Cold Galvanizing?

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We need to build a boat dock at our club lake. We wanted to build it out of aluminum, but the cost of our rifle range went over budget so now it looks like it will be steel. I was wondering if anyone has used any type of cold or spray galvanizing. What were the results? Would this be a good option for treating the steel for this purpose? Any others?"Where's Stick man????????" - 7A749"SHHHHHH!! I sent him over to snag that MIC-4 while tbone wasn't looking!" - duaneb55"I have bought a few of Tbone's things unlike Stick-Man who helps himself" - TozziWelding"Stick-man"
Reply:i am a welder at a structural steel fab shop and sometimes we have to use cold galv in a can.  works well as long as your steel is prepped correctly.  obviously its not as good as hot dip but it does get the job done.
Reply:I would say that you're pretty much 'Hooped' when it comes to Cold Galvanizing your Dock, at least if it's a big one.  That Spray is pretty damn expensive and you'll need a LOT to get decent enough coverage for that 'kind' of abuse.  Honestly, I'd go to a 'decent' METAL YARD and look for Aluminum Extrusions and/or Square tubing and put it together that way....I was at mine a couple of weeks ago and some trucks they had just dropped off 70 TONS (Yep, TONS) of BRAND NEW aluminum Extrusions and Tubing for Window frames.  Most were completely Pre-Fabbed and were still plastic wrapped, ready to be put together !  They must have been for a high-rise or office building and the project got scrapped...  That's all I could come up with for a reason that stuff would even be available...  Anyhow, a bunch of those put together with Good Grade plastic flooring would have made a pretty SWEET DOCK.... and CHEAP TOO!Cheers,/J....Last edited by jman; 02-24-2010 at 07:24 PM.Miller Diversion 165120 amp Buzz BoxVictor Oxy/Ace Oxy/LPGSmith "Little" Oxy/LPGHypertherm Powermax 30Lot's of Misc. tools n' crap....
Reply:Brush on cold galv will out last spray every time.  Good luck finding it.David Real world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:Originally Posted by Stick-manWe need to build a boat dock at our club lake. We wanted to build it out of aluminum, but the cost of our rifle range went over budget so now it looks like it will be steel. I was wondering if anyone has used any type of cold or spray galvanizing. What were the results? Would this be a good option for treating the steel for this purpose? Any others?
Reply:Greetings:The term galvanizing is used to describe applying zinc tot he surface of an object.  The common process is hot dip galvanizing. Hot dipping requires chemical baths at elevated temperature to activate the surface then dip the part into molten zincan alternative is to use a thermal spray(metallizing) process to apply the zinc.   The difference is that you use grit blast the surface to be coated to activate it, and apply the zinc using a thermal spray gun to melt the zinc, atomize it, and  spray it.To see more detail, go to: http://reneuxit-thermal-spray.com/Th...lvanizing.html.The equipment to do it yourself costs about $6000, if you want more detail on that, go to:http://www.thermalspraydepot.com/Equ...mbustion-Wire/or send me an email at [email protected] that helps. Bob
Reply:Thanks for the replies. If we can't swing the cost for alum when we start this project, we will just have to use good paint. And, members need 12 work hours each year so maybe we will plan on painting it each year."Where's Stick man????????" - 7A749"SHHHHHH!! I sent him over to snag that MIC-4 while tbone wasn't looking!" - duaneb55"I have bought a few of Tbone's things unlike Stick-Man who helps himself" - TozziWelding"Stick-man"
Reply:Why not powder coat?
Reply:I guess it would be a cost thing again, but with all the hassles of fabbing in aluminum why not make it out of stainless? 304/ 316? we talking huge pylons here? or hand rails or what?
Reply:I had a similar project in mind and ended up not doing it because I found a better/more appropriate lift for my application for sale for less than my material cost.  One thing that I did find out which is pertinent to your build is that galvanizing is a great way to go for submerged and harsh environment steel.  There is no way that a zinc rich paint will even compare.  Look for a metal plating operation in your state.  They typically have trucks that pick up and drop off your parts.  At the time that I was looking, it was 35 cents per pound of steel to galvanize your parts.  They also have construction guidelines to make your parts "galvanizeable."  It really is very cost effective.  Otherwise, go with aluminum.  There is no way that you are going to get good enough inside and outside coverage of cold galvanizing to keep your steel from rotting in any submerged application.Rene
Reply:why not wood.. like most boat docks..if you're not livin on the edge, you're takin up too much room..
Reply:I was told it was to be 6' wide X 20' long, my buddy has the idea in his head. He was telling me about making the frame out of alum, and we might not be able to cover the cost so if we made it out of steel and painted it. I told him I would post on hear to find out about galv paint. I am not sure about the hand rails, haven't got to that part yet. He is thinking up the design and I will help him build it. No way can we afford SS."Where's Stick man????????" - 7A749"SHHHHHH!! I sent him over to snag that MIC-4 while tbone wasn't looking!" - duaneb55"I have bought a few of Tbone's things unlike Stick-Man who helps himself" - TozziWelding"Stick-man"
Reply:You may find it cheaper to have everything hot dipped galvanized vs. buying a hundred cans of cold galvanize.  Galvanize all of the pieces or smaller assemblies, join it togehter, and use cold galvanize wherever you had to burn/grind the coating off.
Reply:I don't know how well it holds over time, but I coated the inside of my 55 gal barrel outboard test tank w/ Flood Penetrol. It sat w/ water in it for 2 or 3 weeks and didn't start peeling or pitting.            Just an idea,                              MikeOl' Stonebreaker  "Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes"Hobart G-213 portableMiller 175 migMiller thunderbolt ac/dc stick Victor O/A setupMakita chop saw
Reply:There is an industrial paint called Maceous Iron Oxide. You may find it hard to get hold of in the States as the Silica used in the production and what gives it, its properties, is not a natural mineral for you guys.