How Can I Make Bolts Look Rusty

[Ausworkshop]

I have been asked to make a desktop item that involves weathering a piece of timber which I should have no problem with after my successful atempts with the barometer.

Thanks to advice from people on here I was able to make it look weathered as this is what the customer wanted.
http://www.handcraftedtimber.com.au/images/image2.jpg

Now I have been asked to make a small desktop item (paper weight) used for promotion of a product that needs to have a rusty bolt sticking out of it.
In other words it has to look like a weathered piece of timber with a rusty bolt sticking out of it.

Timber I can do no problem.
But I'm after ideas on the best/fastest way to make a metal bolt look like its been down by the sea side for 80years.

I need to make around 200 of these, :eek: basically a piece of a wooden jetty with a rusty ring bolt sticking out, it needs to look rustic and well weathered naturally.
Any suggestions people have for metal rustic techniques?

[Clinton1]

I can come over and touch them - I turn tools rusty overnight.... this could be the one time it is a gift rather than a hinderance.

200 rusty bolts, a bit hard to buy them!
Perhaps you could put them in a bucket of very salty water overnight (or pool chlorine?) and then let them rust naturally. Slow the rusting process by giving them a coat of varnish when they are 'rusty' enough. Getting stuck into the bolts with an angle grinder first could give them an 'older' look.
Guess it kind of depends on the time frame that you have.

[woodcutta]

I have used the following method to clean rust from tools.

Mixing washing soda and water in a large tub and then use a stainless steel electrode connected to a battery charger and the other to the tool. adjust the distance between the tool and electrode until about 1 Amp of current flows. Next morning the stainless electrode is covered in rust and the tool is clean.
I would get a piece of 6 mm X 25 flat steel and drill and tap for the size bolts you are using so you could do a batch at a time and use a rusty piece of metal in place of the stainless and see what happens. - In fact I will try it and post some photos.

Regards
woodcutta

[Ausworkshop]

I have used the following method to clean rust from tools.

Mixing washing soda and water in a large tub and then use a stainless steel electrode connected to a battery charger and the other to the tool. adjust the distance between the tool and electrode until about 1 Amp of current flows. Next morning the stainless electrode is covered in rust and the tool is clean.
I would get a piece of 6 mm X 25 flat steel and drill and tap for the size bolts you are using so you could do a batch at a time and use a rusty piece of metal in place of the stainless and see what happens. - In fact I will try it and post some photos.

Regards
woodcutta

Thanks for that.
Sounds good, bit of a hassle tho, I was thinking more along the lines of a bucket of acid overnight, I just dont know what acid or what would be fastest. Using an electrode type setup might mean it eats in to it more which is what I want, I kind of want it all un even looking like its been out at sea for years, not just an orange layer on the outside.

Will look forwar to hearing what happens if you do it, thanks mate.

[echnidna]

Soak them in vinegar overnight then leave them out to dry.
In a coupla days they'll be very rusty.

[Joash]

Yes, what i was thinking, mix them in a few chemicals, and let them dry, or just take em down the beach, in a secluded spot, and leave them for a week, I garantee they'll be well and trully gone.:D

Joash

[cub3]

Hi Andrew'

It will not happen over night! :)

Either use Hydrochloric / Phosphoric acid or Sulphuric acid (car battery) the more concentrated the quicker the result. Unfortunately I don't have the knowledge off which is the most aggressive.

Only immerse head's protect, thread's from fumes (grease will work) and PLEASE DO NOT Do Not Do It In Your Shed, the fumes will rust everything in sight.

If you want 80 years distress bolt head, knock of edges, a few divots and then shot blast aggressively (not sand blast) prior to above.

80 Year rust not very easy to replicate, i have spent most of my time trying to get rid of it, but then thank God for Pommy cars and their Oil leaks.

Regards.

Den

[watson]

G'day All,
If you heat the bolts to red hot in a metal container, using Heat beads and a vacuum cleaner on blow, they will cool down to a reddish brown, and soaking in any weak acid, like vinegar will turn them very rusty and cruddy.
Regards,
Noel

[soundman]

there are lots of things you can do but.

hydrocloric acid is available at any hardware.

It will rip any plating off the gear real fast...... watch the fumes they bite.
don't leave it in too long or it will all be :eek: gone.

you should be able to get a realy good etched effect.
don't rinse and leave out in the weather for a week, it its dry, water them each day. A sprinkle of salt wouldn't hurt either. on em if you like:confused:

should be rusty real quick.... you wont get flake in a week.

cheers

[bsrlee]

To 'age' iron and steel patches, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, suggest urinating on the bare metal and leaving it for 6 months in the New York weather - this gives about 500 years of 'patina' and pitting:cool: - Yes, I went there a few years back & visited the armour section, had it ask:)

Just make sure you remove all the plating & any paint/lacquer from the surface before adding your preferred rust accellerant.

