How to Rust Metal_-_-_FAST

**lookingforrust** · 03-03-2012, 10:26 PM

Anyone know of a FAST way to rust metal. I have a couple sheets of metal with a zinc coating..Someone suggested to soak it in bleach and vinegar, but nothing happened. Looking for a fast way to rust metal...Im not sure if there is a certain type of metal that rusts better or faster than others....I checked online and there only a couple of vids of some guys using DC current, but i dont want to mess with electricity. If anyone has rusted metal quickly and successfully please tell me how you did it... i would really appreciate it. Im looking to rust metal in a few hours, if at all possible.

**Bear** · 03-03-2012, 10:30 PM

wire brush and water, repeat daily as needed

**Dumpster-Dee** · 03-03-2012, 10:32 PM

come to think of it, mine rust pretty fast if I leave them outside...rain and sunshine. So try watering them everyday and leave them in the sun.

**skylinejack** · 03-03-2012, 10:46 PM

What exactly would you want to quickly rust metal for?

**devo** · 03-03-2012, 11:03 PM

Bring them to Canada, drive around on our roads for a week, you'll have all the rust you need!

Seriously though heat them up, then expose them to moisture.

**lookingforrust** · 03-03-2012, 11:20 PM

thanks dev

**ScrappinRed** · 03-03-2012, 11:27 PM

make that salt water+sun and it will rust faster

**greytruck** · 03-04-2012, 01:48 AM

Sandpaper, and then salt water, throw it in the yard for a while

**Mechanic688** · 03-04-2012, 03:29 AM

Anyone know of a FAST way to rust metal. I have a couple sheets of metal with a zinc coating..

You have to figure out a way to get past the zinc coating, that's what it's there for, to resist rust.

**Mulden** · 03-04-2012, 04:09 AM

You will struggle as zinc oxidises as soon as it touches air, leaving a Zno2 coating over the steel, preventing rust. This eventually diintegrates over time as zinc is brittle, but can be worn away by friction.
Electrolysis will rust naked steel the quickest. Use a 6v battery and a bath full of saltwater with the steel as electrodes at either end. Do not use a 9v, 12v or 24v battery and do not use mains electricity. I'm afraid I've only tried this with a nail, which worked overnight, so I'm not sure how long a bath full will take.
You're not trying to make thermite are you? Bad idea, it's SERIOUSLY dangerous. Forget what you've seen on TV, it isn't worth a trip to A&E.

**harrisvh** · 03-04-2012, 08:16 AM

By the same way that Zinc is used as a sacrificial metal for boats and rigs on iron, if you use a block of tin or lead with a bucket of iron in water this time the iron will act as the sacrificial metal and rust faster than it would have done normally.

**miked** · 03-04-2012, 09:55 AM

Again, why???

**harrisvh** · 03-04-2012, 12:06 PM

Metals of higher reactivity when attached to other metals corrode more quickly than they would normally as they 'sacrifice themselves' This leaves the other metal free from corrosion. The flipside is also true when attaching a metal of lower reactivity. Now it is the other metal that corrodes faster.

**RustyDollars** · 03-04-2012, 02:37 PM

Basically you need to do a google on galvanic action and look at the galvanic chart. Each metal reacts differently to electrons, with the least noble of the two corroding or sacraficing itself. The further apart on the galvanic chart the metals are the greater the reaction will be. For practical purposes it looks like if you put copper and cast iron together (touching each other) in a salt water bath, the cast iron would rust quite quickly.

There's the science lesson for today. LOL

**skylinejack** · 03-04-2012, 06:15 PM

Originally Posted by miked

Again, why???

Guess, we'll never know.

**injunjoe** · 03-04-2012, 06:25 PM

Originally Posted by skylinejackjr

Guess, we'll never know.

But we can guess!

I see a reason!

**skylinejack** · 03-04-2012, 06:31 PM

Originally Posted by injunjoe

But we can guess!

I see a reason!

Me too, but I'm thinking it might be kinda shady.

**injunjoe** · 03-04-2012, 06:39 PM

"What that old rusty thing? I found it "

**G_P** · 03-04-2012, 07:05 PM

Trying to make thermite? Covering up theft? Broke something and replaced it in secret and now it looks to new?

**happyscraper** · 03-04-2012, 09:30 PM

I've herd of looking for scrap steel,alu.,copper,brass but rust????

How to Rust Metal_-_-_FAST

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