# Cleaning Rust From Schedule 40 Pipe 10' Sections



## Phantom_Sandwich (Nov 19, 2018)

Hey all,

I am curious if anyone has some tips/tricks for cleaning 10' sections of schedule 40 steel pipe. 

Some of ours get left outside overnight, and can get rather rusty at times. The threads are easy to clean, but the whole pipe is rusty now. wondering if anyone has any tips that won't take 10 hours per pipe to clean?

Thanks in advance!

Mr. Sandwich


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## Van (Nov 19, 2018)

Get them sandblasted them repainted with a good coat of Laquer based flat black.


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## Phantom_Sandwich (Nov 19, 2018)

Van said:


> Get them sandblasted them repainted with a good coat of Laquer based flat black.



That works, but unfortunately don't own a sandblaster, or have the shop space to do it properly (although I am a noob and maybe outside the shop would work, I just worry about the "sand" or chemical or whatever polluting the nearby spaces/parking lots. 

re-painting them was definitely going to be part of the job, just need to get that coat of rust out.


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## Van (Nov 19, 2018)

If you're going to repaint them then I'd just take a palm sander to them and bust loose as much rust as you can. Use a good self etching primer, then top coat with the flat black enamel.


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## RonHebbard (Nov 19, 2018)

Phantom_Sandwich said:


> Hey all,
> 
> I am curious if anyone has some tips/tricks for cleaning 10' sections of schedule 40 steel pipe.
> 
> ...


 *@Phantom_Sandwich* Are you concerned with internal, external rust or both*?* A variety of sturdy wire brushes should make comparatively quick work of external rust with the pipe chucked in the rotating jaws of a Greenlee powered threading vice. For internal rust I'd begin with globular wire brushes mounted on arbors with attachments for ropes or cleaning chimneys. I hope your pipes are for purely decorative purposes and nothing life dependent such as gas, water, railings or overhead structures. 
Toodleoo! 
Ron Hebbard


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## macsound (Nov 19, 2018)

Acid Magic was our go to rust remover. Used it on some steel fence posts and old porcelain on steel sinks. 
Just brush it on and rinse it off. Then paint it with Rustoleum BBQ Black spray paint


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## gafftapegreenia (Nov 19, 2018)

Wire wheel on an angle grinder. Wear your face mask.


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## Phantom_Sandwich (Nov 20, 2018)

RonHebbard said:


> *@Phantom_Sandwich* Are you concerned with internal, external rust or both*?* A variety of sturdy wire brushes should make comparatively quick work of external rust with the pipe chucked in the rotating jaws of a Greenlee powered threading vice. For internal rust I'd begin with globular wire brushes mounted on arbors with attachments for ropes or cleaning chimneys. I hope your pipes are for purely decorative purposes and nothing life dependent such as gas, water, railings or overhead structures.
> Toodleoo!
> Ron Hebbard



I am only concerned with external rust as they are just used for mounting a fixture or two. Usually just threaded into a base with a butt load of weight, used as a festoon rig point. I typically put a fabric drape over them to cover them, but having rust get onto my nice drapes makes them unwashable and unusable.

I don't have any powered threading vices or anything to thread the pipes myself. I get them for about $30 each from the local hardware store. I am mainly concerned with time, considering paying a shop guy 2 hours to clean one pipe would make it no longer worth it, just buy a new one.

Definitely not for anything useful (gas/water/overhead).


macsound said:


> Acid Magic was our go to rust remover. Used it on some steel fence posts and old porcelain on steel sinks.
> Just brush it on and rinse it off. Then paint it with Rustoleum BBQ Black spray paint



I will try this as I feel like this would take the least amount of time. Kind of thinking that would be the best option.


gafftapegreenia said:


> Wire wheel on an angle grinder. Wear your face mask.



I definitely use the wire brush attachments for the threading, however I feel like trying to grind a 10' round pipe would take ages. I suppose this would be my last resort.


Thanks for all the advice everyone! Always find some knowledge here.


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## lwinters630 (Nov 30, 2018)

sand/wire brush then apply POR15

Pour Over Rust. it converts rust to solid. Most auto parts stores have it.


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