Easiest way to "preserve" steel that's stored outside for a future project?

I have a PILE of steel that I need to keep from becoming a rusty mess - it's for my eventual super ramp truck build. 

Any protips? 

I was thinking of getting some kinda roll-on paint? 

Industrial amounts of ospho?

Cosmoline? 

I use CRC Corrosion Inhibitor. It does a good job for me but I'm not storing stuff outside. 

Maybe something like Fluid Film that is used on cars would work better. 

Wd 40?

used ATF and oil, messy as all to clean but should keep the rust at bay

depending on size of stack pump up hand sprayer, oil/ATF mix and some kerosene

Gibbs Oil does a good job of preventing rust without messing up surface for future painting and work. Would probably have to be reapplied if steel is stored outside for any length of time. Or you might try a coat of primer brushed or rolled on sprayed would be easier.

https://www.gibbsbrandlubricant.com/

For your application, maybe weld-through primer?

A product like Fluid Film or similar will work best. WD40 will not work out doors. If it gets rained on the metal will rust. It's OK for indoor storage though.

In reply to Tom Suddard :

I wanted to use weld through primer but it was REALLY expensive - am I looking in the wrong places?

And when I say stack of steel I'm talking about 4x 24' sticks of box 4", 3x20' sticks of 4" angle, etc. Funny, they look short in the picture but those are all 20+ feet

And I was thinking something similiar to what you guys were talking about (some kind of film/oil/etc) but then wrapping them in tarps??

I dunno, I was hoping to store it inside, but a certain beetle and a bunch of other projects are in the way right now...

I've never used it for storage but I'm a big fan of Rust-Oleum® Stops Rust® Protective Enamel paint. I use it on anything that doesn't need a show car finish.  That ranges from industrial equipment to roll cages to the insides of torque boxes and frame rails on unibody cars.  If you ever cut apart a '60s Mustang and the insides of the torque boxes are dark green that's one of my builds.  It doesn't need primer and goes on quickly with a brush or roller.  The black and dark green cover well with one coat.

In reply to APEowner :

Yeah, this is roughly what I was thinking - I'm just wondering how much oil/scale I'll need to clean off before I can get it applied well.

Fluid film?

I'm not sure about chemicals but I would make sure it's raised off the ground, has room for air circulation to prevent water collection, and not wrapped but covered as if in a tent.

Don't know if anyone wraps boats for storage where you are.  My BIL who lived in Lake Tahoe had a 25' cabin cruiser that he had shrink wrapped each winter to keep the snow / moisture / critters out.  He put some desiccant in the cabin to absorb any moisture that was there already.

If no one does boats, search for marine shrink wrap online. The advantage of this stuff is this is that there is nothing to clean off before you use the steel.  Put in desiccant, seal it up, and forget it until needed. 

If it's not going to be used for more than a year, cover everything with a cheap tarp to keep UV off of the shrink wrap.

Tom Suddard said:

For your application, maybe weld-through primer?

My first thought was Steel-it. Kinda pricey but will be perfect.

accordionfolder said:

In reply to APEowner :

Yeah, this is roughly what I was thinking - I'm just wondering how much oil/scale I'll need to clean off before I can get it applied well.

Oil is an issue but scale isn't.  I'd wipe it down with you're favorite degreaser and roll it on.

I stored a raw, unpainted steel frame outside under a simple tarp for a 2 years in the rainy, humid southeast. It got a little surface flash and was pretty annoying to clean up for paint. But you have to do that anyway to fabricate what you need from it. Mine had already been cleaned and welded quite a bit, so it was more susceptible to rust than your pile. They call that "pickled and oiled" and that's how almost all steel comes from mills just for this reason. Your pile will be fine wrapped in a tarp. 

Check page 25, then page 26 when I uncovered it. 

Used engine oil, preferably from a car that took too long between oil changes. 

Paint would probably work, but then you'd have to remove it later when you get around to using the steel.  That would probably be more work than leaving it as is and then cleaning up surface rust.  If you do use something, Gibbs would be a good option.

Cheap: used motor oil thinned w/ kerosene. Spray w/ a pneumatic siphon gun (HF engine cleaner). Helps if the oil/ kero is heated. 

I'll second the Gibbs

Sell it and buy new steel when you're ready to use it?

WonkoTheSane said:

Sell it and buy new steel when you're ready to use it?

That's an interesting thought.  I wonder if the steel house would just take it back.  I've never tried because I have indoor storage for overages but I bet accordianfolder isn't the first person to order steel they didn't end up using.

In reply to APEowner :

Hopefully it's used sooner rather than later, in the next 4 month if it all goes to plan. It's just peak rainy season, I'll probably do a hybrid of "leave it alone and tarp it" and "paint some of it" since most of it will be painted anyways.....