As a result, black steel pipes are more commonly used to transport substances like oil and gas rather than water. I used old but unused motor oil. Thanks for the recommendation (which you gave me at TechShop... should have told me you were the author of the Instructable! 6 years ago Share it with us! Steel that has been galvanized in the past can be sent to a galvanizing facility, removed of the old coating, and be re-coated all in-house. 2. wear safety gear and bring fire extinguisher outside with you...just in case note that during this part you will drip oil on/around the torch. References: Step 1: Prepare Metal Using acetone and a clean rag, wipe off excess oil, rust, etc off of your metal parts. The oil coating your part will ignite but will burn out soon. How to Clean Galvanized Metal of Peeling Old Paint. Reply In your intro, you mention doing this work outside in a safe area, and that "asphalt or concrete are ideal--a tarp probably won't cut it" I would caution against diong this over asphalt.....asphalt is a petroleum based mixture and can be damaged by the heat of the burning oil that my drip on it. To remove the shiny, new look from galvanized metal, submerge the metal item in a plastic tub or bucket full of white vinegar. To make a piece of galvanized metal look old and rusty and … All you have to do is simply apply the vinegar to a clean rag and then wipe down the galvanized surface. I think used oil should work but perhaps not as well since it may have less carbon to burn onto the metal. 7. when oil has burned off and your part is a reddish color, drop it in the bowl of oil, or "quench" it in oil. Each kit is different, so read the manufacturer's instructions carefully. More importantly, dousing a part in oil and then hitting it with a flame is not a great idea, let alone a good controllable process. Galvanized steel is a carbon steel that has been coated with zinc. Alkyd and oil-based paints may seem to stick at first, but the oily layer eventually "sheds" the paint. (pun definitely intended) Good work. Early this morning it … 1. set up workspace. 3. pour motor oil into bowl, about 2 cups were more than enough for me. 8. retrieve the part once again with the pliers. Thank you. I have been looking for a simple blackening process for nickel and will try this when I have a torch handy. Free Technical Support and Product Advice at (323) 262-8108 or Toll Free Outside CA (800) 282-3533 Tried this out this weekend using Canola oil, since it's a branding iron that will touch food and I didn't want to mess with motor oil. Reply Dip a swab cloth into the penetrating sealant and liberally rub it on the surface of the pipe. The pipe must be thoroughly cleaned before using the kit. The fact that oil is used as the quench means that the process of cooling is slowed significantly, again making the quench more akin to tempering.The knife you are making will need to first be hardened requiring a cherry red or even towards a straw yellow color prior to quenching depending on the mill spec. 6. hold part over flame, moving slowly as to evenly burn off the oil. Remove the pipe from the solution with stainless-steel tongs not coated with rubber and dry it with a soft cloth. It will feel oily for a few days, but it will be safe to handle after 24 hours. You might also use steel wool or a scotch brite if you need a little more abrasion. Its actually called "oil blueing" and is a way of protecting the steel from rust and corrosion, I have most often seen it used in the manufacture of firearms. Using acetone and a clean rag, wipe off excess oil, rust, etc off of your metal parts. For one thing, the source "ehow" article (which links to another site) is to say the least questionable ("Jane Smith" - seriously?!?!) Black steel is even less expensive than galvanized steel because it isn't coated or alloyed. ), 7 years ago Some kits contain everything you need while others contain just the black-oxide solution. I have annotated them for clarification. This is the basic technique for hardening steel, so be careful if you need your piece to not be brittle. Scraping old paint from galvanized steel is quick and easy with a plastic or wooden scraper. Especially when there is a much simpler, safer, and reliable method: use an oven. So yes you can melt a galvanized nail. Secondly I would suggest using isopropanol (rubbing alcohol) over acetone if you only need degreasing properties. Here is the process: Galvanized metal is usually zink or iron with a coating of steal sealed over it to prevent it from rusting. Let me know if it works! shouldn't hurt to try it at least on a bit of scrap! 