1 Season of tools

[Topspin]

The combination of tropics and salty air can kill all tools and you literally can watch them corrode. I clean them with a wire brush once in 6 months and give them a good spray of WD40 without wiping.
I have the impression that this is not a matter of instrument quality, as my premium tools corrode as well, especially at the hardened tips.......



-Richard

[JPA Cate]

Originally Posted by RaymondR

Make up tool rolls, with individual pockets for each tool, from heavy denim. Oil the tool rolls with engine oil and store the tool rolls in a plastic tool box. Denim holds the oil better than anything else I've tried and is pretty hardy as well.

I accidentally discovered this when I made some out of the legs of a pair of jeans I cut off to make shorts out of.

Absolutely, old jeans leg bottoms make GREAT tool bags. Have made countless ones.

Ann

[RaymondR]

If you want a more durable and persistent coating than just oil or grease Marine Penetrol or boiled linseed oil are drying oils. If they are sticky talk powder will fix it.

[wrwakefield]

I have had great success over the years [lots of tools full time onboard] using various Zerust products.

The capsules keep tools in tool bags and boxes [and fishing tackle] rust free. I also stick a capsule on the back of the Sailrite sewing machine [which lives in its heavy duty case] and similar cased tools and never see any rust.

The tabs are great for small areas.

Their treated non-skid [tool drawer liner] works great in roll-up tool pouches, and provides you a rubber matt to lay tools on.

I also use these products when vacuum bagging spare parts [I wrap larger parts in the treated nonskid before vacuum bagging].

They also sell various size plastic bags and drop cloths, but I don't have first hand experience using those products. [Yet...]

I recommend writing a date on the Zerust items as you disperse them so you can replace as needed. They last 2+ years.

In case this is of interest.

Cheers! Bill

[Cheechako]

Store the rusting parts in a snap top Tupperware type of box. The tool rolls mentioned work fairly well also. I think you can just buy them. Some tool cases like socket sets come with sealing plastic cases.

[HopCar]

Bill beat me to it.
https://www.zerustproducts.com/produ...-tackle-boxes/

[Pete17C]

I used to work with a guy that every so often would just pour some regular motor oil in his toolbox and give it a good shake, kept a good 1/4" on the bottom. He'd wipe 'em off when he used them, then back in the box.

[ferrailleur]

Just put the tools in a tight plastic tool box and spay a liberal amount of PB Blaster before closing it.... You're good for another year with no rust on your tools... just a clean wipe and they're good to go.

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

People with experience with boats do say, "rust never sleeps." Brown is the natural color of steel, just like green is the natural color for stuff that has copper in it. Accept that oxidation is a force of nature and you, well, you're Dorothy, small and meek.

You know the engine oil you can't get out of the jug? Save that into a wide mouth jar, like a bean dip jar. Dip rag, wipe tools with oil, store in canvas bags. It helps some. Cheap tools are more vulnerable. My Snap On sockets are fine, and the socket bar, but many tools we have tend to get a light layer of surface rust, and we don't actually wipe everything after each use, either.

As long as the bit still fits the screw, does it matter that the screwdriver is a little rusty?

Replace, or repair such bits. Don't sweat the rust. Phooey on it. Its presence doesn't mean you don't take good care of your tools, rather, it means there's salt in the air, and your ferrous or ferric stuff will rust. Back to force of nature beyond our control. It's presence on your tools means you're lucky enough to be someone who goes sailing!

Be of good cheer. Maybe you'll even get an answer that helps!

Ann

[rbk]

Originally Posted by ferrailleur

Just put the tools in a tight plastic tool box and spay a liberal amount of PB Blaster before closing it.... You're good for another year with no rust on your tools... just a clean wipe and they're good to go.

PB does a good job at dissolving plastics...

[HeinSdL]

Speaking about buying tools: one thing I never regret is to buy good quality tools. For many reasons but crucially: much less chance of damaging whatever you're working and.... when things go wrong and need fixing good quality tools become my best friends, as cheap rubbish becomes my worst enemy. And the quality stuff rusts less as well.

[Snore]

My boat tools are almost 7 years old. I have had 2 rust-outs and they were my fault.

First don’t by cheapo tools. Second tools need to get some love. I spray all my moving tools, pliers, ratchets, etc with Boeshield T-9. At least every 3-4 months. The parts that rusted up are my sockets, that I almost never use. Even then, because they were good tools, I was able to get working with aT-9 bath.

IMHO cheap tools will break when you need them the most!

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

I just don't store them in damp lockers

My thoughts too, is the boat damp? water in the bilges perhaps? what else is going moldy.

Pete

[tarian]

Originally Posted by Pete7

My thoughts too, is the boat damp? water in the bilges perhaps? what else is going moldy.

Pete

Yup humidity is you enemy a dry boat will not affect tool s that are stored in a dry container and dry.
There is no such thing as salty air , the salt is to heavy to be in the water molecules in humid air , salt gets into the cabin via spay . leaks, and your wet outer gear , on your hands etc. a humidifer is yuor friend , keep humidity at 50% or less for a dry mold free boat

[KP44]

I am careful about where I use tools and where I keep them.
My two Ancor crimpers look like new after 15+ years on Puget Sound and 4 years on the Sea of Cortez. I use them on deck and on the dock but they never stay outside after use.

Lots of tools have rusted a little. But most have done OK. Even tools on land, away from the salt, will quickly rust in Washington State unless they have a dry place to live. On working parts, I sometimes use some Tefgel, gun oil, or Boshield. WD40 is great for cleaning but it removes all oils. I recommend using some gun oil if you want a light oil.

[owly]

Nobody mentioned using a foodsaver, which should be a no brainer on a boat. You can put tools in vacuum sealed bags....... Not to mention clothing, etc. Best, foodsaver makes plastic boxes that can be vacuumed. Spray the tools with a light film of oil, vacuum seal them. Rust is OXIDATION.....a vacuum lacks oxygen.


someone needs to market a vacuum sealed toolbox...........



H.W.