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Finding and Buying Used Industrial Equipment

Would it surprise you to learn that you can find high quality industrial equipment at savings of 50 percent or more? When you buy used industrial equipment you are getting the same great performance for a fraction of the cost. Industrial equipment is built to last, so it often has many years of life left in it when a company goes under or upgrades and needs to sell. That's good news to you! My name is Ryan, and I can teach you how to find the best used equipment for your manufacturing plant at the lowest possible price. Come read all about it.

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Finding and Buying Used Industrial Equipment

How To Clean And Protect Old Steel Casters That You Can Reuse In Your Home Decor

by Patricia Brooks

Steel casters were originally made for industrial use, then in 1876 were patented for use on home furniture. Now, vintage industrial casters are being reused today to accentuate furniture in home decor. You might admire old, steel casters for their worn finish, but you don't want them to be coated in grease, dirt, and flaking rust when you use them in your home. Here are some methods to clean, seal, and protect your steel casters. 

Clean the Casters

When you are working to restore old, metal casters, there are several ways you can do this without removing the metal's patina. One of the easiest and chemical-free methods to clean and restore an old rusty caster is to use a fine wire brush to remove any grease and dirt from all surfaces and cracks. This will leave the natural look of the metal without using any dangerous chemicals.

Rust removing chemicals are always a reliable way to clean up your steel casters. An acid bath using five percent citric acid solution will work to remove any rust, grease, and dirt. Then, you can rub the surface of the casters with steel wool to remove any remaining rust particles. You can also use a chemical rust remover to clean the metal, which you can find at most home improvement stores. Follow the directions on the product and soak your steel casters for the appropriate time, then remove them from the solution and rinse them clean.  

You can use white vinegar to clean and remove rust from your steel casters as well. Fill a bucket or large bowl with white vinegar and set your casters inside. Allow them to soak in the vinegar for 24 hours. Rust, which is an iron oxide is soluble in a weak acid, such as vinegar, so the rust is dissolved by the vinegar. Then, brush your casters clean with a scrub brush to remove any remaining grease residue and rust. Make sure you rinse the casters with water to remove any traces of vinegar. If you allow any vinegar to remain on the steel, it will corrode the metal. 

Seal and Protect the Casters

Once you have cleaned and dried your casters, you will need to seal them with a protective coating to prevent further rust and corrosion, and to keep them looking nice. To protect the aged patina of the caster's metal, but still allow the metal finish to show, you can use one of the following products:

Clear Coat

​Polyurethane, and polymer sealant or wax are both a clear coating that you can brush over the metal of your casters to seal it in and protect it. You can also brush on one or two coats of low gloss clear lacquer to accentuate the steel caster's finish.

Flax Oil

Natural flax oil will create a finish on your steel casters that protects it from corrosion, keeps the metal aged-looking, and creates an extremely hard polymer coating on the metal. Flax oil is safe to touch and creates no fumes, so you can do this process in your own kitchen.

  1. Preheat your oven to 500 degrees F.
  2. Paint a layer of flax oil on each caster, making sure to rotate each caster to coat all sides.
  3. Use a rag to rub the oil off. This will leave only a very thin coat of flax oil.
  4. Place the casters in your oven and bake for one hour.
  5. Turn off the oven and allow the casters to cool for approximately two hours.
  6. Repeat this process at least five more times.

As you process the casters in the oven with flax oil, they will continue to darken. They will also build up a durable layer of protection.

Paint

If you do not want to keep the metal's aged finish, you can spray on a rust protection paint in black, silver, grey, or a hammertone paint to give the metal a more uniform color.

Use these methods to clean and protect your old, vintage casters. If you'd rather purchase a new set, however, feel free to visit sites like http://www.garlandsinc.com for more information. 

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