Aluminum foil prevents rust

[lowell holmes]

I've been reworking a girl bed for my three year old grand daughter to graduate to from a baby bed. The bed is a hand me down from her two older brothers. It used to be a boy bed.

I've been using a rasp and hand saws on the job. The problem is that we live in Northern Galveston County, Texas. Tools left in my garage/workshop will rust.
I learned some time ago to wrap tools left in the shop with aluminum foil. This prevents the tool from rusting. You don't want your Ariou rasp to rust.:)

It occurred to me that some newbies may not know this, so I thought I would post the tip.

[David Eisenhauer]

Thanks for the tip Lowell. BTW, what is the difference between a "boy bed" and a "girl bed"?

[Pat Barry]

I dont understand the chemistry of aluminum foil as a method to stop your tool from rusting so I can only think that the foil is sealing up the tool and keeping moisture away. If this is the case, a simple plastic bag would do as well to keep your tools free from rust.

[Stew Denton]

Pat, I learned a long time ago, from my supervising professor in college, that thin plastic, as in a plastic bag, is not a great moisture barrier. The aluminum foil will do much better in that regard.

Stew

[Ron Bontz]

I generally just use oil impregnated paper. Some of them are good for well over a year. The plastic bag/ covering is more porous than the aluminum foil, hence osmotic infusion comes into play. For short term, any thing that blocks the moisture works. Aluminum foil is readily available.

[Dave Zellers]

... osmotic infusion comes into play.

I love those guys! Totally dissed last night at the Grammys.

[john zulu]

After many attempts to combat rust. There are only 2 chemicals I use now. Johnson Wax or Engine oil. Engine oil really combats rust. It stops it completed.
But when it comes to wood contact and metal Johnson wax is sufficient for most of the time.

[lowell holmes]

Thanks for the tip Lowell. BTW, what is the difference between a "boy bed" and a "girl bed"?

When the two boys were using it, it was a boy bed. It is being painted again and made into a girl bed.

[lowell holmes]

I generally just use oil impregnated paper. Some of them are good for well over a year. The plastic bag/ covering is more porous than the aluminum foil, hence osmotic infusion comes into play. For short term, any thing that blocks the moisture works. Aluminum foil is readily available.

And it is not messy, requiring clean up. I wrap my files with it and they never rust.

[David Eisenhauer]

Completely understood and good for her getting her own bed from her grandpa.

[Frederick Skelly]

Completely understood and good for her getting her own bed from her grandpa.

+1. A baby girl needs a girl bed. :)

[Malcolm McLeod]

I dont understand the chemistry of aluminum foil as a method to stop your tool from rusting so I can only think that the foil is sealing up the tool and keeping moisture away. If this is the case, a simple plastic bag would do as well to keep your tools free from rust.

'Cathodic protection' is common on pipelines and offshore platforms. My mostly-forgotten understanding is that it is basically a big battery, or an anode & cathode - - with the sacrificial anode corroding instead of the cathode. My chemistry brain cell is weak (should have put in that anode), but there may be a similar reaction setup by the dissimilar metals in Lowell's example - and the aluminum oxidizes instead of the iron.

Although, SWMBO may be the greater threat here. When she goes to bake cookies, and you've used all her tin-foil to wrap the tools she didn't want in the first place.... hhmmm, rust? Or neutering? ...tough choice!

[Kees Heiden]

For cathodic protection you need a conducting fluid between the two metals, like the seawater around ships and offshore platforms. Cathodic rusting is also common when you combine for example stainless bolts with normal steel nuts in an outdoor environment where the rain makes the conducting path.

But I suppose you keep your files as dry as possible!

[Sergey Petrov]

Aluminium would act as an anode, albeit less so than zinc as it rapidly develops an oxide which protects it. What would make foil very good at being anode is its massive "reactive surface". The current rating of an anode is calculated as a function of its galvanic potential, exposed area and some other factors. However, in absence of truly wetted connection for ion movement the protection will be very little. Compared to wrapping in plastic etc., foil may still be the better option especially in case of condensation or very high humidity.

[William Fretwell]

It works with bacon after you open the packet. Just wrap the remaining bacon tightly in foil, it will keep far longer. Not only is foil a much better moisture barrier it conforms around things excluding air and air movement.
Oiling tools is a near perfect wrap, oiled paper is like foil but you get some oil on the tools as well.

Our winters are very dry so I oil my tools in the spring (usually 2 days here!) ready for the hot humid summers.

[Malcolm McLeod]

3 replies about cathodes; 0 about neutering. Interesting crowd.

[William Fretwell]

3 replies about cathodes; 0 about neutering. Interesting crowd.

There is no galvanic protection going on either, unless your wrapped tools are immersed in electrolyte.
Aluminium with 5% zinc is a good long lasting sacrificial anode for salt water. Magnesium works for fresh water, and of course zinc the classic sacrificial anode. They all rely on excellent electrical connection to a common ground or you protect one part and corrode another.

This is about excluding air with moisture and air movement that would bring more moisture.