Faber LP85 Rust

[mahjong]

The chrome-molybdenum finish of Faber tanks, like the LP85, tends to rust out rather quickly on the very bottom, where the tank drags on the ground. Has anyone ever heard of these tanks having a problem passing hydro or viz due to rust? Anyone know for around how long these chrome-moly finished tanks should be expected to pass hydro and viz tests (under normal circumstances)?

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Never heard that? Do you take the boots off and let them dry? I took mine off and left them off. Don't even know where they are. If they are anything like my steel 72's I'm only expecting them to last 50 - 60 years or so. My 72's are 58 and 60 years old respectively. And just passed hydro and vis. Main thing is don't let them sit in water, even in the boots, don't drag em around, set them down carefully on concrete, rocks, or other nasty floors or surfaces. Mine live on their own patch of carpet in the bedroom.

 

[mahjong]

But your old 72's are not chrome-moly finished, are they? What I'm talking about are the white Fabers. I don't believe these tanks go back that far.

 

[spectrum]

Mahjong,

Even a hot dipped galvanize finish will fail if dragged on the ground. So just what are you doing to these Fabers? Are they bootless doubles?

 

[mahjong]

Bootless doubles, exactly. Eleven years old. Not mine. But I've an opportunity to acquire them.

 

[spectrum]

Unless you make it a practice to handle them on pads or mats bottom damage would seem inevitable. It's a big part of the reason to use boots on singles.

Corrosion to failure is not the answer. Get used to cleaning them up and applying a cold galvanize finish. Add a white topcoat to match if you care to.

Pete

 

[OkByMe]

Someone just beat them up is all. I lay mine down (boot-less too, I don't try to stand doubles) on the bands and the bands have a rubber bumper glued to them so that I have 4 contact points. The other fabers are boot-less but much easier to handle as singles. Some people could tear up an anvil. You can clean the rust off with naval jelly, lightly sand and touch up the paint. Don't use that "cold galvanize" crap.

 

[scubafanatic]

Someone just beat them up is all. I lay mine down (boot-less too, I don't try to stand doubles) on the bands and the bands have a rubber bumper glued to them so that I have 4 contact points. The other fabers are boot-less but much easier to handle as singles. Some people could tear up an anvil. You can clean the rust off with naval jelly, lightly sand and touch up the paint. Don't use that "cold galvanize" crap.

...wasn't aware the 'cold galvanize' stuff was "crap" ?

 

[eelnoraa]

Almost every pair of Faber double I have seen, the bottom fiinish is somehow scrape off and some rust too. Wur buddy, AY (haha), put some epoxy patch on the bottom to protect the finish. Maybe you can try that too.

BTW, did you acquire them from him?

 

[OkByMe]

...wasn't aware the 'cold galvanize' stuff was "crap" ?

Total crap, I have seen it used in industrial situations that have actually hid the damage until the structures failed. No way I'll put that on my cylinders when epoxy enamel is easy and available. Color matches my Fabers too.