When looking for this stuff and searching on line it looks like this is not a brand name. I there a specific brand I should be looking for? Many of the stone and cement sealer I saw said not for metal.

Thank you.

BTW I did pick up some penitrol.

You know, I can't tell you what brand I use, since I have it in an unlabeled can. I'll try to remember to call my supplier and ask her next week. I use it on metal in it works fine, though.

Rich

Thank you!

I have been getting some inspiration and ideas lately. I want to make sure I start out the right way protecting things.

If I use the penitrol do I have to wash it off for the sealer if I decide to use that in a few weeks or months on some thing?

Anytime you put a coating over another, different coating you are courting problems. One of the more dramatic examples is trying to put lacquer over enamel - the much hotter thinners in the acquer will lift the old enamel off the substrate, causing a real mess. Other materials have different issues, and some are just fine with each other, but it is hard to predict just what is going to happen.

I recommend that any metal finish be put over the bare metal. If there is a previous coating, remove it first to be safe.

The most durable coating for steel that is exposed to weather is probably hot-dipped galvanizing, but that isn't feasible for lots of people and lots of situations. The next best coating is probably automotive paint, properly applied.

By "properly applied" I mean the metal is first sandblasted, then degreased, then given a priming coat of 98% zinc primer. That is followed by a neutral oxide primer such as red oxide, black oxide or gray primer, preferrably an epoxy-based compound. Finally, three coats of high-quality automotive acrylic enamel with urethane hardener are applied. Such a coating will last for twenty years, even in a marine environment.

All of the simple clear coatings, such as Penetrol, linseed oil, spar varnish, Chatahootchee sealer, etc, are not going to last more than a year outdoors, probably. In an arid place like the Arizona desert they'll last longer, and in a rough environment like the sea coast or places with harsh winters, they will last less time.

Sunlight is a big enemy of coatings. UV is the culprit, and high-quality coatings have a heavy dose of UV inhibitors in them. Cheap stuff doesn't. Ozone will rapidly deteriorate most plastic-based finishes, too.

You will note that I haven't mentioned powder coating. I leave it out of this discussion because it cannot be touched up if it becomes chipped or damaged, and the steel will rust beneath it where moisture is trapped. It is a quick, easy coating for production work, but in hand made work I feel it has no place. Take the time to do the job right and you'll be rewarded with a piece that still looks good ten or more years from now.

If you wan ta "rust" finish that will be stable and durable, simply use a rust-colored paint and a matte clear over it. A bit of artistic use of some other colors will create a piece that looks for all the world as though it had no finish, but will not change for a decade or more. Hollywood does it all the time and you can, too.

Hmm, while looking for the clear coat stuff I saw plenty of paints that I thought would look very nice on my pieces. I kind of thought painting them was cheating but I guess all is fair.

Painting mine could also make them stand out and be different from what any one else does.

Actually, if you look at it right, not painting them is cheating. Here's why:

The "natural" state of iron is rusted to dust. Iron has an affinity for combining with oxygen to make iron oxides. (as a side note, this is why museum cases that are airtight have a small bit of iron powder in them - to absorb stray oxygen.) Iron oxide, better known as rust, is what you will inevitably have, sooner or later. The only way to prevent this is to stop oxygen from coming into contact with the iron.

Since the reason for putting any finish on iron is to prevent rust, the better you finish it, the better you protect it. If you just spritz it with WD-40, or wipe it with Penetrol, or use the homebrew finishes like beeswax, turps and linseed oil, you are stopping short of complete protection. For good protection (note I didn't say "complete" protection - nothing is forever) itis hard to beat automotive paint systems.

The auto companies have put literally millions of dollars and years of effort into developing the most durable, and still repairable, finishes possible. Why try to do at home what industry has already done better?

About the only thing better than properly applied good quality automotive paint is hot-dipped galvanizing. The benefit of galvanizing is that the zinc acts as a sacrificial anode during the electrolysis that happens when the iron comes into contact with moisture or damp air. Paint doesn't do that, it tries to keep the air/water away from the iron instead. This is why I recommend the 98% zinc primer coat on the bare metal - it takes care of the electrolysis issues that will happen if the integrity of the paint coat gets compromised by scratches, chips or dings. A "belt and suspenders" approach to preserving your work. It's all about preservations, right? Well, no. Not really. Therer's also the issue of aesthetics.

There is no reason at all that iron work has to look like it just got dropped on the smithy floor. It can, and should, look like the creator really cared about its appearance. A good finish should do that. With a bit of technique you can accent the texture of the work, create highlights and shadows, make it look like bronze, give it an aged appearance, or even make it look like rusted old iron without having it stain the floor. The possibilities are literally unlimited.

So there you have it. Unfinished iron work is just that - not finished. Finish the job!

Rich

Thank you. That helps.

If I understand it right the penitrol is just a layer of oil. The degreaser would remove it. So I could use the oil to protect the pieces till I was ready to pain them.

The wife likes to paint so that may be a good thing. I make them she paints them!

I may also look into the hot dip galvanizing. We have several places around here that may do that.

You need to read up on Penetrol, it seems. Penetrol is not an oil that you can later wash off with degreaser - it is a polymeric oil that will fairly quickly form long-chain polymers that are quite resistant to removal by mild solvents like degreasers. Lacquer thinner and a Scotchbrite pad would probably get it off, but there would be residue in crevices where you werw unable to abrade it, I think.

If you want temporary rust protection, I recommend a vapor corrosion inhibitor coating such as Bullfrog Rust Barrier or similar product. Most of these can be later removed by washing with hot water and strong detergent.

Rich