OT - Best way to prevent rust on cast iron pipes and fittings

[Kered]

I have bought some cast iron pipe sets from "Big Forrest" to make a bookcase and some speaker stands. They look and smell like straight chineseium, but for the price they are worth it. What would be the best way to keep them from rusting? The internet has so many opinions on what works I am not sure what action to take. I think if they were properly cleaned appliance epoxy would stick without chemical etching. Its not the look I wanted, but if it keeps them from rusting. I would love a more natural look, but I don't want to have a paste wax maintenance schedule for a shelf. Maybe oil based poly, but I'm not sure it would stick. If any of you have any knowledge on this it would be appreciated.

[Steve Lee]

Clean them and dry them.
If humidity doesn't condense upon them they wont rust.

I assume you are speaking of black iron or black steel pipe, yes?

[billfitzmaurice]

+1. I have cast iron water and drain pipes in my house that are 85 years old and they haven't rusted. For outdoor use use Rust-Oleum paint.

[djg]

Season it like a cast iron frying pan.

[fpitas]

The typical way is using the Rustoleum fish-oil based primers and paints.

[tomzarbo]

Season it like a cast iron frying pan.

As someone who uses cast iron pans all the time that's what I was thinking too.

Rub some vegetable oil on them and put them in the oven for 3-4 hours at 400 degrees or so, assuming they fit.

Then, if you ever decide to cook eggs on them, they won't stick.

TomZ

P.S. the above is a serious suggestion... but I'll add to it that I'd be sure to get off all the 'foreign' oils off them first. If they smell like that cold, I can't imagine what they would smell like heated up to 400 + degrees!

[Whitneyville1]

"Black iron" (steel) must be cleaned and cleaned and cleaned before primer and paint will stick. Then Rust-o-leum or marine "green" primer, then a base primer (red or grey) then paint, or rust will be your companion. I'd like to tell you there's an easy short-cut, but I've never found it.

You might consider taking it to a powder coating shop for an estimate. They can usually media blast it then coat it all in-house for a competitive cost to painting.

Ricky-Pooh

[Operandi]

bees wax?