10. place finished parts on rag and let cool well galvanized metal is nothing more than zinc coated steel. It’s exciting to get to share this with you today – I did a comparison test for us, so you can determine which method you prefer. February 2, 2012. I laid out two so that I could separate finished from unfinished. The water should be between 65 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. I just wanted to mention that this may seem like a hardening process that would lead to the piece becoming brittle but it wont.Two reasons for this....1. on Introduction. Blackening galvanized pipe is the process of changing the pipe's color. Immerse the steel in water. Moisture is highly corrosive to most metals including steel and zinc. Question Over time, the paint starts to peel and chip away. Actually ended up working really well using a plain propane torch (didn't even get the steel red hot). To paint galvanized steel, start by applying a latex-based primer evenly across the surface to stop the paint from soaking into it. Probably won't ignite, but will leave divots and depressions in the 'burnt' areas. There are two ways to blacken galvanized pipe: Remove or chemically alter the layer of zinc. This zinc oxide coating serves as a critical barrier that helps to protect the underlying steel from corrosion, oxidation and other damage from the elements. I recently did work for a doctor where his mother's house had to have sections of galvanized removed from the gas line and replaced with black iron. Make sure that you pour enough oil so that your part(s) can be completely submerged (1968) My Chemistry teacher showed me how to silver-plate a copper penny without heat or electricity. Cooling the metal stops the galvanization reaction, which continues as long as the steel is the same temperature it was while immersed in the zinc bath. Did you use fresh motor oil? This would probably have been a good time to be wearing gloves. For example, one method suggested mixing vinegar and bleach together. The most common method of zinc coating is the hot-dip process. Once contaminated with the black oxide, the tongs are not safe to use with food. 2 years ago Acetone is a pretty nasty solvent. Some kits include tongs while others do not. old. 11. wipe off with clean dry rag Opt for inexpensive bulk white vinegar since it may take quite a … The hot-dip process consists of submerging the carbon steel into a molten zinc bath (approximately 680 degrees Fahrenheit). This is not only not a great method, it is actually potentially dangerous. Cooling can be done in one of several ways: Immerse the steel in a passivation solution such as potassium hydroxide. I don't know if it's possible to get a nice mottled look on galvanized steel quickly, but you could test ferric chloride or patina made for zinc => Regards, Ted Mooney, P.E. If you don't have any or choose not to wear gloves, be sure to thoroughly wash hands after this process. on Introduction. If you're making a knife blade like I am, that's something to consider. This has been a method of protecting Ferrous metals for years. Add the section of galvanized pipe to the bucket. Expert welders suggest that hot-dipped galvanized metal produces more fumes and is more difficult to weld than sprayed-on galvanized metal. So sorry, and trying to be polite, but this is actually a pretty terrible method for oil-blackening/coating steel. Since the green pail was still usable, but not the galvanized metal I wanted, I decided to paint it to look like it was. Mix enough solution to where the galvanized pipe can be completely submerged. I do not think the amount of carbon present will be the issue, it is more likely that the used oil has more impurities in it which could result in a lesser appealing surface finish. Mixing these two things together causes toxic chlorine gas so definitely avoid that method, even if you’re working outside. Stainless steel. You might also use steel wool or a scotch brite if you need a little more abrasion. 9. repeat process 2 or three times per part to achieve desired finish Simple, neat, very nice. lay out rags to place your parts. But I feel like it should be mentioned that you MUST wipe off any oil and reheat the metal after you have repeatedly quenched it, or it will become brittle. Instead, it becomes covered in iron oxide (rust) during the manufacturing process. heavy leather gloves, jacket (welding attire works great), and safety glasses, metal or glass bowl (preferably one you don't care about). Hopefully you can get an idea of the setup from the photos in this step. Plating Sales: Black Oxide, Zinc, Phosphate and Steel Blackening Kit. This is a great instructable but I must point out that it would be far better to have some sand to extinguish any fire or soak any spilt oil. I am the founder & owner of STEEL F/X® Patinas, which began officially in the fall of 2006. Pipes are utilized in deliver gas and water, so no matter houses or construction needs pipes equally. Galvanized metal is a form of steel that has been thinly coated in zinc oxide. 5. submerse a part completely in the oil and retrieve with pliers I would filter the used oil first to get rid of any larger particles. on Introduction. The weather is not because n our side this year but thought I would give your process a shot rain or shine. There are two ways to blacken galvanized pipe: Remove or chemically alter the layer of zinc. Trash can terrible method for oil-blackening/coating steel mild low-carbon steel products known as black oxide for stainless steel alloys pipe. 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