Hydrocloric acid works quite well, it starts rust in a few minutes after the surface dries, but it may take a while to build up a good coating.

Burning and then burying in decaying vegetation should get a thick coat in a week or so if kept damp - don't leave it too long as the rusty surface will become seriously flaky, which is probably not what you want.

Another one that works is to heat the iron parts & wipe them with 'Browning Solution' intended for firearms - one brand is(was?) Birchwood-Casey. You can also use 'Cold Blue' but put onto hot metal instead of cold (how hot? hot enough to boil water) - very quick, permanent brown patina. THe 'Cold Blue' is likely to be a bit blotchy, specially if you have touched the metal with bare hands (skin grease).

[johnc]

I'd just use Hydrochloric Acid, can be done neat but would be very aggressive. I'd suggest a mix of 10 water to one Acid. Put about 500ml in a 20l bucket of water, drop in all bolts and leave for a few minutes you should see the acid working on the metal.

Tip the lot on to bare ground away from plants, concrete pets etc and hose off the acid. Toss bolts on lawn and leave overnight. The acid will initially leave the bots nice and shiney but that wont last long, there should be plenty of rust in the morning.

Perhaps try one bolt first as a test in case it does not meet your requirements. Acid is nasty stuff, don't forget eye and skin needs to be protected and follow all safety instructions.

There are plenty of good rust tips to try take your pick.

John.

[zathras]

Stay away from the Phosphoric acid, it is more useful in getting rid of rust than creating it.
It is the main ingredient in most rust removal products.
The black residue is Iron Phosphate, and this is chemically useful to retard future rust.

For the real geeks, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phosphoric_acid

[woodcutta]

Andrew

I think I left it 'cooking' too long. It would probably give the results you require in a few hours.

Pic 1 the Ruster and the Rustee
Pic 2 the setup I used (Always knew that Balck Wattle and 2 X 10 Red Cedar would come in handy0
Pic 3 Turned it on at 6pm last night and took it out at 10am this morning

Woodcutta

PS and who said it wouldn't happen overnight:rolleyes:

[cub3]

Andrew

I think I left it 'cooking' too long. It would probably give the results you require in a few hours.

Pic 1 the Ruster and the Rustee
Pic 2 the setup I used (Always knew that Balck Wattle and 2 X 10 Red Cedar would come in handy0
Pic 3 Turned it on at 6pm last night and took it out at 10am this morning

Woodcutta,

PS and who said it wouldn't happen overnight:rolleyes:

Hi woodcutta

I did,

That thing is Fried :eek: . I remember something being said about 80 years of rust, which can produce a bubbled effect not total annihilation! :D

I did mention to protect the threads :) you may want to use them ;)

zathras

I could not agree more. My ignorance :D

[woodcutta]

Cub3

Your right it is fried. Not sure if I got 80 years of rust - Maybe 79 years 8 months:D

I must admit it worked better than expected:eek: . I tried to rub it off expecting a shiny bolt with an 'electroplated' coating, but not the case. Just in that short period the bolt is quite pitted and the rust needed a wire brush to clean it off.

woodcutta

[Schtoo]

When I rehash files, I use vinegar to clean off the old rust, citric acid to re-sharpen.

Vinegar is kinda related to hydrochloric acid (add salt to strong acetic acid) so I would use a solution of hydrochloric acid to remove any plating, and then to bite into the bolt giving some pitting, which is always nice as rustic. :D

Then, don't oil it or anything just leave it be. The rust will arrive.

But a rusty bolt might look nice, but when someone pics it up they will not be happy with you, so you might need to seal it with something. I have no idea what will work without making it look painted on though.

[Shedgirl]

You can buy magic paint at hardware stores which gives an instant rust effect. I think it's a 2 step process which seals it as well, and can be applied to most surfaces. Good luck.

[watson]

You can buy magic paint at hardware stores which gives an instant rust effect. I think it's a 2 step process which seals it as well, and can be applied to most surfaces. Good luck.
Yep, Porter Paints also make it.
The missus bought some and I was a bit miffed, cos its basically a brown paint with iron filings suspended in it. When that's dry, you paint on the second part which is (you guessed it!) hydrochloric acid.
Very expensive product for what you get.
Regards,
Noel