Long term pin gauge storage

[crabo]

I am going to move my pin gauges to the gaarage. Do I want to take the paper off and spray them down with something, or leave the paper on the ones I haven't used and spray them down?

Thanks,

[Down South]

You can buy products for long term storage. I’ve used some of these products when working in the Gulf of Mexico. There is nothing worse than humid salt air for corrosion.
I’ve used LPS3 with great results. LPS3 can be purchased in aerosol spray cans and is a type of cosmoline.
This is a link to their web site. http://www.lpslabs.com/product_pg/corrosion_pg/LPS3.html
A site that it can be purchased at: http://www.sunbeltindustrial.com/catalog.asp?cid=27&gclid=CJaHoPODrp4CFR9M5Qod0jTOUQ

For less humid areas a good gun lube/preservative will work well. Engine oil does not work well as a preservative. Coating with grease works but is messy.

[Wayne Smith]

Probably the most immediately available storage option is vaseline. You probably have some in the medicine closet.

[AZ-Stew]

The paper wrapping is likely a vapor barrier type of perservative paper. Leave it there. If you use Lee Liquid Alox, tumble lube the ones you've unwrapped, let them dry, then put them back in the case. They should stay rust-free for a long time.

Regards,

Stew

[EOD3]

Take the high-tech route. Put them in a container that SEALS and then fill the container with Nitrogen. Nitrogen is heavier than air. :idea::shock:

[Ricochet]

Nitrogen's a little lighter than air. Its molecular weight is 28, and oxygen's is 32. Neglecting the other trace gases in air, a mixture of ~21% O2 and the rest N2 is going to be a little denser than pure N2.

[EOD3]

You know, I might be wrong but I'm pretty certain. Nitrogen in a pit will displace the air and it's game over for anyone in the pit. :violin:

[Duckiller]

+1 What Ricochet said. It has been TOO long since this Civil Engineer has had to know the atomic weight of air. Air is approximately 80 per cent N2 and 20 per cent O2. The traces gases make it interesting. If it is a confined space ALWAYS test before entering. O2 will drain out of a tunnel or other inclined hole that is not regularly used to create turbulance. O2 is a lot harder on metal than N2.

[Buckshot]

............Pin gages are a high carbon grade of alloy steel and hardened to between 59 and 62 BHN. It can rust but is not PRONE to rust. My suggestion is to simply wipe them after handleing with a silicone impregnated cloth, such as those sold for firearms wipedown and they'll be fine.

.............Buckshot

[badgeredd]

This is a link to their web site. http://www.lpslabs.com/product_pg/co...n_pg/LPS3.html

+1 on Crabo's suggestion. I've used the stuff for looooong term storage of plastic injection molds with no ill effects. The LPS goes a long ways and will clean off quite easily with Carb cleaner of a quick shot of WD-40. We stored 100 molds in an unheated warehouse where the temperature changes cause a lot of condensation on metal. No rust after a year. Good stuff well worth the price. It also seems to somewhat neutralize the acid/salts in ones finger prints.

Edd

P.S. If your pins came in a wooden box, it also helps to spray the inside of the box with WD-40 and put some camphor pieces inside. A little smelly but tolerable and quite effective in conjunction with a preserver.

[S.R.Custom]

Leave 'em as is, put 'em in an ammo can.