# Rust Protection - Boeshield or Fluid Film?



## hamholfarm (Oct 31, 2018)

Hello,

I would like to know from those who have used either product of your opinions. If you have used both, I would like to know which you prefer and why. My use would be for mostly metalworking equipment and a few pieces of woodworking equipment in an unheated/un-air-conditioned shop (pole building). The temperature fluctuates from below freezing in winter, to possibly 100*F in the summer and with high humidity.

I wrote to Customer Service at "theruststore dot com" and asked which product would be best for my situation, Boeshield, Fluid Film, or Bull Frog Rust Blocker. This is the response I received.

_“You can think of T-9 as a wax, and Fluid Film as a Grease. T-9 will remain liquid to the touch if left thick, and will form a micro thin waxy layer if the excess is removed. Fluid Film will remain about the consistency of Vaseline. Either can be used well in ways or sliding parts.”

 “Rust Blocker sets to a thick candle wax consistency and I would not recommend it for your situation.”_



I am still unsure of which product would be the best for protection, as well as easy to use.

I appreciate your assistance.

Chip


----------



## rwm (Oct 31, 2018)

I have both Boeshield and Fluid Film on the shelf and use both. The descriptions above are good. The thing I don't like about Fluid Film is the strong lanolin odor. Some may not mind that. I use Boeshield on tools that I use or handle with some frequency. I use Fluid Film for things that sit unused. For example, my table saw will probably be idle all winter. I covered it with a layer of Fluid film. They both seem to work equally well but I have not done a formal test. The Fluid Film generally should be wiped off before use.
Robert


----------



## Ed ke6bnl (Oct 31, 2018)

I have a gallon of the fluid film and it is like enamel paint and I called fluid film and they said I could thin it with vegetable oil and I have done that and made it usable. the fluid film in the spray can is then But not sure of its protection as thin as it is. But since I started to watch some videos on auto work many times in the rust belt the majority of them use spray fluid film on everything axles bearing lug nuts and any metal surface so I am no using it and testing


----------



## rwm (Oct 31, 2018)

I forgot. Both of my products I use the spray can. 
Robert


----------



## Downunder Bob (Oct 31, 2018)

I use a product called INOX MX3. I use it as a cutting fluid on the lathe and when drilling holes etc.. Its also a very good penetrant and rust preventer. As I'm using it on the lathe everything is covered in a light film, and nothing is going rusty, all still shiny. I get it in a 5Lt. container and decant it into a couple of small squirt bottles that I use for everything. Far superior to rp7, wd40, crc etc.


----------



## Bob Korves (Oct 31, 2018)

Google Ed's Red.  Homemade, cheap, works great.  I make mine to a recipe of
1 part anhydrous lanolin (from eBay)
1 part ATF
5 parts mineral spirits
Heat the lanolin carefully until it is completely melted, then mix in the other two ingredients.  That mixture works well for everything in the shop -- tools, machines, and metal stock.  Apply a wet coat and let it dry.  It leaves a nearly invisible, dry to the touch coating.


----------



## C-Bag (Oct 31, 2018)

Bob Korves said:


> Google Ed's Red.  Homemade, cheap, works great.  I make mine to a recipe of
> 1 part anhydrous lanolin (from eBay)
> 1 part ATF
> 5 parts mineral spirits
> Heat the lanolin carefully until it is completely melted, then mix in the other two ingredients.  That mixture works well for everything in the shop -- tools, machines, and metal stock.  Apply a wet coat and let it dry.  It leaves a nearly invisible, dry to the touch coating.



That sounds really promising Bob. I'll have to try that when my can of Fluidfilm finally gives up the ghost. I have and use all the different Boeshield and Fluid Film in a can. Fluid film works the best for me and I'm close to the ocean. I also use the Frog foam squares for stuff in a storage container and it's incredible. But doesn't work for machinery because it works best in a contained space. If you have smaller stuff that you can put in a plastic sealed tote un rusted it will stay perfect for as long as the tote is sealed. I found some totes with a soft seal that work perfect at Target. Those parts I powdercoat so I can't put anything on it so Frog is perfect.


