Temporarily protecting some bright bar from rust

[Avocet]

I'm trying to build Avocet a yard trolley, but it's taking a fair bit of time. It's too big to fit in the garage now, so it's on the drive, exposed to the weather. The stub axles are pieces of bright steel bar (on which some Oilite bearings will run) so I'd like to keep them rust-free during the rest of the build. Can anyone recommend something I can use? I've tried carrier bags over them but they're already showing rust spots. I guess I could smear them with grease but it will be messy for people walking past it.

 

[JumbleDuck]

I'm trying to build Avocet a yard trolley, but it's taking a fair bit of time. It's too big to fit in the garage now, so it's on the drive, exposed to the weather. The stub axles are pieces of bright steel bar (on which some Oilite bearings will run) so I'd like to keep them rust-free during the rest of the build. Can anyone recommend something I can use? I've tried carrier bags over them but they're already showing rust spots. I guess I could smear them with grease but it will be messy for people walking past it.

Lanolin and plastic bags.

 

[lw395]

Insulating tape?
Grease and heat shrink?
Find some plastic tube (waste pipe?) that is a loose fit as a cover over poly bag and grease?

 

[macd]

Lanolin and plastic bags.

+1
Plenty of lanolin on them thar fells...

 

[prv]

Grease, with some sort of cover / bag over it to keep the mess in.

Pete

 

[Skylark]

Wrap the stub shafts with greased, muslin cloth then seal with duck tape.

 

[Bobobolinsky]

Only old age prevents me remembering the name of the accursed tape, which is still available for pprotecting pipes in concrete. A scrim tape full of grease and just wrap it around.
Now I have written about it, its Denso tape (I remember now where is log book for the car)

 

[Bobobolinsky]

Only old age prevents me remembering the name of the accursed tape, which is still available for pprotecting pipes in concrete. A scrim tape full of grease and just wrap it around.
Now I have written about it, its Denso tape (I remember now where is log book for the car)

 

[PuffTheMagicDragon]

There is a thick grease that is used for the protection of galvanised wire cable that is used for large cranes. I forget the name... but it was a very popular 'accessory' for stag parties when I was an apprentice, many years ago!


Alternately you can give them a coat of paint and then, when the time comes, remove it from the parts that will run in the bearings.

 

[Sneaky Pete]

You could try coating the metal in wax, liquid wax then allow to solidify. It is a process used in engineering after tools have been re-ground and sharpened, they were dipped in liquid wax. It prevents them from rusting while stored on the shelf.

 

[Niander]

Just a simple layer of oil will stop any rust.

 

[sarabande]

for a home made system, try candle wax ? In present temperatures it will not rub off on clothes, and when you want to remove it, it comes off with very little residue (white spirit for the last fragments)


The vehicle industry uses Dinitrol waxes.

http://www.dinitrol.co.uk/Products/RustPreventionWaxesandOils.aspx

 

[prv]

There is a thick grease that is used for the protection of galvanised wire cable that is used for large cranes. I forget the name...

We used Rocol to protect galvanised running rigging on Stavros - is that the stuff?

I still reckon just painting on a bit of ordinary grease, then covering it to protect people's clothes, is all that's needed. Easy and simple.

Pete

 

[Avocet]

Excellent! Thanks all.

 

[cliff]

Or do it properly with hot dip coatings if you can remove the stub axles
https://www.cromwell.co.uk/shop/1106/hot-dip-coatings - I have used a lot of this sort of coating over the years - still have machined tooling coated 43 years ago (packed for shipping to new property and never unpacked until last year) without any sign of rust. - easy to use - just need a big enough container to hold the item to be coated and some method of heating it.

 

[cryan]

Denso tape is great for short times but make sure the metal is dry befor you put it on as it will hold moisture against it otherwise. Wire dressing is what you, funnily enough, dress wires with but it's probably a bit liquid for the job in hand. I would probably go down the denso tape route or just slather it with GP grease.

 

[Lakesailor]

I had some rather smart cleaned up metal parts on my last trials car. Almost polished bright they were.
As an experiment I sprayed them with clear lacquer that you use as the second part of the car paint process with acrylic paints (about £5 from Halfords etc)

It lasted over a year and was still smart when I sold the car. Just a bit of wet and dry to remove.

The starter was the first thing I did