Prepping Steel

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I work with both steel and wood and each has its advantages, etc.  One thing I really do not like about steel is how filthy it gets your shop and everything around it.  It makes painting a lot more difficult.  I dump sawdust on the metal part of my shop floor before sweeping it.  That does help.Do you guys have any ideas for cleaning and preparing steel.  I thought about pressure washing it before working with it and then treating for rust.  I have heard that there are treatments that you can weld or paint over.Any ideas?Jim
Reply:Cleaning and prepping for -what-?Clean and prep for painting?  Clean it and then paint it.  Just -how- clean you have to get it depends on the desired result.   Auto bodywork - clean all grease and oil, sand and smooth to bare clean steel or feather-edge to sound existing paint, prime, wet sand, repeat until 'done', paint (could be multiple steps here too).  Shop jig or tool stand - knock loose rust off, degrease, paint.Treatments to weld over?  Not really.Treatments to paint over?  Sure, naval jelly or rust converters or 'metal prep'.Prepping wood can take a while and be messy too!  Plane it, sand it, use a furniture scraper, the dust and shavings get all over the place too.  Then you may have to solvent-wipe the wood down, to make sure you didn't miss a glue spot or smear and depending on the wood to remove oils before applyin the finish.  Then put the finish on, etc, etc.Prep for finishing can take almost as much time as making the 'thing'!
Reply:A great rust barrier for steel fabricated projects like outdoor gates, etc is to have the finished product sand blasted and aluminum coated (called aluminizing).   We use this on the custom gates we make, if the customer is interested in paying a little extra $$ to have it done.As for prepping the metal before working with it, a grinder and grinding wheel and a wire wheel are what we use most.MM350P/Python/Q300MM175/Q300DialarcHFHTP MIG200PowCon300SMHypertherm380ThermalArc185Purox oaF350CrewCab4x4LoadNGo utilitybedBobcat250XMT304/Optima/SpoolmaticSuitcase12RC/Q300Suitcase8RC/Q400Passport/Q300Smith op
Reply:Mostly what I am concerned about is getting the oils that they put on to keep it from rusting.  They seem to attract dirt and it is time consuming to get off.Jim
Reply:Originally Posted by Jim MarshallMostly what I am concerned about is getting the oils that they put on to keep it from rusting.  They seem to attract dirt and it is time consuming to get off.Jim
Reply:Washing with mineral spirits or another paint thinner works on small areas. Sandblasting is the best way to go if it's any size at all.
Reply:Acetone, laquer thinner, slx alchohol, household degreaser, dawn dishwashing soap, just about any kind of cleaner will work to take the oil off.MM350P/Python/Q300MM175/Q300DialarcHFHTP MIG200PowCon300SMHypertherm380ThermalArc185Purox oaF350CrewCab4x4LoadNGo utilitybedBobcat250XMT304/Optima/SpoolmaticSuitcase12RC/Q300Suitcase8RC/Q400Passport/Q300Smith op
Reply:I normally use mineral spirits on pickled steel before welding and then sandblast before painting. Rust I take a wire wheel or grinding disk to.The difference between art and craft is the quality of the workmanship. I am an artist.