----------



## Bob Korves (Oct 31, 2018)

C-Bag said:


> That sounds really promising Bob. I'll have to try that when my can of Fluidfilm finally gives up the ghost.


It is actually quite similar to Fluidfilm, except for the cost...  And you can tweak the recipe in any direction that makes sense to meet your needs.


----------



## ddickey (Oct 31, 2018)

I use this, 
LPS 3 Premier Rust Inhibitor
Does a fine job.


----------



## Mitch Alsup (Oct 31, 2018)

I protect my machines with ISO 64 hydraulic oil.

Ed's Red would be a first choice for longer term rust prevention.


----------



## C-Bag (Oct 31, 2018)

Bob Korves said:


> It is actually quite similar to Fluidfilm, except for the cost...  And you can tweak the recipe in any direction that makes sense to meet your needs.



So did you tweek the recipe? When I was in the San Joaquin valley I mostly didn't have to worry about rust like over here. I guess I'm odd as this smell of wet sheep that everybody notes about Fluidfilm doesn't bother me even though I have a very good sense of smell. Now cigarettes or bad car exhaust, THAT gets me.


----------



## Downunder Bob (Oct 31, 2018)

Downunder Bob said:


> I use a product called INOX MX3. I use it as a cutting fluid on the lathe and when drilling holes etc.. Its also a very good penetrant and rust preventer. As I'm using it on the lathe everything is covered in a light film, and nothing is going rusty, all still shiny. I get it in a 5Lt. container and decant it into a couple of small squirt bottles that I use for everything. Far superior to rp7, wd40, crc etc.




BY the way it is actually recommended by the manufacturer as a cutting fluid for Stainless and aluminium, but I also use it on steel, and anything else that needs it, avoids the need to have one for this and one for that. And its also a  dewatering fluid and lubricant. They also make a range of other lubricants including food grade ones.


----------



## AJB (Oct 31, 2018)

I live in the Deep South and our high humidity and warm temps cause tools will rust tools practically overnight.  I have tried lots of protectants, but stopped when I discovered WD40 Specialist Long Term Corrosion Inhibitor.  The stuff works, and it lasts a long time! 

It sounds similar to the description of T-9 in it goes on wet and stays wet if a heavy coat is applied.  However, it seems to dry if a light coat is applied.  Either way seems to protect equally well.

Here is a link to a thorough test of lubricants and rust inhibitors that is really good:  https://www.shootersforum.com/gun-cleaning/91566-results-gun-care-product-evaluation.html


----------



## hman (Oct 31, 2018)

Bob Korves said:


> Google Ed's Red.  Homemade, cheap, works great.  I make mine to a recipe of
> 1 part anhydrous lanolin (from eBay)
> 1 part ATF
> 5 parts mineral spirits
> Heat the lanolin carefully until it is completely melted, then mix in the other two ingredients.  That mixture works well for everything in the shop -- tools, machines, and metal stock.  Apply a wet coat and let it dry.  It leaves a nearly invisible, dry to the touch coating.


About a year ago, I set out to find a less expensive alternative to Fluid Film.  Bought some anhydrous lanolin from the Bay and tested it with various solvents, to figger out which would work best.  Several worked OK, but turpentine turned out to work best - dissolved the greatest amount of lanolin per volume of solvent.  Not a bad smell, either.  Didn't go much further, as I moved from humid Oregon to dry Arizona soon thereafter.

Nevertheless, I'll give Ed's Red a try.  Thanks for the post!


----------



## Bob Korves (Oct 31, 2018)

C-Bag said:


> So did you tweek the recipe?


Yes, I did tweak it a bit, but I do not remember exactly what I changed.  I am not using it for cleaning barrels, so I tweaked it toward anti-rust properties and toward a decent protective film thickness.



