Rusty Chain - want to clean and protect a little

[Northstar9126]

As others have said "drag them down the drive way". Then I spray paint them orange so that I can find them when I leave them in the woods. It lasts a couple of years, then I repeat the process.

 

[MrJimi]

As others have said "drag them down the drive way". Then I spray paint them orange so that I can find them when I leave them in the woods. It lasts a couple of years, then I repeat the process.

Try dropping them in an old can of ( whatever color paint ) and hang to dry

 

[SPYDERLK]

As others have said "drag them down the drive way". Then I spray paint them orange so that I can find them when I leave them in the woods. It lasts a couple of years, then I repeat the process.

Perfect. I paint mine with a cheap baby blue aerosol paint I found that clashes with everything in nature. All things on a chain used in the dirt are temporary. I just repaint when the color rubs off. Keeps em reasonably clean and easy to find. Rust converter will wear off chain just like paint and is more expensive.

larry​

 

[dqdave1]

check out POR 15; this may work well. Can get it on ebay. ( por 15 outlet store)

 

[Soundguy]

I'm scared to buy a chain at harbor freight. How many people have bought things there that actually held up very long? I'd hate to have a chain break on me and come whipping through the back window. I lost a friend in the navy that way when one broke and hit him.

Any time I use a chain in a pull situation, i alwys use an energy arrestor/disipator.. IE.. a length of firehose slid over it.. or a heavy moving blanket draped over it... makes em drop link a rock for most 'normal' sized chain 3/8 and down

Soundguy

 

[Soundguy]

Perfect. I paint mine with a cheap baby blue aerosol paint I found that clashes with everything in nature. All things on a chain used in the dirt are temporary. I just repaint when the color rubs off. Keeps em reasonably clean and easy to find. Rust converter will wear off chain just like paint and is more expensive.

larry​

I spraypaint mine red.. it makes them easy to ID when your buddies pick them up..

Soundguy

 

[schiker]

Ok maybe I will rethink the paint POR-15 or Rustoleum etc. Being easy to spot is a great benefit. Chain is easy to misplace temporarily when working with it intermittently and easy to have others walk off with it by accident or on purpose. A bright personalized color would deter the later.

I just tried a Permatex Rust Treatment in a spray can "79DA" or Item # 81849. About $4-6 if I remember right. I picked it up at O'Rileys (similar to Autozone). It converted some rust to black but I missed quite a few areas. I'll see how it stands up. I like a dip method better but don't want to spend $40 yet. I'll try the paint sometime too and compare.

Yeah I drag the chain too guys. Gloves will clean off the orange dust too. It usually only bothers me when I haven't used the chain in while and its dusty with rust. Just checking to see if there was any better trick out there I missed.

BTW I have washed rope that gets stiff from being out or old too. Put a little fabric softener in it and its more pliable after and easier to use.

 

[dknarnd]

check out POR 15; this may work well. Can get it on ebay. ( por 15 outlet store)

This stuff works pretty good, I have used it on several pieces I have repainted on my JD B, metal garage door, christmas tree stand..... and more.

 

[Ford850]

I think Mrjimi has the best solution. Dip it in paint. I have steel traps that I dye with the "modern" dips. It is nothing more than oil based paint that you thin 3:1 and dip the rusty steel traps in the mixture for a few seconds to soak in. Pull them out and hang them for a week in the sun and the "dye" is dry, hard, and there is no order. It lasts for a couple of years or so, eventually chipping off under hard use. Keep in mind these traps are set under water, mud, or soil for weeks at a time. A thinned oil based paint would be plenty durable for a chain, and would last for years under normal use.

 

[jimmer2880]

about 15 years ago, I bought one of those gold colored chains from TSC. I'm not sure what coating it has on it. But, that chain has gotten a fair amt of use and has not rusted at all. I have used it IN the water, in dirt, everything. I store it inside of my truck, but it's never well taken care of.

So, my answer is, time to upgrade chains

 

[N80]

I drag mine around in the creekbed sand. Cleans them right up.

 

[milkman]

Anybody else have a "Favorite" chain? I have a short (10-15 foot) chain that I use all the time. Leave it on floorboard of me skidloader for easy access. My friends think I'm F'n nutz having a Favorite Chain. I'd be lost without it.

Definitely have my favorite, loaned it out once and it came back with some links stretched, but it's still my favorite. Have two others, same size and length, but they're just not the same personality.

 

[unreconstructed]

The U.S. Army bent my brain--if it doesn't move I paint it.

I thin a quart of Rusolteum gloss black in a plastic oil drain pan--get a pair of
rubber gloves and dip my chains in the paint--swirl them around a bit, and hang them up to dry on the A frame I built for my dirt bikes. I paint the hooks
JD green.

The paint chips off with use so when I am painting shovels, grubbing hoes, binders, my dogs (not really) I give the chains a bath.

Probably not the best method, but I get a kick out of it and I think I have new stuff for a while. Controls the buying impulse and I really, really hate rusty anything.

 

[Rara Avis]

Actually you shouldn't paint a chain, because the you can't perform a visual inspection to determine if structural deformation or cracks are taking place...

 

[MrJimi]

I have some rusty chain I will try to clean up this weekend, here are the pictures of rusty chain here
Jim

 

[silverdollar6]

Chain is supposed to be rusty.

 

[EastTnFarmboy]

An interesting thread, but all I can say is that you folks could be doing something with your tractors with all that time you're spending worrying about fancying up your chains.

 

[sandman2234]

I think mine are fancy when I pick them up and hang them on the weights on the front of the tractor, or actually put them in the garage. Otherwise, they have been known to lay outside for months at a time.
David from jax

 

[patrick_g]

You can toss a rusty chain into a cement mixer with some sand and it will be much more thoroughly cleaned than dragging it will ever accomplish. This will clean them very well indeed but how are you going to keep them from rusting that won't be a PITA to repeat/touch up or that won't get you as dirty with oil and dirt as the rust would have done?

Pat

 

[escavader]

You can toss a rusty chain into a cement mixer with some sand and it will be much more thoroughly cleaned than dragging it will ever accomplish.

Pat

Might be true,but its more fun to drag them down a dirt road at 45 miles per hour on an atv PLus it smooths the road too
ALAN