Rust(not what you think)

['69Mach1Chick]

I figured you guys would know a lot about rust, lol. I know how to get rid of it but i need to know how to create it and fast too. I am making a project for art and it is going to be three dimensional letters. They are going to spell out rusty. I am thinking i will crush and break apart some rusty pieces of metal and form them into the letters monster garage style. i just was thinking of laying them flat and shaping them to the letters and putting some salt ad dirty water on them. I only have a week and a half. Do you think they will fuse together?

 

[bjam2]

Best thing to do would be to soak it in salty water, after a week it should be rusty. I doubt the rust will fuse them together though since rust eats away from the metal.

 

['69Mach1Chick]

how can i fuse them together then? I htought like decaying metal would bond. Idk, any advice? Maybe if i solder regualr etal and then rust it...will one week be enough time?

 

[Grabber1]

You could weld or solder them together. Try the salty water after that for the rust. .2-3 days in the water, followed by a couple days in the open air should do the trick. You could also try lightly sandblasting the metal before soaking in the saltwater, helps speed up the rust. Another technique is to dip the metal in a 50-50 muratic acid/water solution for a few days followed by a few days of exposure to the elements. Little messier though. Good luck.

PS. might be easiest to find an already rusty piece of metal and have someone with a plasma cutter cut the letters out for you. Check a local machine shop, they should have plenty of rusty scrap metal out back they would probably give you for next to nothing.

 

[bnickel]

straight muriatic acid would work best put it on and leave it for at least a couple of days before you rinse the residue off

 

['69Mach1Chick]

where do ii get this muriatic acid ???

 

[bnickel]

hardware store, pool supply store

 

['69Mach1Chick]

thanks guys

 

[67GTA-FB429]

all you have to do is speed the oxidation process....acid or electricty....those work very well.

muratic acid = nitric acid + hydrochlorlic acid = nasty friggin stuff. so wear gloves.

 

[gingerbreadman]

I remember a buddy of mine soaked his hunting knife in bleach over night, when he woke up in the morning the bleach did a number on the blade, i cant remember if it was rust or pits (corrosion) but just something to think about....



-gbm-

 

['69Mach1Chick]

thanks guys

 

[monk302]

Mach1Chick,

If I were you this is what I would do. Go over to a metal fabrication shop and ask them for some scrap thin gauge metal. From there a pair of tin snips and cut out the letters that you need. Best bet to get them together would be to weld them. After I had done that, personally I would score the hell out of the metal and throw it into the ocean for a little. It is amazing what salt water can do to unprotected metal in a short amount of time. Where in Northern NJ are you??

 

[akd67]

Welding instructor has the students wash thier pieces down with toilet cleaner to speed up the "character" of the metal.