C-Bag said:


> When I was in the San Joaquin valley I mostly didn't have to worry about rust like over here.


The Sacramento valley is pretty kind to things that rust, but eventually gets them if ignored.  It is just one of the good reasons for living here.


----------



## ThinWoodsman (Nov 1, 2018)

I keep Fluid Film around but stopped using it on the machines and tools in the shop. Just too messy - everything is covered in a gummy residue that accumulates dust, swarf, bugs, you name it. LPS-3 is similar, a bit better behaved but about three times the price. 

I'm out of the rust season now but will probably do a homebrew next year. Not likely to be Red's as I'm a bit put off by the lanolin - so far my experience has been that you might as well use cosmoline for all the work you have to do cleaning the machinery before use.


----------



## hamholfarm (Nov 1, 2018)

I appreciate all of the reply's so far.
I have read a good deal on Ed's Red from the various firearm and reloading groups which I visit. However, I never heard of it being used to protect machinery. I think I may just make up a batch and see how it works.

Thank you!


----------



## hamholfarm (Nov 1, 2018)

Is Ed's Red thin enough to be sprayed through a typical squirt bottle?


----------



## Bob Korves (Nov 1, 2018)

ThinWoodsman said:


> I keep Fluid Film around but stopped using it on the machines and tools in the shop. Just too messy - everything is covered in a gummy residue that accumulates dust, swarf, bugs, you name it. LPS-3 is similar, a bit better behaved but about three times the price.
> 
> I'm out of the rust season now but will probably do a homebrew next year. Not likely to be Red's as I'm a bit put off by the lanolin - so far my experience has been that you might as well use cosmoline for all the work you have to do cleaning the machinery before use.


The recipe I posted in post #6 dries to a clear, non sticky surface.  I cannot tell it is there by handling it or looking at it.  There is no odor after it is dry in a couple hours, and never a lanolin odor.


----------



## hamholfarm (Nov 1, 2018)

Bob,

Is your version of Ed's Red spray-able in a squirt bottle? Does it solidify after it cools down?

Thanks


----------



## CluelessNewB (Nov 1, 2018)

I use Johnson paste wax on my woodworking tool tops.  A thin coat rubbed in well once a year does the trick for me.  If it's cold heating lightly with a heat gun makes quick work of rubbing it in.  My shop is only heated when needed during the winter and never air conditioned.  What I like about it for woodworking tools is it doesn't need to be removed before use.  I do use T9 on some of hand tools, wiping off any excess.   I tried T9 on the top of my table saw but found that it always left residue on wood even if I wiped it down very well.  Completely removing it before each use was not acceptable to me.   A 1lb can of paste wax costs about $7 and lasts a long time.  I've been on my first can for about 15 years.


----------



## Downunder Bob (Nov 1, 2018)

Having read all ,your pro's and con's. I'll stick with my INOX MX3, Ok it's not cheap but neither was my lathe, and a little goes a long way, and it does work. Also being useful for a number of things means I don't have to keep other stuff around. 

BTW I did see one recipe for Ed's Red on the internet that includes Inox or Lanox in the recipe. Lanox is a partner product and yes it does contain lanolin. 

I notice a number of members complain about the smell of lanolin, It occurs to me that as Americans generally don't eat lamb, and very few sheep are farmed in US, whereas here in Aus we have many times more sheep than people, and we regularly eat sheep meat which would explain why the smell of lanolin does not bother us, in fact we often use it to soften our skin in our desert like climate.


----------



## Bob Korves (Nov 1, 2018)

hamholfarm said:


> Bob,
> 
> Is your version of Ed's Red spray-able in a squirt bottle? Does it solidify after it cools down?
> 
> Thanks


My version was only developed for my own usage in my home shop.  Anybody is welcome (and encouraged!) to try making some and using it as much as they want to.


----------



## hamholfarm (Nov 3, 2018)

Does anyone have a spray-able version of Ed's Red they would share?

