The message <Et48g.66816$(E-Mail Removed) >
from "Pet_@_www.gymratz.co.uk_;¬)" <(E-Mail Removed)> contains these
words:

> what would you (or anyone else) recommend for the best stuff to paint a
> non-galvanised, rusting, outside steel balcony with then Bookworm. ?

I'd be tempted to take it off and get it galvanised.

--
Skipweasel
Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.

On Tue, 09 May 2006 13:15:16 +0100, The Natural Philosopher <(E-Mail Removed)>
wrote:

>You might want to go over it and remove all old paint and use a chromate
>type primer on it though.

Where are you going to even _find_ a chromate primer these days ? Apart
from being horribly toxic, they're also far from the best choice for
steel.

A fire escape ought to have been galvanised to begin with. If it wasn't,
then it needs a good coat of zinc-based primer (Davids 182, or some
others) onto clean bare metal.

Pet @ www.gymratz.co.uk ;¬) wrote:
> Bookworm wrote:
>
>> Thats why North Sea Oil Rigs aren't painted with Dulux.
>
> On a thread hijack......
>
> what would you (or anyone else) recommend for the best stuff to paint a
> non-galvanised, rusting, outside steel balcony with then Bookworm. ?
>
> Ours is suffering badly where the previous owners used to bodge it up
> with normal gloss paint once in a while.
>
> and... :¬) what would be the best method of preperation to halt
> existing rust?
>
> I am thinking a compressed air "needle gun" for initial attack of paint
> & rust flakes.
>
> 'tis a job for this summer.
> :¬(
>
Chromate primer, or zinc primer.

Ive had best success with stuff like 'jenolite' which IIRC turns iron
oxide into iron chromate - a tougher proposition by half..then maybe a
zinc loaded primer to pseudo galvanize.

Ideally you would then use something like a tow pack epoxy paint al la
marine (yacht) paint..

Cleaning is simply down to getting everything loose off. - wire
brush,sandblasting, Nitromors etc.

Andy Dingley wrote:
> On Tue, 09 May 2006 13:15:16 +0100, The Natural Philosopher <(E-Mail Removed)>
> wrote:
>
>> You might want to go over it and remove all old paint and use a chromate
>> type primer on it though.
>
> Where are you going to even _find_ a chromate primer these days ? Apart
> from being horribly toxic, they're also far from the best choice for
> steel.
>
I was thinking of anti-rust treatments like Jenolite

> A fire escape ought to have been galvanised to begin with. If it wasn't,
> then it needs a good coat of zinc-based primer (Davids 182, or some
> others) onto clean bare metal.

Not so good if its already corroded.

Agreed galvanisation is the best starting point, but f its been drilled
or welded or assembles with non galvanised bolts, or non steel ones...

To those who think that Hammerite works, think again. Utter rubbish the
one time I tried it.

Chris Bacon wrote:
> Pet @ wrote:
> > On a thread hijack......
> >
>
>
> Wire cup brush on 9" angle grinder. Use a knotted cup brush to get rid
> of heavy deposits.


Just polishes the rust. Gritblast to SA2.5 is only way to remove rust.

Chris Bacon wrote:
> The Natural Philosopher wrote:
>> Ive had best success with stuff like 'jenolite' which IIRC turns iron
>> oxide into iron chromate
>
> Iron phosphate, isn't it?
Ah.. you may well be right, in which case I have been talking *******s..

On 10 May 2006 10:19:36 +0200, Chris Bacon <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>The Natural Philosopher wrote:
>> Ive had best success with stuff like 'jenolite' which IIRC turns iron
>> oxide into iron chromate
>
>Iron phosphate, isn't it?

Phosphides and tannates. At least you get tannates if you use the good
stuff (usually white) rather than Jenolite or plain phosphoric acid.

Not bad as a preparation of existing rust you can't remove, but it has
limited resistance to rusting in the future. In particular it doesn't
have the electrolytic protection that zinc coating (plate or paint)
offers.

Chromates are useful for aluminium (the yellow-green stuff) but they're
horribly toxic.

On 10 May 2006 00:50:58 -0700, "Bookworm" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>> Wire cup brush on 9" angle grinder. Use a knotted cup brush to get rid
>> of heavy deposits.

>Just polishes the rust. Gritblast to SA2.5 is only way to remove rust.

A wire brush on an angle grinder is a lot more effective than a slower
one on a drill. But use a good quality knotted brush, a thick apron and
a faceshield (not just goggles) or you get peppered.

Grit blasting is certainly the best, and the only practical way to get
into the corners - but a portable rig is messy and far from cheap to
hire. Even a larger "hobby" compressor would struggle with this sort of
work too.

Andy Dingley wrote:
> On 10 May 2006 10:19:36 +0200, Chris Bacon <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>> The Natural Philosopher wrote:
>>> Ive had best success with stuff like 'jenolite' which IIRC turns iron
>>> oxide into iron chromate
>> Iron phosphate, isn't it?
>
> Phosphides and tannates. At least you get tannates if you use the good
> stuff (usually white) rather than Jenolite or plain phosphoric acid.
>
> Not bad as a preparation of existing rust you can't remove, but it has
> limited resistance to rusting in the future. In particular it doesn't
> have the electrolytic protection that zinc coating (plate or paint)
> offers.
>
> Chromates are useful for aluminium (the yellow-green stuff) but they're
> horribly toxic.

I've used jenolite FIRST to stabilise the rust, then a zinc primer.