I have large container cranes that have a lot of rust on the structured Iron Beams. What method of removing rust and sealing would you recommend? Would a wire wheel and primer/paint be the best option? Or is there a better product that is paintable?
Sandblast and repaint
Let’s see some pictures
Ditto pictures. Wire wheel good on some surface rusts, but thicker layers better to rattle and scrape at it first (air hammer with the right technique, then needle scaler, then finish off with wire brush or abrasives). Depends on the rust. Sandblast for best finish, tho.
No pictures huh? probably knotted wire wheel on a grinder, then ospho. Needle scale it first if the rust is bad enough. Sandblast is better, but messy.
There’s a product on the market that goes on like paint. It’s used in the auto industry that seals and prevents new rust from forming.. & wouldn’tcha know it, I forgot the name of it..
hint : POR-15
thanks C.O.. !!!
Get some oxalic acid powder from amazon. Mix some with some water and coat the rust. I rinse then coat the surface with phosphoric acid to seal it. POR 15 is the best! Takes a little time but it does not cost very much.
There's also rust converter that turns rust into something that doesn't cause corrosion and prevents future rust. It's available in brush on or spray cans and is black in colour. I used it on part of my track adjusters where rust is common from dirt piling up. I've seen it branded Rust Converter but I think there are other other brands and names for it as well. To remove the rust a flap wheel in a grinder is another option. Knotted wire wheels work but leave the surface almost polished. I think roughing up the surface a little will help the new coating adhere better.
I did the por=15 on my truck frame several years ago, didn't work at all. Followed all the steps, etc. I think theres a point where steel is so deteriorated that theres no saving it. This is a pic from just a few years after the por treatment, the next stop for this frame was the junkyard, ten cents a pound. Good old road salt.
Knotted wire wheel‘s do tend to leave a polished surface… I have had best success with: prep as much as possible (flap wheel, grinder etc…) then 2 part epoxy primer then Imron (polyurethane) finish. Tried por 15 once didn’t seem to work at all (maybe my prep wasn’t good enough?)
I’ve had mixed results with POR 15. Even when following their instructions and using their system of chemicals. I still use it for small projects. Nothing critical. Zinc Chromate primer was the bees knees. Until the Feds took it away from us normal people. Paint and primers have changed for the worse.
I used several different kinds of rust preventer when i was welding patch panels in rusty pickups . They seemed to help but i wasnt smart enough to wright the names down.
SpaceTentacle hasn't logged in since June 12th. Another question posted and we may never know if he took anyone's advice. Or if he did anything about the rust.