Using 'Damp Rid' or silica gel to prevent armor rust.

[Sean Powell]

Hello,

The wife and I have sold our house and moved to a rental property (150 yo octagonal farm house) as a standby until I can arrange a job transfer. There is a nice size basement that was supposed to serve as my workshop and tool storage but based on this past rain-storm it leaks like a sieve. I've moved my primary tools to off-site storage but kepty some finished armor, lots of hand-tools and metal-supply. I'm looking for solutions other then paying for a storage unit.

I've heard of people making their own 'Do Not Eat' packages of silica gel to keep in their armor bags to suck out moisture. I have some giant plastic totes that can store armor and wanted to do the same. I couldn't find silica gel but did find 'damp-rid'. Similar stuff but it turns from powder to liquid as it absorbs moisture. That means it has to be kept upright in a jar.

Does anyone have a Good Proven method of keeping a drying agen in with their armor? If so what type and where do you get it? Can it be used around power tools without affecting the electronics etc?

I'm in a bind here and both time and money are tight. I could really use the advice.

Sean

[Marco-borromei]

white rice absorbs moisture, prevents caking in salt shakers. On a larger scale, it might work for armor. I'd replace the bag every now and then.

[Tom B.]

Buy some bulk indicating silica gel from McMaster-Carr changes color when it has reached it max moisture content. Put in an oven to dry out and use again.


Tom

[Leonardus]

Silica gel is as close as the grocery store. Cheap.

http://www.freshstep.com/cat-litter/pro ... al-litter/

[Sean Powell]

Silica gel is as close as the grocery store. Cheap.

http://www.freshstep.com/cat-litter/pro ... al-litter/

Really? Ok, that doesn't surprise me too much as powdered clay is also a desiccant and most cheep cat-litter is clay but they put silica gel in that stuff after big labels of 'do not eat'? Jebus! We had to wrestle with the dog when changing the litter box to keep him from eating tootsie-rolls. :/ That's nasty enough but I'd hat to add chemicals to the mix.

OK, I've come up with the plan of silica gel in one form or another in the armor bins but I'm going to build a tent from plastic tarps with a bucket of ridex inside to store my table saw and other power-tools. I think I can make this (crappy moldy dank) basement work.

Thanks all!
Sean

[Scott]

For my table saw, I put a piece of 1/4" plywood on it from the edge of the left extension to the top of the fence (at 13"), and then a tarp gets put over that.
I used to have the tarp right on the table, but water (condensation?) got in between them and I got a big rust spot on the cast iron table.
Pissed me off.

Anyway, something to think about.
Good luck.

- Scott

[Christophe de Frisselle]

Rice or the cat litter should work. Cheap and easy to get. This is the one reason my kit is non-rusting metals. Save for my helm with is blackened with linseed oil. That is also waxed and kept in a cloth bag with after repeated waxing retains some wax and reconditions the helm when it is in there.
You should also make sure the container the armour is in is up off the floor and is mostly air tight.

[Baron Alcyoneus]

If you can keep it in a box (wooden or metal), I think this would work better.

http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/201 ... -gun-safe/

[Christophe de Frisselle]

Rope lights would make my wooden armour trunk look Fabulous! Now if there were just more events with night battles or tournies.