"Bob Wheeler" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:I'm building up a bike using a rather nice vintage steel frame. There is
more rust inside the tubes than I would like. It all seems to be surface
rust, since a little steel wool removes it.Is there an oil or some rust prevention compound that I could use to coat
the inside of the tubes to prevent further deterioration, or even remove
some of what is there now?
Two broad categories for removal: physical, chemical.
If you can find a way to get the inside scrubbed - perhaps a Scotch brite
pad on a stick - that would do it. There are also various chemicals that
will remove rust but I've always scrubbed.
Prevention: same thing. Physical barriers to moisture and air or chemical
catylists that will alter the surface of the metal to make it in-oxidizable.
I don't know what kind of steel your frame is but Chrom-Moly Steel is fairly
rust resistant on it's own so it may require less protection (if any) than
other steels. My last CrMo frame lasted 14 years with no protection - in
horrible riding conditions, being put away wet - and it only had mild
surface rust (like a powder) on the unpainted tube interior, which didn't
affect anything.
I decided to protect my new frame innards and went with Linseed Oil, which
acts as a moisture & air barrier.
Bought at a hardware store in the wood finishing section - 1quart for about
$5, labeled "boiled linseed oil." Applied with a pump sprayer used to mist
plants. Left in bright sun to dry. Net result: inside of tubes have a
coating with a consistency somewhere between hard plastic and parmesan
cheese.
I looked for "Frame Saver" but it's unheard of within 500 miles of my home
and there's been some debate about whether or not FrameSaver IS in fact
Boiled Linseed Oil! I took the risk on a natural product. My apartment
smelled of linseeds for a week - not unenjoyable at all.
Highly recommended. Be sure to rotate the frame once the oil's in there to
ensure it all gets coated.
C.