What should I do to this tank?

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I have a rusting, unfinished king tank. I kinda like the look of it but I also want to paint it flat black. Could I stop the rust and keep it this way without harming the metals integrity?
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Any suggestions? Pics arent the best but it gives you an idea of what I'm working with now.
 
I have been a satisfied customer of Gibb's Brand Penetrant. It is similar to WD-40 but has a thinner viscosity like water and does not leave an oily film like WD. It's kind of expensive but well worth the price in my opinion. A lot of old hot rodders use this for preserving raw metal and alloys. I have a bare metal tank that I coated early last year and has had very little rust flashing at all. Keep in mind it is not a tank that runs on my bike in the elements, but is in non-climate controlled storage. You could probably get by coating it once or twice a season. Google Gibb's Brand and do some research on it. Good Luck.
 
I had a bare metal tank I cleared over with Spraymax 2K. I wouldn't use anything else unless it was an automotive clear. It comes in high gloss and matte.
XS650 tank.JPG
 
Jim, Have you ever tried Spraymax 2K on the polished aluminum side covers or tappet covers? I am getting a bit pissed with the salt on the roads messing with my polishing. Way back in New Zealand I sprayed all my polished aluminum with a very common rattle can varnish . It worked well but I cannot remember the brand. All I remember is it was really the only canned paint/varnish brand readily available in NZ in the 70s-80s.
 
I have not on polished aluminum. I don't see why it wouldn't work as long as they were properly prepped. The clear is very tough and so far, impervious to fuel.
 
Dont know if you can get it in the UK but i use Lanolin oil on all my gear. Stops salt from rusting anything. Does collect dust bit a wipe over with a rag impregnated with more lanolin oil and it wipes off the dirt and leaves a film of lanolin.....Can be used on polished alloy, if the alloy is mirror finish it will dull it very slightly, (say from 100% to 95%) but stops the oxidization creating that dullness..........its a good de-greaser and disperses water on electrics as well. Over here in Oz i buy it in 4 litre containers...way cheaper than the spray can.
Here are distributors.......The UK web link doesn't work for me...........
http://lanotecindustries.com/suppliers.php?Range=UK&submit=Search
 
Good tip skull, I saw lanolin HIGHLY recommended as a rust preventer on a machinists forum.
 
True story.........Working on an outer Island in the Torris Straits, Urgar, (Stevens), Island, 100 acres large and the only way on and off is by boat. And even then on a good day with flat seas it was a 40min trip to the nearest island where there was an airstrip
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Barged my old HJ5 Landcruser Ute from Thursday island and it took 2 days by barge. Before it left Thursday Island i sprayed the whole ute inside and out, under and over, every thing and almost used the full 4 Litre container of lanolin oil. The day the barge arrived the sea was a bit rough and the spray was crashing right over the truck that was sitting on the front of the Barge........I thought shit this will be a true test of this stuff.............. They had to use the smaller barge for that run due to the height of the tide, or lack of, and accessibility to the island. Didn't wash the truck except for a hose over without a rub and just a water rinse.

I was on there for 8 months and the dirt stuck to the lanolin making it look like shit, there was no fresh rust on the truck...........The paint was worn in places and there was surface rust there before the trip and it didn't corrode at all in that time. On the top rack there was one small spot i must have missed with the lanolin and man on that spot, it did rust and was very aggressive, the only place............I sold the ute to my boss when i left the island and for an exercise i used a rag with the last of the oil i had and gave the front guard a wipe down. No initial clean at all to remove the dirt and with a few of wipes the guard looked as good as is i had polished it.

Hell if they sold that stuff in the old west it would have been a cure for everything from Dandruff to hemorrhoids

For you guys with salted roads in the snow season that stuff would be the ducks nuts.
 
Very interesting stuff Skull!! Just searched Ebay UK and the anti-rust Lanolin products are available in the UK. Must order some.
 
Go to Wal-Mart and buy a spray can of Rust Reformer. It's flat black and will cure the little you have as well as preventing any more. I use it a lot, great stuff.
 
I think I'm going to leave it bare. There is some light pitting from the rust and I would kinda like the look of that. I will likely let it rust some more then clean it up and cover it in lanolin oil. Thanks!
 
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