Thanks


----------



## C-Bag (Nov 3, 2018)

Pump spray is not the way I'd go, they don't hold up. I use these metal one that you pressurize with a compressor.


----------



## hamholfarm (Nov 3, 2018)

Yes, I agree. 

Thanks



C-Bag said:


> Pump spray is not the way I'd go, they don't hold up. I use these metal one that you pressurize with a compressor.


----------



## Bob Korves (Nov 3, 2018)

hamholfarm said:


> Does anyone have a spray-able version of Ed's Red they would share?
> 
> 
> Thanks


My version should be spray-able, it is light bodied, clear, and has nothing floating around in it if the lanolin is fully melted when mixed with the hydrocarbons.    That might change if the temperature is brought down to below sunny California temperatures.  I have not tried to spray it, I find many to most sprays wasteful and messy.


----------



## ThinWoodsman (Nov 4, 2018)

C-Bag said:


> Pump spray is not the way I'd go, they don't hold up. I use these metal one that you pressurize with a compressor.



Those Sure Shots are great. Might give Bob Korves' recipe a go in one.


----------



## C-Bag (Nov 4, 2018)

me too when one goes dry. I've got a super penetrant mix in the big one( 50-50 ATF + acetone great stuff!) and way lube in the little one. Both those Sure Shots are over 40yrs old and just keep on squirtin'. I think I've got another little Sure Shot around here somewhere so maybe that's the one I'll try some Ed's Red in.


----------



## Silverbullet (Nov 4, 2018)

I use and make the eds red for gun cleaning a gallon mixed up if I remember the last I made came out to about $15.00 with enough other ingredients to almost make another gallon . The lanolin is what's best for rust proofing . By the oil or the paste and smear it on. The farmers who had sheep wondered why where ever the sheep rubbed metal it never got rusty ,, rocket science right Yes at one time in my life I cleaned some of the most valuable guns used. And was always recommended and given good tip money. On average a three day shoot would net three hundred dollars and pay my entry fees to shoot. Long days but it kept me being able to afford to shoot competition trap for years.


----------



## dbq49 (Nov 4, 2018)

I think "Practical Machinist" posted a formula of 1/4 lanolin to 3/4 ISO 68 oil.   Melt the lanolin and pour in the oil.  I put mine in a hand sprayer.  I want to put into a hand mister to cover more area.  Sprayed my drill press and still looks good.  Time and winter will tell if no rust reforms.
DBQ49er


----------



## warrjon (Nov 6, 2018)

Where I live is WET in winter and everything in my shed rusts. I use Lanolin actually Inox lanolin spray Lanox. I spray it into a tin with a rag and wipe down all my tools including micrometers and machines. No more rust issues. It's not expensive and a can lasts me about a year.

I wiped 1/2 a bit of steel bar the bit I didn't wipe had surface rust on it within a few weeks, the bit I did wipe is still clean 18 months later with ONE application.


----------



## ThinWoodsman (Nov 6, 2018)

Hmm, never considered using lanolin for stock. I generally wipe down stock with linseed oil once I get it home - works fine but lanolin would remove that attendant bit of fire hazard.


----------



## ThinWoodsman (Nov 8, 2018)

Was using some silicon spray while putting away some rifles after a cleaning, and it occurred to me that I haven't read of anyone suggesting silicon spray as a rust-prevention coating for machinery (though I certainly haven't gone through all of the posts on this forum dealing with rust).

Is there a reason for this? It can't be cost, when products like LPS-3 are considered viable.


----------



## C-Bag (Nov 8, 2018)

I tried silicone spray first and didn't have much luck. Could be it just doesn't have body lanolin has?


