Cheap temporary rust prevention

Do not use WD-40 - worse than useless for rust prevention. LPS-3 is the juice of choice.

Ken.

Don't be silly. They're both nothing but petroleum distillates.

You know, I am not looking for the finest rust preventative, I am looking for the cheapest rust preventative that would hold up for about 4 months.

What Ken said. WD-40 is pretty good for juicing crappie lures, though.

OK, the lithium grease spray I mentioned if you want a little convenience, or a tub of petroleum grease or jelly if you want the cheapest possible thing.

WD-40 and LPS-3 will work fine if you keep then closed up tightly, as in a plastic food bucket. Otherwise they'll evaporate over some weeks.

LPS-3 is not at all like WD-40. It leaves a sticky, waxy coating after the volatiles flash off. Works well, but it's messy.

Look at the MSDS's. Same stuff (petroleum distillates), in different weights.

Whatever else you do, put in a fan and run it 24/7. Will cut way down on the condensation problem. Don't need a huge one, just a little oscillating one to keep the air moving.

-- Regards, Carl Ijames carl.ijames at verizon.net

I use WD-40 and motor oil in a spray bottle. The WD is mostly the thinner for the oil. If it won't spray, add more WD. Dries to a thin film of oil. No where near as good as the LPS, but a fraction of the price.

I've thought of experimenting with paste wax or grease thinned with WD or mineral spirits, never done it. I'm sure you'd have to find some way to stir for a long while to get a good solution. Should be a bit better than above.

Karl

Thick grease, wiped on by hand and then an overwrap of kitchen clingfilm (Saran wrap). Takes no longer than sprays, much cheaper too.

WD40 is great for only a day or two, but it won't last a month.

I use paste wax, e.g., Butchers, diluted with paint thinner. I keep a gallon paint can with some in it and dip stuff to coat it. It could easily be sprayed but I've never had the need.

The paste doesn't dissolve without some effort, but it's not too bad. If I were mixing a lot I'd probably use a powered paint stirrer. The stuff I use to dip in is pretty thin - thinner than paint. I'd say about a pound of wax to a gallon of thinner. It works well, "well" being highly subjective as I've never done any tests. I can say that I haven't noticed any rust on tools protected with it.

IIRC I originally tried this because I'd been using paste wax rubbed on woodworking tools as a rust preventative. It is widely used for that.

HTH, Bob

Having used both products (although I wasn't using wd40 for rust protection), they are quite different. LPS3 does a great job, I use it both indoors and out in Maine.

The MSDS is intended to only identify hazards. One I looked at included "Non-hazardous ingredients, 10-20%". These can be quite significant. For instance:

Other things you won't find in wd40 or in the msds (they are not dangerous) are corrosion inhibitors. These are organic compounds added in small quantities (a couple of percent) that will keep corrosion from happening. I have no idea how they work, but they have excellent results. If you want to look into these, Ciba makes some good ones. The only one I've used before (from Ciba, Irgacore 153) seems to have been superseded.

Steve

Richard J K>Ned Simm>

How about this:

Go to the big box store and buy one of those "milk-carton" containers of Damp-Rid. About $8, I think.

Put all the tools in a sealed box with the Damp-Rid.

If that's not feasible, put the tools in big ziplock freezer bags with a little bit of the Damp-Rid in each bag, maybe wrapped in a bit of cheeseclotth.

Anyway, I'm sure you get the idea...isolate the tools from the ambient atmosphere and include some dessicant.

HTH Mike

Mike Patterson Please remove the spamtrap to email me. "I always wanted to be somebody...I should have been more specific..." - Lily Tomlin

Assuming you've got the CorrosionX HD in a can and not an aerosol... take some and dilute it about 1:4 with kerosene/stoddard solvent. Won't last as well because the coating will be much less thick, but it will work indoors for a while. Haven't done it with this product, but I have used Shell Ensis this way for five years or so.

Mark Rand RTFM

So's cosmoline. Most anything coming out of a refinery can be classed as "petroleum distillate". LPS-3 is more like spray-on cosmoline. Don't confuse it with LPS-1 which is a penetrant and water displacement compound, although a better one than WD40. When I can find it, spray cans of LPS-3 run around $7. Gallon cans and larger quantities CAN be had from the likes of MSC, you're unlikely to find them on the shelves of the corner Ace. Dipping works best if you can get enough of it, spray cans are very wasteful. Boeshield also works for moth-balling equipment, it's a LOT more expensive. Most any other home- made mixture that combines wax, tar or asphalt with various solvents is going to be less effective, messier to get off and somewhat hazardous to apply. I have read of old-time gunsmiths encasing tools and parts in beeswax for preservation, if you've got a free source of that it might be worth a try. There's also various hot-melt tool dips that could be of use with small stuff

Stan

Exactly - different weights: "Distillates (Petroleum), hydrotreated heavy *paraffinic*".

Or do you not draw a distinction between, for example, naphtha and Bunker oil?

Ned Simmons

Hello Iggie: Take a look at

and their product 'Prevox'.

I use it on the mill table and other stuff in my shop/garage. Works well, wipes of with paint thinner. Not the cheapest, nor most expensive. Hope this helps. (usual disclamer. . . just a satisfied Kano customer :) ) rgentry_at_oz_dot_net _AT_ = @, _dot_ = . to eMail

Rust Veto is the name of a product which I personally know to be very effective on bare metal. It's produced by the same folks who supply Cosmoline. Check out the following site for some other choices:

dennis in nca

So they are both petroleum products. So is spindle oil and way oil, but they are not the same stuff.

Dan