External rust, stripping & painting steel tanks

[akforsyth]

OK, so I take it most people do not like shiney toys here... How about glass beading a tank. Seen this done before on a steel and it looked really neet. Kinda like the hazy finish the oceanic regulators come with. Anyone do that before?

 

[FredT]

akforsyth once bubbled...
OK, so I take it most people do not like shiney toys here... How about glass beading a tank. Seen this done before on a steel and it looked really neet. Kinda like the hazy finish the oceanic regulators come with. Anyone do that before?

If the tanks are galvanized under a surface coat almost anything abrasive can wear away the zinc coating before you can stop it. If you intend to blast them you'd do best with an organic abrasive like ground walnut or pecan shells. Glass beads will work, but be QUICK aobut it and don't dwell on any one place very long.

My preferred treatment is just stripping any paint off the galvanizing chemically and then touching up the tank galvanizing with ZRC.

FT

 

[Aquamaniac]

Peel all the stickers off, Stencil your name on the side, and dive it.
The tank is there to hold gas, nothing else, what does the appearance do? NOTHING!!!!!!!

 

[Bob3]

I was just yanking your chain, haven't used up my wise@zz quota for the day. :tease:
I've done steel tanks, non-galvanized, with plain old rustoleum appliance white in the spray can. I prefer the zinc chromate for a primer 'cuz the oxide primer makes too thick of a coat.

 

[bobafett21]

Almost all of the tanks sold by my LDS are painted either yellow or black. Is there anything significant about the way the vendors are painting these tanks?

 

[akforsyth]

Thanks everyone for the responses...even the smart@zz ones. Why I was wondering is because of a tank with a pretty good gouge out of it, but still passes the tests. I was concerned about oxidation from the outside. Is this a valid concern, or just plain old nothing? TIA

 

[FredT]

akforsyth once bubbled...
Why I was wondering is because of a tank with a pretty good gouge out of it, but still passes the tests. I was concerned about oxidation from the outside. Is this a valid concern, or just plain old nothing? TIA

If the metal at the bottom of gouge is turning brown, it's a serious problem! If so, then strip at least the rusting area and a coule inches around it, wash it with phosphoric acid, and cold galvanize the gouge.

Steels are hard to hurt if galvanized, but the painted only bottles are simply a recoat job waiting to happen.

FT

 

[sailnj]

I'd paint them bright yellow so if you die it will be easier to find the corpse.

No really, I don't think there is anything wrong with painting the tanks if you feel like it and have some time and money to burn. If so use a one or two part polyurethane paint. You can get this stuff from your local paint store usually (it's used mostly for commercial and industrial work) or at a boat store like West Marine . They sell quarts of Interlux two part stuff which will work good and is pretty indestructable. It also dries to a perfect gloss if applied right, which shouldn't be a problem on a little tank.

One thing - don't spray it - DEADLY in that form.:boozer:

 

[fgray1]

I just bought a set of doubles, OMS 112 when I got home I noticed that the covering on the tank at the bottom was chipping and under it was a little rust not alot just some suface rust.
I scrapped the loose coating off cause I figured that was better than leaving a place for water to collect and rust the tank even more. I removed the rust with a wire brush and sanded the bottom by hand with a vibrating sander. My question is. Should I get the tanks hydro redone, It's not due for another 4 years.
I would like to protect the surface again. But don't know what I should use. I don't want to end up with the same thing happening again. I know your not surpose to bake the cylinders cause that will weaken the metal. I will be using these tanks as singles with boots on them so they should'nt get scrapped and chipped again on the bottom.

 

[totterfield]

Hi, i`ve recently bought a 15ltr cylinder, hasd 4 years of test left on it which is great, but it does have some rust on it, what would be the best thing to do with the rust, i wan`t to kind of get rid of it. i`ve been advised to to use a use a wire brush to get rid of the rust in a small section, then use some sort of silver pen to protect the metal, what sort of pen, where do i get them???

The larger biuts of rust i`ve been advised to use the wire brush again, then use an emulsion paint over the metal as an under coat, then gloss over that. the worst of the rust is in the boot location. what does this sound like??? any better ideas or tips that i could usae would be greatfully recieved, thanks Tom