----------



## KMoffett (Nov 9, 2018)

warrjon said:


> Lanox


Here it''s wet in summer. How Lanox stand up to sweaty hands? Like palm prints on mill beds, vices, and lathe chucks

Ken


----------



## Bob Korves (Nov 9, 2018)

ThinWoodsman said:


> Was using some silicon spray while putting away some rifles after a cleaning, and it occurred to me that I haven't read of anyone suggesting silicon spray as a rust-prevention coating for machinery (though I certainly haven't gone through all of the posts on this forum dealing with rust).


Silicone spray is a marginal rust preventative, more a lube than a protectant.  I rarely use it on metals,  usually on plastic for less friction.


----------



## warrjon (Nov 20, 2018)

KMoffett said:


> Here it''s wet in summer. How Lanox stand up to sweaty hands? Like palm prints on mill beds, vices, and lathe chucks
> 
> Ken



Lanox is brilliant, no hand prints or rust on anything. My first mill had surface rust appearing within 3 weeks. Someone put me onto Lanolin and Lanox or any other lanolin based product will work.


----------



## ThinWoodsman (Nov 20, 2018)

Mixed up a batch of Bob's Red (only with 2 parts ATF instead of 1), put it in a Sure Shot mister.

Took a couple days but it did dry to a suitably non-sticky surface. The main downsides for now are a) the lanolin I got was a 4 oz container for cosmetics (huh) so I am out already, and b) roughly 1/2 oz of the lanolin solidified on contact with the other ingredients. It was maybe 35 F outside and I was mixing on the concrete floor of the basement, so probably I just have to be more aware of the environment next time.

Also, this gave me an excuse to buy one of those rather pricey aluminum misters that SureShot makes, as I don't think my steel SureShots are going to be empty anytime soon. I found it *very* difficult to stop misting things. Fun little sprayer, that.


----------



## middle.road (Nov 21, 2018)

Has anyone seen a cheaper grade of lanoline available besides the 'USP' version?
That's all I saw when I searched on eBay.
Just wondering. Pinching pennies here.


----------



## Cooter Brown (Nov 21, 2018)

I use this on everything and I never get rust on my machines...

https://www.rustoleum.com/product-catalog/consumer-brands/stops-rust/rust-inhibitor/


----------



## hman (Nov 22, 2018)

middle.road said:


> Has anyone seen a cheaper grade of lanoline available besides the 'USP' version?
> That's all I saw when I searched on eBay.
> Just wondering. Pinching pennies here.


I'm pretty sure I got mine from Amazon about a year or two ago.  Don't recall if it was USP.  Searched Amazon for "anhydrous lanolin" and, indeed, it all seems to be USP.  Best deals I could find:
1 lb $16.99, free shipping
https://www.amazon.com/Lanolin-Grad...2865345&sr=8-4&keywords=anhydrous+lanolin+1lb
2 lb $28.49 ($14.25/lb) free shipping, same seller
https://www.amazon.com/Lanolin-Grad...5&sr=8-2-fkmr0&keywords=anhydrous+lanolin+1lb

Did not see the container I recall buying previously.

Did some more searching and found it for $10.75/lb, shipping unknown:
https://www.makeyourown.buzz/lanolin-anhydrous-usp/
Other online DIY soap stores seem to have similar prices.  Makes me think ... I recall seeing a DIY soap store here in the Phoenix area a couple days ago.  One of them might be worth checking for an over-the-counter sale (no shipping charges!)


----------



## ThinWoodsman (Nov 26, 2018)

Thanks for the lanolin link.

Ordered some, received it, refined my method and got better results. I glopped the lanolin into a funnel, put the funnel over a jar, put the jar on a block of wood in a pan of boiling water. Once all the lanolin ran into the jar, I put a bottle in the boiling water, poured the lanonlin into the bottle using the funnel, then took the bottle out of the water and poured the ATF in and shook the bottle. Keeping the jar and the bottle warm allowed the lanolin and ATF to mix; from there, adding the relatively cool moneral spirits simply diluted the mixture.

Wasn't perfect  - the cool neck of the bottle solidified some of the lanolin while shaking. Need to stir next time, I guess.


----------

