Sharing my research about how to cure rusty bumpers

[escapeez]

Our bumper is looking a little road weary since being in the snow of Illinois last winter with the salt on the roads. The prop tanks also took a beating and are rusting a bit - so I went in search of something we could use to treat them without causing pain to the environment and also do in a park without fear of causing others discomfort in any way. We are full-time so have to take care of things sometimes on the way!

I found this stuff called Rust Doctor that eliminates rust and primes in one step - just my kind of thing! Here's the URL Rust Doctor

I have ordered it and will let you know how it works out! You don't even have to scrap the existing paint down to metal as long as the paint is tight where it isn't rusted.

Pictures forthcoming once it's done - I just thought someone else might be having this little battle with the steel on their rigs and am offering the benefit of my research!

I have talked to some of the folks at the company with lots of questions and they were very helpful. If this stuff works how easy can it get!? And it's environmentally safe for everyone.

Soon as it's done I'll post pics

Tally-Ho,
escapeez


Visit us on the web and listen to some great music for your journey! LoveShack on a smooth track

[overlander63]

If you have the sprayer, you can get this same product in a non-aerosol version, called Ospho. It is available at auto body supply and some hardware and paint stores. You can brush it on, or use a paint sprayer.
Terry
(in Florida)

[escapeez]

Excellent tip argosy20 - thanks. I will keep a look out for that as we may need more than we recently ordered.

Are you sure it's the same product?

[wahoonc]

I believe Osphos is acid base...like in Phosphoric Acid, we used to call it Naval Jelly. Here is a link to another product similar to the Rust Doctor. I have used this on motorcyle gas tanks and frames with great results. It performs as advertised!

http://www.rusteco.com/


Aaron

[dinoburb]

Hi Folks,

Another product that the automotive 'rustorationists' swear by is POR-15. Expensive and it works. Here's a link:

http://www.por15.com/

Take care,

Sean

[overlander63]

Guys and girls, here is the instructions for Ospho. Nowhere does it say anything about rinsing off the product:
RUSTED METALS - OSPHO is a rust-inhibiting coating - NOT A PAINT You do not have to remove tight rust. Merely remove loose paint and rust scale, dirt, oil, grease and other accumulations with a wire brush - apply a coat of OSPHO as it comes in the container - let dry overnight, then apply whatever paint system you desire. When applied to rusted surfaces, OSPHO causes iron oxide (rust) to chemically change to iron phosphate - an inert, hard substance that turns the metal black. Where rust is exceedingly heavy, two coats of OSPHO may be necessary to thoroughly penetrate and blacken the surface to be painted. A dry, powdery, grayish-white surface usually develops; this is normal - brush off any loose powder before paint application.

This is from their website, www.ospho.com
Happy de-rusting!
Terry
(in Florida)

PS: All these all are excellent products, and probably what you use would be your own personal preference. This stuff comes in a bottle you can brush on if you like. Since the original poster lives in Southern California, they may want to use it instead of an airborn product (smog reduction)

[escapeez]

Here's what I found comparing the two products so far.

Ospho has a safety sheet document [pdf file] on their site with the hazardous information about the product. Ospho has an acidic smell is an eye, skin and lung irritant. It creates a gas while it's working that releases a strong smell into the air.

This is the problem. Our homebase is Oregon, but we are here in California for a while doing a project. We are staying in a park and wanted to take care of a little rust on the bumper without causing problems with those who are parked permanently around us. A lot of people do small projects on their rigs - nothing major is allowed - but painting or polishing is ok, so we had to find a product that wouldn't become an irritation to anyone with toxic fumes or was hazardous to pets or people and didn't need to be rinsed.

I have also gone to the sites of everything suggested here so far and looked up the safety info. Naval Jelly has to be washed off and presents a threat to water supplies, nearby creaks etc.

I also looked up the safety sheet on Rusteco and it's far better than Ospho, but still includes the following:

Prolonged exposure to vapor or mist may cause irritation in eyes, nose, mouth and/or throat. It warns against using in an enclosed environment. And also that there is the danger of combustion under certain conditions.

The rest of the specs on Rusteco are pretty respectable environmentally speaking, but it does present some possible problems if over-exposed and fumes while it's working.

The following is directly from The Rust Doctor site:

Non Toxic and Non Flammable!
There are no solvents or strong acids in Rust Doctor. This allows you to restore rusty surfaces without the fear of toxic fumes or potential skin irritation. Rust Doctor can be sprayed in an enclosed environment without the need for special breathing equipment. Clean-up after using Rust Doctor is easy and only requires washing brushes and spray equipment with soap and water. Rust Doctor is a one step process and does not require any chemical preparation of the rusty metal or rinsing after it is applied. Shelf life is two years and the container can be opened and closed as many times as necessary. And, unlike many other solvent-based rust paints, Rust Doctor is completely non-flammable! It is an ideal product for customers who are concerned about the risk of fire whether at home or at the workplace.

The different methods of delivering rust to an oxidated stage of magnetite or another variation is unique in each product.

I've even found products that say their environmentally friendly but present lots of problems for the user that wouldn't be possible for us to use in this circumstance - this was a tough search and I was honestly surprised to find anything that would make it possible to do this in an occupied environment.

Most interesting to follow up on products posted here!

Andi
aka escapeez
[currently in California]

[overlander63]

[quote]Non Toxic and Non Flammable!
There are no solvents or strong acids in Rust Doctor. This allows you to restore rusty surfaces without the fear of toxic fumes or potential skin irritation.[end quote]

Guess I will be looking for this stuff, instead of my old favorite. It seems a lot less lethal.
Terry
(in Florida)

[escapeez]

My thoughts too Terry! Why be subject to hazards when you don't have to....?

I have ordered this product a couple of days ago, when we try it I'll post some pics so you can see if works well!

Until then....
Andi
[currently in San Diego, California]
escapeez



"Swimming in the Sahara" soothng instrumental CD is now available from the Airstream travellin' duo LoveShack.Listen to tracks from "Swimming in the Sahara" online!

[Dman]

Originally Posted by escapeez

Here's what I found comparing the two products so far.

Ospho has a safety sheet document [pdf file] on their site with the hazardous information about the product. Ospho has an acidic smell is an eye, skin and lung irritant. It creates a gas while it's working that releases a strong smell into the air.

This is the problem. Our homebase is Oregon, but we are here in California for a while doing a project. We are staying in a park and wanted to take care of a little rust on the bumper without causing problems with those who are parked permanently around us. A lot of people do small projects on their rigs - nothing major is allowed - but painting or polishing is ok, so we had to find a product that wouldn't become an irritation to anyone with toxic fumes or was hazardous to pets or people and didn't need to be rinsed.

I have also gone to the sites of everything suggested here so far and looked up the safety info. Naval Jelly has to be washed off and presents a threat to water supplies, nearby creaks etc.

I also looked up the safety sheet on Rusteco and it's far better than Ospho, but still includes the following:



The rest of the specs on Rusteco are pretty respectable environmentally speaking, but it does present some possible problems if over-exposed and fumes while it's working.

The following is directly from The Rust Doctor site:



The different methods of delivering rust to an oxidated stage of magnetite or another variation is unique in each product.

I've even found products that say their environmentally friendly but present lots of problems for the user that wouldn't be possible for us to use in this circumstance - this was a tough search and I was honestly surprised to find anything that would make it possible to do this in an occupied environment.

Most interesting to follow up on products posted here!

Andi
aka escapeez
[currently in California]

How much Rusteco do you all think would be needed to do my frame on my 1964 AS Safari?

[biggoofball]

Has anyone tried this?

sorry