How do you store tools & equipment, so it does not rust?
I will be in Graduate school for 2 years and can not take all my
tools and equipment. What is the best way to store things, so, I do
not open boxes down the line and find rust?
Thanks,
AmyBurkholder.com
A thin layer of petroleum jelly, gently wrap in low quality paper
towels have always been my preferred method of storage. I tend to
keep a coating on hammers, stakes, and rollers when not in use. I
wipe it clean for use, then reapply when I’m done.
Best of luck,
K. David Woolley
Fredericton, NB
Diversiform Metal Art & Jewellery
How do you store tools & equipment, so it does not rust? I will be in Graduate school for 2 years and can not take all my tools and equipment.
Prevent moisture, store in dry place. An attic in Texas, perhaps.
Plastic rubbermaid type containers with tight fitting lids. A long
time ago I sewed felt slip covers for my first ring mandrel and
hammer.
Whatever you pack them in would retain moisture if water got inside
the containers. So, just use whatever, though avoiding paper seems
good, and put 'em in those plastic containers, and then make sure
they aren’t on the floor of a basement that gets wet every time it
rains.
You could grease them before you pack them up, but that’s probably
overkill.
Have someone back home check on them once a month.
Elaine
http://www.CreativeTextureTools.com ™
Hard to Find Tools for Metal Clay
there are a couple of new products on the market. one is a liner
that is put in drawers that seal…(if it isn’t relatively airtight
forget it!), it is a black material available at home stores and in
rolls so you cut it to length. I have had some down for about a year
and a half in a fairly new bench, and in a highly humid area.It has
worked thus far.before that I have used cosmoline, dry lithium grease
( on the rolling mill rollers it has completely inhibited any rust or
oxidation and I have htat under a canvas and leather cover only so
air does get into it.
3M makes some anti-tarnish blocks that can go into tool
boxes,bins,etc,and smaller strips- the key is to seal out as much
air as is possible and keep your polished tools polished,eliminate as
much humidity as is possible and when you do see a spot or beginning
of oxides building take it off with some very fine polishing papers.
I have also used cones of chalk as they absorb sulfur by products and
humidity. it must be chaged every year though unless you live in a
cool dry environment., otr a hot dry one!
last but not least is a thin film of oil of wintergreen,or any
lightweight oil you care to use.Some people use wd-40,I don’t
because it stains and I don’t like the petroleum distillates
components, but that too will prevent rust and the consistency is
representative of a light oil Citrasolve is what a friend uses,same
thing: he.likes the distillates for cutting waxy residues,compound
that is not water soluable, and other uses besides he says one botle
cleans his floors,surfaces,oils everything and smells so citrusy
good…Don’t use salad oil,olive they turn sticky and rancid.
I tried silicone,sttraight out of the bottle but it was really
inferior to the dry oil sprays on the market in my opinion,
R.E.R.
Amy
Faced the same problem once, clean your tools with alcohol to get
all oil and grease off and then use auto polish. Mine lasted about 4
years like that in an old leaky tool shed on the ranch.
Terry
I did this a loooong time ago. I sprayed the tools with WD40 and
then wrapped each in cling plastic, like saran wrap. After 2 years,
all it took was a trip thru the ultrasonic and re-oiling to restore
them. No rust and clean tools when I returned.
Ted
Hello,
Well, since I got some of Enjin Joe’s Snake Oil Polymer stuff, I’ve
swabbed down all my metal tools with it. So far no rust. What say
you other Orchidians who have been playing with it?
Judy in Kansas
Here’s a crazy thought - what about those storage bags - the kind
where you put everything in them, zip them up (seal them tight) and
then vacuum out the air so that they are airtight. Would that keep
things from rusting? If so, seems like that would be a simple
solution for tools like hammers etc that could be laid in a row
inside the bag, then zipped up and air sucked out.
Kay
I got on the testing wagon in the beginning:
good stuff, some kinks:,at present not much different than Johnson’s
paste wax,and hardens in cold weather,more so than Johnsons ( because
of the petroleum distillates) …needs an R&D budget to effectively
develop and market it… bad name ( from a marketing perspective
though I know the story behind it…but it prevented some investors
from giving the guy some seed money solely on the name!!)
Needs a signature scent that is appealing to males and females, and
is unobtrusive ( spearmint,rosewood,bay,cedar were all recommended
already !)- at present very chemical smelling stuff…Essentially any
wax on metal protects tools from moisture getting that through his
head and letting him know its not so unique as is is a hard task…May
work just dandily, but needs some selling point- other than
"developed in a garage by a real person"…I hope he continues with
it, but if a person is not willing to make any changes - but wants
tester’s true criticisms…then what can you say to convince them
that investors need something more than chemical smell,bad name and
just another brown chemically based effective sealant???..
R.E.R.
Amy - Given where you live and our humidity levels in the summer, a
coating of grease before you store your tools would actually be
advised. Good luck with grad school :-))
Sandi Graves, Beadin’ Up A Storm
Stormcloud Trading Co (Beadstorm)
http://www.beadstorm.com
Here in super humid Pennsylvania, I save those little dessicant
packages that come in shoe boxes and with other items. I put less
used rust prone items in ziploc bags with a little dry packet and
have had no problems.
Pat
Good Morning To All
I just received the latest catalogue from Lee Valley and noticed a
new listing for a product called Boeshield T-9 Protectant and
Lubricant. Timely for this thread. I thought to “Google” it and there
are tons of sites so the folks in the States can probably get it a
lot cheaper there than ordering from Canada, especially since it is
an American product to begin with.
It sounds like a good product… I haven’t had a chance to try
it out yet. Hope this may help those of you who are storing tools or
maybe just daily care of tools.
Sheila in Ontario Canada