Model Railroading > Vinegar/Steel Wool cautionary tale...

...So, as I got out my trusty 4-year-old container of Vinegar and Steel wool to do a little weathering on some freightcars, I went to shake up the contents. No big deal, right?
Not really paying attention, as I started to shake, the center of the metal jar lid blew off and sprayed liquid "rust" everywhere! So, after cleaning it up, I wondered "What did I do wrong?"
Can anyone blind me with science on this one? Or is this more of a case of rust never resting, and eating away at the metal lid?

This rust is a little more yellow-It makes for decent dirt and light colored rust. Still working on trying to find a good orange/red rust mix.
It's cheap and easy to make--just steel wool, vinegar and time is all you need. Just not 4 years in the same container, apparently.

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Vinegar is an acid...

Bill Deaver
Tehachapi, CA

For some reason, aluminum oil paint builds up pressure when you shake it, or it used to. I can remember my poor Dad years ago shaking up a quart can of aluminum paint and the lid blew off and made him look like the tin man.
A friend of mine who used to be a paint salesman told me if you wanted to get even with someone in a paint store, pick up a gallon of Aluminum paing, give it to the clerk to put on the shaker for a while and tell him you will be back in 15 minutes.
Anyone know what caused that?

MojaveBill Wrote:
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> Vinegar is an acid...


Acetic acid. The reaction with the iron in the steel wool is producing an iron acetate and hydrogen gas.

> Still working
> on trying to find a good orange/red rust mix.

May I suggest paint.

Elizabeth Allen



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/27/11 20:08 by Betsy.

THank's Betsy! Yes, I was doing this steel wool thing more as an experiment. (FAIL) And figured some folks here would enjoy the mixed results.
I had read a long time ago about this, and decided to give it a whirl...
NOw I know, sometime's it's worth it to pay for a $4 bottle of Polly S instead of trying to make it yourself!

I think the acid reacts with Aluminum. We had that happen at work one time when someone was using a floor scrubber and we had aluminum shavings on the floor. Quite an explosion.

As we all (should) know, hydrogen would make a significant explosion and possibly fire. I don't know what the magnitude would be but it would not be 1/87 scale.

> -----
> > Vinegar is an acid...
>
>
> Acetic acid. The reaction with the iron in the
> steel wool is producing an iron acetate and
> hydrogen gas.
>


Just to be obvious about it.

Remember that German blimp? What was its name again?

James

If real rust color is what you are looking for, you could always try what nature uses, carbon steel (iron) and water/moist air (oxygen) to create iron-oxide aka rust.

I've sprayed a freight car with water mist then covered it with an air tight container - Rubbermaid plastic bin filped upside-down. A day or two later the metal shavings are rusty and have deposited the rust on the car.

Jeff Eggert