleeve mild to folk 100 miles inland from here and board a plane to somewhere warm for folk farther south. I've also gotten to an age it takes something special to get me out to the shop if it's in the single digits F.

Sure, you can make your water tank (bosh?) more rust resistant. Clean all the rust out, use a good paint and keep an eye on it so you can clean and touch it up as necessary. I'm a fan of acid etch epoxy paints for areas that need to stand up to abuse. 

Empty the tank when you're done with a session and refill it for the next one is the easiest way I know of to keep it from freezing. If it's freezing in use then you need to apply a heater, electric stock tank heaters work well or you can just heat a piece of steel and dunk it now and then. Use mild so you don't damage some thing you might need to rely on later. I have a couple random pieces of 2" x 2" bar I use to preheat quench oil and warm the anvil face on cold days. 

Frosty The Lucky.

 

[ThomasPowers]

With an open system rust control will be harder than with a closed one.  Have you asked the local boiler maintenance people what they use as an anti rust agent? An anti Freeze agent?   Please remember that car antifreeze is an attractive poison to small animals and make sure it's not where they can get to it!