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Thread: Brushed Stainless Rust Removal
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30th Nov 2020, 09:54 AM #1Novice
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Brushed Stainless Rust Removal
Not sure if this is the right sub for this.
I am working on a house on the beach front and they have brushed stainless everywhere.
I have the wonderful job of removing the rust that is forever starting.
I have used marine polishes before but due to the various materials and finishes around the stainless, I can't use a mechanical method.
I remember hearing about gels you could get that probably contained an acid of sorts.
I will be here for a month with a hand polish method and it would be like maintaining the harbour bridge.
Any suggestions?
Thanks in advance.
Trail.
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30th Nov 2020, 01:44 PM #2Most Valued Member
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Sounds like someone used the wrong SS, but that doesnt do you any good.
I'd be having a look at this for starters.
https://www.bunnings.com.au/chemtech...mover_p1107356
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30th Nov 2020, 02:58 PM #3Novice
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Thank you.
I'll go check it out.
As long as i can neutralise it i might be ok.
Problem i have is I can't just hose the stuff off incase it ruins the finishes around it.
I think it's all 316 but it's on the beach and all brushed finish.
Polished doesn't seem to teastain as bad.
Trail.
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30th Nov 2020, 03:10 PM #4China
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Whoever did the brushed finished most likely used steel wool, is it practical re-brush by running over with a Scotch-Brite wheel
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30th Nov 2020, 04:11 PM #5Most Valued Member
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I'm far from an expert on SS, but I thought 316 was pretty good in salt water.
Is it rusting all over or just in patches?
I believe you can contaminant the SS if for example you use the wrong wire brush/steel wool. But I doubt the people making the sheet would make that mistake, maybe someone doing touch ups?(and I really have no experience with how bad it gets)
Hopefully someone that knows more about SS will be along shortly
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30th Nov 2020, 04:51 PM #6Novice
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30th Nov 2020, 04:58 PM #7Novice
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It has been used in sheets, on balustrades, door hardware, bathroom fittings, outdoor kitchens etc.
Many are custom pieces but some are of the shelf.
The tea staining is patchy but consistent.
Unfortunately it's surrounded by teak, limestone, marble, off form concrete etc so i have to be super careful about any product put on it.
Fingers crossed a stainless expert jumps on.
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30th Nov 2020, 05:11 PM #8Gear expert in training
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All stainless WILL rust eventually without some form of protective treatment due the presence of "free iron" on the surface. We make several stainless components at work that need to withstand marine conditions and they all have to be sent out for passivation to make sure they're safe; even the little M3 screws we use in the build process.
https://www.australwright.com.au/tec...ainless-steel/
Can't help with how to clean it off though :/
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30th Nov 2020, 06:58 PM #9Most Valued Member
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As said above..ss will stain with rust.
...its called stainless...how badly it corrodez is something else. The large SS saucpan that we use as cats water bowl in tedtshed garage gets metal in it from time to time from grinding etc..lots of stains. Using steel wool seemed to increase the staining. I now use scotch brite and staining is slowly disappearing
Most of this is from fallout in the atmosphere.
Believe it or not when we were cleaning water cooled condensers on a boat the tube plates were 316....no rust stain.
316 is not magnetic...314 is slightly.
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30th Nov 2020, 08:39 PM #10
Whatever you do, don't go near it with steel wool, the steel will penetrate the surface as the wool breaks down and will produce a lot of minor rust dots a few months later. Scotchbrite is good and available in a range of grades denoted by colour. It is available in pads or for a variety of mechanical systems, but you need to match the colour to the original finish or you will produce a very blotchy finish, too coarse a material will produce a scratched finish much coarser than original, too fine a material will almost polish the existing brushed finish off the material, either are atrocious if you are just doing touchups and leaving areas alone.
There are a range of machine finishing wheels, belts tyres etc available and each produces a slightly different finish, ans do pads with hand work. When we were in trade, we would prepolish all components before they reached welding, then refinish around the welds afterwards with the same methods and devices to ensure that we could achieve a consistent finish through a product range, as it is virtually impossible to replicate the as supplied surfaces in final polishing.
There are some wipe on wipe off Stainless Cleaner products available in the cleaning section of the supermarkets. They do a great job of cleaning finger prints, ingrained dust etc off already marked surfaces, and reduce the propensity to attract more prints and dust, but I would not expect them to remove rust stains or tea staining. They also leave a slightly oily film on the surface as protection, but this can be an issue for surfaces intended to be handled, such as hand rails.
Personally I avoid stainless around the home wherever I can because it is an ongoing maintenance problem.I used to be an engineer, I'm not an engineer any more, but on the really good days I can remember when I was.
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30th Nov 2020, 09:04 PM #11Novice
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Brushed Stainless Rust Removal
Phosphoric acid might work sold as rust converter and coco cola
Try some coke first to see if it works. Just have to wash the sugar off that rust converter doesn't have.
Does the job on chrome.
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30th Nov 2020, 09:51 PM #12Member: Blue and white apron brigade
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1st Dec 2020, 06:42 AM #13Novice
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I have worked in stainless for 30 years and have a house on the water with some stainless around it so have first hand experience with it. First off 316 stainless will tea stain in salt conditions so I use WD40 to keep on top of this. WD40 will remove some small amounts of rust over time if you keep using it and polishing the surface. Problem is WD40 will stain other surfaces like glass and timber but it does a great job. The surface finish has a lot to do with the corrosion resistance and a satin finish will tea stain much quicker than a bright or polished finish and that's why on boats you use polished stainless. Welds that have not been passivated will rust and you're only option would be to use pickling gel which is serious dangerous stuff and I would avoid using only if you are in a controlled area with proper protective gear or you could go with a Fronius Tig brush which can do a great job on minor rust, both these methods will discolour the stainless and leave a frost like finish though.
I would give WD40 a go fist with hand polishing using a cloth first but expect to do a lot of work. Using a scotch brite pad will change the surface finish and could make your job bigger.
Good luck
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2nd Dec 2020, 12:49 PM #14Senior Member
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Oxalic acid from hardware store or
Citric acid from pool shop.
Both will remove ferrous stains. Can use a fine scotchpad, brown ones are better but only go with the grain.
I used to use both the above instead of pickling paste to passivate welds but used a electroplating powersupply to work in same fashion as a fronius brush.
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2nd Dec 2020, 12:56 PM #15
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