Never had a rust problem in my basement. For years I didn't protect them. Recent years I always sprayed Rem gun oil on them after every use. I probably reload once every 2-4 weeks. The last month I started spraying all my dies and small tools with WD40 Anti Corrosion. Most grades of stainless steel cannot be hardened and shouldn't be suitable for dies? You only get rust if you just store the dies unprotected for long periods of time in a humid envirionment. I put small parts in plastic container and spray with oil (allen wrenches, mandrels, chamfer tool, dies, turner ect.). Wipe the press and trimer with an oily cloth. You need to protect tools.
Rust issue in reloading room.
- Thread starter Kevin1990
- Start date
Just a heads up but if you have a toilet in/adjacent to your reloading room: Don't ever use those blue tablets in the tank to keep it clean. They release chlorine ions into the air which WILL cause rust on anything that will rust. Ask me how I know.
Here in the South everything wants to rust from the high humidity (even with a de-humidifier sometimes) and perspiration/fingerprints. My best solution so far has been to Cerakote dies and any other bare steel items that lend themselves. It has worked especially well on Wilson dies.
Here in the South everything wants to rust from the high humidity (even with a de-humidifier sometimes) and perspiration/fingerprints. My best solution so far has been to Cerakote dies and any other bare steel items that lend themselves. It has worked especially well on Wilson dies.
FNSafari
Gold $$ Contributor
Sounds tidious way to protect stuff. always packing and unpacking. Too small for a press or trimmer. I concider most stuff on the market unproven. Not necessary for ammo.
I now live in (‘upstate’) NY while much better humidity wise than Long Island, it’s not dry.
Me reloading and work benches are covered with bare 1/4 “ steel plates. Having a heated and air conditioned basement those steel tops have no rust. Of course I wipe them off but other than that they’re bare. So my thoughts are having heat and A/C the humidity is kept to a level that does not cause rust. Of course oil, solvents, grease are spilled on that top, but I just wipe it up.
Me reloading and work benches are covered with bare 1/4 “ steel plates. Having a heated and air conditioned basement those steel tops have no rust. Of course I wipe them off but other than that they’re bare. So my thoughts are having heat and A/C the humidity is kept to a level that does not cause rust. Of course oil, solvents, grease are spilled on that top, but I just wipe it up.
snert
Silver $$ Contributor
I live in PA. My room is a cement vault in the basement.
I have a fan and dehumidifier in the summer running constant. I have a humidity guage on the wall. It stays no higher than 65% in summer. In winter I run a oil filled electric heater and dehumidifier full time.
I have 6 one pound bags of those beads in a box and I change them every month...into the oven for 2 hours then back into the room.
I do not have any rust issues. But if the power goes out I am rusting within a few days.
I try to keep the room below 50% humidity all the time.
Eventually the room will have a heat (FHA) and AC vent, but right now it relies on the circulation from other rooms.
I have a fan and dehumidifier in the summer running constant. I have a humidity guage on the wall. It stays no higher than 65% in summer. In winter I run a oil filled electric heater and dehumidifier full time.
I have 6 one pound bags of those beads in a box and I change them every month...into the oven for 2 hours then back into the room.
I do not have any rust issues. But if the power goes out I am rusting within a few days.
I try to keep the room below 50% humidity all the time.
Eventually the room will have a heat (FHA) and AC vent, but right now it relies on the circulation from other rooms.
I inherited my Fathers stuff from Florida, primers, powder , guns, dies, some stored kinda OK and most not at all thrown in a hot Florida garage, since 2002!!! No rust EVERYTHING GOES BANG, S&W ALCO primers from the 60's!
Ton of great ideas guys thank you!
I think I’ll clean Em off real well. Oil with one of the products suggested and then put them in the bags @GPalman suggested. Or get desiccant packets and put them in bags into a tool chest I have down there.
@Rocketvapor doh! Yes a DE humidifier. I do have one. That will be running 24/7 in the summer. Here’s where the problem is I think. I burn wood quite a bit in the winter. Probably 6-8 facecord a winter. My humidity meter has gone down as like as like 18%. But when the fire goes out and I don’t burn for a day or two the humidity will go back to between 30-50 percent. Plus it’s like a sauna in my basement when the fire is going and gets cold when it’s not, so there is wild temperature changes unfortunately.
In the summer I have gotten to 70% down there. So I guess I’ll just keep the humidifier plugged in and keep it at like 45 or 50% percent, so when the fire goes out that will kick on.
I think I’ll clean Em off real well. Oil with one of the products suggested and then put them in the bags @GPalman suggested. Or get desiccant packets and put them in bags into a tool chest I have down there.
@Rocketvapor doh! Yes a DE humidifier. I do have one. That will be running 24/7 in the summer. Here’s where the problem is I think. I burn wood quite a bit in the winter. Probably 6-8 facecord a winter. My humidity meter has gone down as like as like 18%. But when the fire goes out and I don’t burn for a day or two the humidity will go back to between 30-50 percent. Plus it’s like a sauna in my basement when the fire is going and gets cold when it’s not, so there is wild temperature changes unfortunately.
In the summer I have gotten to 70% down there. So I guess I’ll just keep the humidifier plugged in and keep it at like 45 or 50% percent, so when the fire goes out that will kick on.
xr650rRider
Silver $$ Contributor
Don't ever have even a small container of Muriatic acid sitting around open. Everything in it's vicinity will corrode.
Infrequent Shooter
Gold $$ Contributor
red garage rags, white cotton gloves, old all cotton shirts cut up and washed very well. I bought some mineral oil a few weeks ago at hardware store. much cheaper than most gun oil and supposedly very close to most gun oils. I have them all over my gun room and I have some of my revolvers and pistols wrapped in them. does an excellent job. for long term storage, a thin coat of RIG on metal parts is fantastic protection.
Wd40 specialist rust prevention beat out like every gun oil for rust protection. I keep all my dies and mandrels oiled with whatever gun oil I have handy. The sizing dies on the inside are covered in sizing wax. I live in the desert though. Rust is basically only from touching stuff. Humidity in the house is usually 15-20%.
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