As some of you might know im halfway through the floor on my mini and I was interested in what was the best way to protect the floor in my mini.

So the test will involve 4 samples. Each plate has been sanded with 80 grit paper thoroughly cleaned with prepsol and placed on some cardbourd. Since cleaning no plates have been touched so there can be no contamination. No plates had any rust on them what so ever.
This test is purely to test what is the best method to keep rust away. I will spray them with water 4 times a day and hen left to rust..

1 control metal plate ( just a bit of metal sanded and cleaned of contaminates)

2 Metal plate treated with metal conditioner as per instructions

3 Metal plate treated with rust converter as per instructions

4 metal plate treated with metal conditioner and rust converter as per instructions.

Lets see which plate has the least amount of rust on it after a few days.
Let the rusting begin

Mike

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If it cant be fixed with a hammer it cant be FIXED!!

are they rusty yet ?????
How about now?

What about now?

or...........NOW?

sorry

Love the idea Mike, I guess you could also try this out with a few old wives tales as well and see if they really do or don't work.

If you had access to a time lapse camera it would be interesting to see how the different metals reacted and how quickly.

Keep us posted!!

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Ok here are some pics of the test.
Starting from left to right. 1# Plain metal nothing on it or treating it, this one is tthe control metal tab or the test metal tab. 2# The next one has metal conditioner on it. It should still rust but not as much. 3# The next one has a rust converter on it. Yoou spray it on and leave it, you are then meant to clean the black stuff off with water. Not sure about this one, maybe the black stuff that is coating the metal will protect it from rust maybe not.. 4# The next on has mettal conditioner and rust converter. Same as the 3rd one not sure what will happen here.

Im going to leave them till there is clear visable rust on tab #1 Then I will clean the black stuff off the other two tabs.

Day one


There is already rust on tab #1 up the top left corner near that weld. Im suspecting water is pooling here.. We still need more rust though.
Day two


I will take another pic tomorrow..

Mike

_________________
If it cant be fixed with a hammer it cant be FIXED!!

great idea Mike.

i take it you only painted the top surface of the treated ones? if so, don't forget to turn them over at the end of the test to see what the reverse side of each looks like....

cheers

michael

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the world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page
66 Mini Minor sponsored by http://www.lifeonthehedge.com.au/ The Dog Harness Specialists
It was a pleasure ausmini. I'll miss all you misfits and reprobates

doing it all in the name of science...well...mini preservation anyhow

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ook!
69 mini k
'Kids don't recognise a Saab from a Volvo but they always recognise a Mini,'

are you using a deoxidine treatment on any mate?

Your metal pieces look too clean. The rust converters need rust to convert Should have at least surface rust to start with - won't work on clean metal.

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David L


My greatest fear in life is that when I die my wife will sell my Mini and tools for the price I told her I paid for them!

It depends on the product. If it is a matter of protection of the metal, then a deoxidine treatment does not necessarily need rust. so long as the surface is clearn from grease and dirt, once you apply the treatment, it creates a chemical transformation and bronzez the metal to protect it from rust in the future...

But for rust converters youre correct you do need rust.

Yes but the idea in this experiment is to protect the meal from rust.. Im not interested in converting rust... If the metal is left to the elements water rain sun heat it should rust, Yes? Well lets see if the poducts can stop that from happening in the first place..

If we are talking about converting the rust the metal conditioner wins hands down.. You put it on and as you wipe the metal you really can see the surface rust disolve.. I will post some pics of this next week.

Mike

_________________
If it cant be fixed with a hammer it cant be FIXED!!

Ok today I was rather anoyed that I still dont realy have any noticable surface rust on the metal tabs yet not even the untreaeted one... GGGRRRR.. So needless to say I couldnt be bottherd taking a pic as it looks the same as yesterday.. I have even been hosing the liveing crap out of them and still not rust... Anyway I will leve them over the long weekend and come monday there maybe some change.

Mike

_________________
If it cant be fixed with a hammer it cant be FIXED!!

Spray an even amount of water over each of them to speed up the process

I have sprayed heaps on it... Hosed it

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If it cant be fixed with a hammer it cant be FIXED!!

ok here is a update... There not rusting as fast as I thought they would.. Im thinking as they havent been touched at all.. They are just sitting on a shelf outside where they can get rained on or hosed......

This is week 2 I think



And this would be week 3


I will take another pic this week

Mike

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If it cant be fixed with a hammer it cant be FIXED!!

Are they in the sun? If they are, maybe they are drying out too quick!!!

Steve