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Steel finishing question

Rob Sigafoos - Friday, December 14, 2007 - 12:04pm
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Some friends recently pulled what looks like an old operating shaft from a tractor out of and old well on their property. It is a 1" diameter round steel shaft (heavily rusted) with some hardware on one end. I would like to use the hardware end as a base and forge some (yet to be determined) sculptural shape on the other end. I would like to keep the rusted patina on the hardware (base) end and transition to a wire brush finish with a lacquer finish on the forged end. This will be a relatively small piece for indoors. How should I treat the rusted end? Should I just leave it as is, or try to put a lacquer finish over the whole thing? Should I consider a completely different approach?
-Rob


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visitor's picture

You might try using boiled

visitor - Friday, December 14, 2007 - 1:28pm

You might try using boiled linseed oil. Thin it out with mineral spirits and add a bit of jap drier to speed up the drying process. Thinning the oil out helps it penetrate. After it's sit-up a bit, you can finish with just linseed oil and dryer. It leaves a nice low gloss finish.

I like using linseed oil on anything I can. It's easy to apply, forgiving in nature and inexpensive. It will stay tacky for a few days :-(


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Jim Cotter's picture

As far as the rusted end is

Jim Cotter - Friday, December 14, 2007 - 10:35pm

As far as the rusted end is concerned I would go au natural
just debride the loose rust and let its realness shine thru.

Theres a strong contingent of people that like rust out there. believe you me.

Are you the same Rob Sigafoos who is head farrier at New Bolton Center? I remember abour 16 years ago I went to dinner with a veternarian friend of mine and you had some polymethylmethcrylate for fixin horse feet. That stuff was great saved my bacon more than once .

Cheers


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Rob Sigafoos's picture

Jim- Many thanks for the

Rob Sigafoos - Saturday, December 15, 2007 - 1:09pm

Jim-
Many thanks for the thoughts on the rust. I would like to go with the unfinished surface on the rust- I was just concerned about the rust shedding on someone's white tablecloth... Anyway, I guess you can't have everything. Yes, I am the same Sigafoos that was at NBC. 30 years of shoeing horses got the better of me physically, so now am quite happily enjoying retirement! Glad the glue helped.
-Rob


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visitor's picture

The color will change with a coating.

visitor - Friday, December 14, 2007 - 11:47pm

Applying a coating generally changes the color making the appearance darker by saturating the surface and changing the light reflection characteristics. Also, how close the heat gets to the rusted areas is critical. High heat will change the color too. You may want to experiment a little bit.

Tom.


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Rob Sigafoos's picture

Tom- Thanks for the advice.

Rob Sigafoos - Saturday, December 15, 2007 - 1:13pm

Tom-
Thanks for the advice. After I finished the forging, I was thinking that I might just finish the upper part, allow the finish to cure for a few days, and then carefully bag the finished section and leave the exposed area outside in the weather to "re-rust" the base. Any thoughts?
Rob


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Jim Cotter's picture

post a picture of the piece

Jim Cotter - Sunday, December 16, 2007 - 12:21pm

I know what you mean about the wear and tear of horseshoeing, I got out of it back in 1995 and am happy I did.

Could you post a picture of the object you are working on?


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Rob Sigafoos's picture

Jim- I will be happy to once

Rob Sigafoos - Sunday, December 16, 2007 - 12:27pm

Jim-
I will be happy to once I finish (start on?) it. What sort of work are you doing these days in your post farrier days now?
Rob


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Jim Cotter's picture

I have been working for this

Jim Cotter - Sunday, December 16, 2007 - 2:04pm

I have been working for this co

http://www.vintagestudios.com/

We take salvaged ironwork and retrofit it into furniture
it is steady work which is nice.
I also sell my own creations either privately or in galleries in the NC mountains.


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feorge's picture

hello rob

feorge - Monday, December 17, 2007 - 11:20pm

hmmmm...emmaus

now the whole metal thing is fun. but did you ever ride a skateboard???

back to your question, i might leave the rusted end alone when rust gets lacquered it tends to absorb and get shiny it just doesn't look so natural...

Feorge


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Rob Sigafoos's picture

Feorge- Thanks for the

Rob Sigafoos - Tuesday, December 18, 2007 - 11:10am

Feorge-
Thanks for the advice. I wasn't sure what would happen if I put a finish over rust, and it wouldn't be something I could easily undo.
Rob


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Gene Olson's picture

You might try sealing the

Gene Olson - Tuesday, December 18, 2007 - 12:43pm

You might try sealing the rust with sodium silicate. That would lock everything down and then dry to a mat finish.
kind of make it into a film of low grade iron ore.

I doubt it would do much to keep the thing from rusting further in the presence of water, but it would probably help keep the rust from chalking off on stuff.

Some waxes dry to a matt too, they would be good candidates for sealing.
Note that they do fill the pores, give the surface a bit of translucence and act as a wave guide that takes light further into the grain maze. That means less reflected and the surface is darker.

Gene Olson
Sculptor
Elk River, MN


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blindhogg's picture

I have used Permalac quite a

blindhogg - Thursday, February 7, 2008 - 12:44pm

I have used Permalac quite a bit with good success in situations such as this.
http://www.permalac.com/

I beleive I got it from a guy in California that sells all kinds of Patina chemicals.

Chris


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Curtis Warnes's picture

you could clear it with

Curtis Warnes - Thursday, February 7, 2008 - 9:06pm

you could clear it with poly, it will darken but depending on if you like the bright orange or the chocolate rust, would determine if you should seal it or not. The great thing about poly from my experience is you can torch it off and start over if you don't like it, I do it all the time, it is amazing how different rust colors will change the appeal of a piece. Re-rusting is something you can achieve in a matter of a coulpe days with a simple formula if you are interested I can give it to. I can't take the credit for the formula but it works great and is all house hold items.

CW


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