Rusting bar clamps

[John]

I have many "bar" clamps of the "Quick-Grip" variety. They have served me
well for many years but have a tendency to rust. Since I live in Florida and
have a shop in my garage I am exposed to a humidity problem. My present
solution is to sand the bars and then apply a heavy coat of furniture wax.
It works.....for a while. Has anyone found an easy solution to this type of
problem, such as a spray that an be applied periodically?? Being
intrinsically lazy, I am looking for a simple, fast and economical solution.

John

[Lew Hodgett]

"John" wrote:

>I have many "bar" clamps of the "Quick-Grip" variety. They have
>served me well for many years but have a tendency to rust.

There are several phosphoric acid based products
that will neutralize the rust and leave a black oxide finish.

Pick one.

Lew

[whit3rd]

On Jan 31, 12:06 pm, "John" <jepp...@cfl.rr.com> wrote:
> I have many "bar" clamps of the "Quick-Grip" variety. They have served me
> well for many years but have a tendency to rust. Since I live in Florida and
> have a shop in my garage I am exposed to a humidity problem. My present
> solution is to sand the bars and then apply a heavy coat of furniture wax.

Presumably, it's steel? You can form a stable black oxide on steel,
by
removing the wax, heating, and either using a blueing compound or
(really old fashioned) some rags and vinegar. Clean the result,
heat again, and rub down with a waxy rag (paraffin will do, some
like beeswax); the slightly blackened steel will hold the wax better
than the clean post-sanding steel.

A dehumidifier, run in your shop for an hour each evening, will
probably prevent
condensation well enough to keep the steel bits from growing dewdrops.
I use a temperature/humidity "weather station" in the basement to
keep an eye on the hazard to all my rustables, and seasonally adjust
the
dehumidifier.

[Phisherman]

The solution is to keep the clamps inside a container, along with a
desicator. Wiping your tools with a rag dampened with kerosene is
effective in rust prevention.

[keit...@gmail.com]

On Feb 1, 9:26 pm, Phisherman <nob...@noone.com> wrote:

All my tools are kept in the garage for now and I don't seem to have
problems with most tools (I keep the TS covered and use Boeshield on
it) but I have noticed creeping crud on my Irwin bar clamps lately.
I'll try oxalic acid to get the stuff off the black oxide, but what
about using something like Boeshield on the clamps? I still want them
to clamp. ;-)

[Michael Kenefick]

based on a google search, it appears it should work on bar clamps as
well. It" displaces moisture and lubricates" just like WD40.

Mike in Ohio

[spaco]

Could you have them electroplated? Zinc or Cadmium. Fancy may would
be copper/nickel/chrome.

Pete Stanaitis
-------------------

[keit...@gmail.com]

On Feb 2, 8:42 am, Michael Kenefick <kenef...@copper.net> wrote:
> based on a google search, it appears it should work on bar clamps as
> well.  It" displaces moisture and lubricates"  just like WD40.
>

The lubrication part isn't really wanted on a bar clamp, like the
Irwin Quik Grips. I might use it on my Bessies. No rust on them,
though (Nickel? plated).

[hunter....@gmail.com]

Black copper oxide is the best way to prevent the bars from rusting. Wiping them with a coat of WD40 was also not helpful in my case.
I am going to do them on all my Irwin XP600 clamps.

[Keith Nuttle]

On 10/21/2016 5:28 AM, hunter....@gmail.com wrote:
> Black copper oxide is the best way to prevent the bars from rusting. Wiping them with a coat of WD40 was also not helpful in my case.
> I am going to do them on all my Irwin XP600 clamps.
>

Have you tried to apply car wax to the parts that are rusting. While
it takes a little time if there is heavy rust a very fine sand paper can
remove it with out damaging the surface. when the rust is gone apply car
wax and buff it out.

I use car wax on all of my equipment, such as the drill press and the
table saw. I also use it on some of my small tools that have a tendency
to rust.