Best way to deal with rust/corrosion

[scoutcub]

Recently purchased a "project" dozier, that was owned by a municipality on the ocean. Spent most of its life pushing sand dunes. Mechanicals are good, got a few bad lines and radiator to deal with, but otherwise runs great.
Lower half of the machine steel is pan caking/flaking off. I'm slowly addressing each area, but wondering what's the best way to clear, limit and control the rust. Sandblasting? Coat with motor oil? Both? In what order....and any other combination of chemicals to stop/limit the damage?

 

[EddieWalker]

A sea captain noticed that the decks of his fishing boat didn't rust where the fish oil coated it and he realized that fish oil was stopping the rust, so he started a paint company using fish oil to stop rust that he named Rustoleum. I'm not sure who makes the best coating for rust, there are quite a few out there to choose from, I just like the story about how Rustoleum was started.

 

[Turbys_1700]

Interesting story Eddie...
I am fixing up an old Herd 750 seeder/spreader my dad left me in the shed. I'm rustproofing with Por-15 and a couple top coats of white paint.

 

[tungularafishcamp]

I live on the beach, so rust is my next door neighbor. The last few years I have been using a product called fluid film and am really happy with it! I buy it in 5 gallon buckets and put it in a paint sprayer and an oil can to dispense as needed. It sticks around as well or better than any other product I have used, it stays "wet" and on as it is almost waxy, so it does show, and has to be reapplied every year, months, weeks depending the use. It is starting to show up in stores here n there but I got mine via the trusty Internet. You can get aerosol cans to give it a try. In a none marine environment, like where your not driving your tractor into the saltwater every other day I think it would work even better, but I am very happy with its,

If it matters to you, and your use, it is a lanolin based product, not petroleum.

 

[Rustyiron]

A sea captain noticed ....... using fish oil to stop rust that he named Rustoleum.

Eddie an older friend told me that 30+ years ago, I hadn't heard it again up until your post. He's gone now and thanks for making me think of him.:thumbsup:
I wonder if it still holds true?

OP, a (air operated) "needle scaler" does wonders on rust and if your machine is not operating on the beach anymore, I'd use "Red Rustoleum". I treat the underside of my vehicles with the Fluid Film also, good stuff!

 

[s219]

What about rust converter? Been using that lately on stuff where Fluid Film (also a favorite of mine) wouldn't make sense. For example, I left a hammer outdoors through a couple rain storms before I realized. It was really rusted up. Brushed on some rust converter, which turned all the rust black, and it's been good to go. There are several brands, and this is what I have on hand now:

Stops Rust(R) Rust Reformer Product Page

 

[newbury]

I've got 3 "sites" and 7 sheds/work areas and I try to keep a spray can of PB Blaster, a spray can of WD40, and a spray can of Fluid Film in each.
WD 40 to disperse the water, PB Blaster to work through the rust and free bolts etc., and Fluid Film to coat it when it's good.
I bought the Fluid Film 2 gallon spray kit last year and did my truck.

Being mostly located in Mississippi fighting rust/corrosion is a constant battle. But at least it's a gradual battle, unlike fighting it in Vermont where the freeze/thaw cycles of fall and spring compound the damage.

 

[scoutcub]

Some great ideas, and a good sea story to boot...
I will definitely try out the products listed, and get my needle scaler out there. No one mentioned sandblasting? Wondering if it will not peel rust off that good? Dang, I just bought a big compressor for that reason....lol

 

[EddieWalker]

Sand blasting works great if you have the right material. Not sand. And you are covered up head to toe, and your compressor can keep up, and your hopper doesn't jam, and if you don't mind creating a massive mess.

 

[newbury]

Sandblasting -
About my senior year (1972) in college my best friend bought a MG Midget mid to early '60's.
He also scrounged a SMALL sandblaster, got a lot of sifted sand that worked and blasted the whole body in pieces on his lawn. When it was sunny and the breeze was light. Spent most of the summer, blast a little, have a cigarette, blast a little, do something else, blast a little, switch to spraying what he had sanded. His work area was about 10'x10' over a tarp. Never made a big mess. I was real impressed that at his snails pace he didn't give up, finished it and came out with a good looking car.

So if you take your time for "small" stuff it is possible to do it at low cost. For a " "project" dozier" the OP might want to look around for a commercial sandblaster who could handle the job.

 

[strum456]

Some great ideas, and a good sea story to boot...��
I will definitely try out the products listed, and get my needle scaler out there. No one mentioned sandblasting? Wondering if it will not peel rust off that good? Dang, I just bought a big compressor for that reason....lol

You have 2 options in my opinion.

1. Spray it periodically with hydraulic fluid. Get an engine cleaner from Harbor Freight and use it to suck hydraulic oil out of a jug and spray it all over everything.
2. Sand blast and paint

Option #2 will require a large blaster, unless you have a LOT of time and patience. As was mentioned, maybe you can find a local company that has a mobile blaster. This usually consists of a big diesel engine running a 500 or so CFM compressor and it blows abrasive out of something the size of a fire hose.

Rust converters, POR 15 are a complete waste of time. (consider yourself warned)

 

[newbury]

You have 2 options in my opinion.

1. Spray it periodically with hydraulic fluid.
<snip>

That's my method for my 1995 M4700 with mostly original hydraulic lines. After much consultation on the TBN Hydraulics forum the general consensus seemed to be "go till it blows". An occasional leak, usually on one of the FEL lines, sprays all over (one time it was misting). Then I replace the line

/edit - I've been spraying it down/replacing a line about once every 2 years.

 

[Rock Crawler]

The whale oil no longer exists in the paint. Sad, the story is kind of interesting.

What is funny is that you will find in forums all over the internet that people blame the slow drying times (horrible slow, to the point of making me hate the product) on the continued use of fish oil.

My opinion is that Rustoleum is really no longer a valid product, you have much better products such as POR 15, Eastwood Chassis Black, KBS Chassis Coat, Chassis Saver.... I have used all aside from the KBS 3 step system and find them all to work well.

I also find that spray bombs of VHT Epoxy Chassis gloss and satin black (purple label, aerosol cans with a suspension strut on the label) are extremely good products for frames and suspension parts up here in the rust belt, and it lasts all winter over scale and rust while being wetted and salt/calcium covered all winter. Re-spray every spring and it stays tightly adhered and black until next spring.
VHT SP652 Satin Black Epoxy Amazon.com: VHT (SP65-6 PK) Gloss Black Epoxy All Weather Paint - 11 oz. Aerosol, (Case of 6): Automotive
VHT SP650 Gloss Black Epoxy Amazon.com: VHT (SP65-6 PK) Gloss Black Epoxy All Weather Paint - 11 oz. Aerosol, (Case of 6): Automotive

Rust-Oleum is a manufacturer of protective paints and coatings for home and industrial use. It was founded in 1921 by Robert Fergusson (a sea captain, not the famous poet) after he noticed that raw fish oil spilled on rusty metal decks stopped corrosion from spreading. He soon incorporated whale oil into the formula, although many changes have been made over the years. Rust-Oleum products no longer contain whale oil, instead using resins derived from Alkyds, polyurethanes, epoxys, latex, etc.

Rust-Oleum - Wikipedia