Mill Scale

[Bert]

All you guys that make things that stay outside, like trailers and such...
do you worry about mill scale? My friend that used to build boat trailers, would lightly grind all his c-channel and everything else to take the mill scale off. Always warned me, that if you left it on, it would be the first place to rust. Needle gun or flapper wheel would somehow embed the mill scale into the good metal, so the grinding stone was better...any truth to that for you guys????
thanks,
bert

[fun4now]

some one on the ask andy side made a stripper for his square tube for mill scale removal. but i cant remember if rust was why he removed it ?? might be werth looking for, if i find it i'll post ya a link.

[Bert]

thanks James, look forward to it

[TS-Off-Road]

Yes, the mill scale has to come off if you don't want rust. I sand blast everything before painting, a good coat of epoxy primer, a urethane color coat, and it will pretty much last forever.

[Bert]

Ts-off-road

Yeesh! I wish I could sandblast everything! Over here, you're talking at least $100 for something small! Well, size of a coffee table for example
Price jumps as you get bigger of course...and I don't have anywhere to sandblast. Do you sandblast yourself? What kind of epoxy primer do you use?I'm thinking of "do it yourself type...
thanks,
bert

[TS-Off-Road]

Yeesh! I wish I could sandblast everything! Over here, you're talking at least $100 for something small! Well, size of a coffee table for example
Price jumps as you get bigger of course...and I don't have anywhere to sandblast. Do you sandblast yourself? What kind of epoxy primer do you use?I'm thinking of "do it yourself type...
thanks,
bert

The smaller projects I'll sandblast behind the shop and paint myself. I have a siphon feed blaster with a 5gal pail as a hopper, good enough for the small stuff. Omni, I believe is the brand of epoxy and paint. I get it at Napa. For larger projects, like a trailer or a chassis, I have a local paint shop do all the dirty work. It adds to the cost but a quality finish that will last many years is worth it and most customers are willing to pay for it.

[Bert]

very cool! last question, seems obvious, but: the epoxy is a 2 parter? I've seen stuff they call epoxy but it's just a 1-part thing.

[HMW]

We buy pipe called clean kote [I think] which has no mill scale on it and paints real well. Doesnt cost much more but dont have to clean up to paint. I think cold rolled has no mill scale and hot rolled does, I also think cold rolled is a little more expensive too. Hot rolled is a little softer it seems than cold so bending is a little easier. The dimensions on the cold rolled seem to be better though, that is if it matters that much to your project.

[TS-Off-Road]

very cool! last question, seems obvious, but: the epoxy is a 2 parter? I've seen stuff they call epoxy but it's just a 1-part thing.

Yes, it's a 2-part epoxy that I use. After you mix it, you have a certain amount of time to apply it and the color must also be applied within a couple of hours.

HMW, cold rolled is nice to work with and I have used it for many projects, but I still prep the surface the same way as I do hot rolled before painting.

[HMW]

Did you say you get it from NAPA?

[TS-Off-Road]

Did you say you get it from NAPA?

Oops, sorry, Car Quest. I get a lot of supplies from both. Guess I got 'em mixed up there!

[Jolly Roger]

On the mill scale I have had good luck on smaller stuff just buffing it off with a wire wheel on a grinder. Sandblasting is best, but this works when you don't have one.

[fun4now]

sand blaster....yet another project i have yet to build. just too many some day projects and not enough some day's....

[Bert]

thank you gentlemen, been a big help!...yeah...NAPA???

[man of steel]

re mill scale

in my experience ive found that there is a world of difference in the quality of your welds just from removeing te scale off any parts your going to weld.ceirtain jobs demand for what they call white clean, no grease mill scale etc. Definately makes for nicer finishes take care