The authoritative public forum
  for Metal Finishing since 1989
-----

Want steel table to rust quickly

I have made a metal table out of mild steel tubing and I want it to get evenly coated with rust. Once it is rusty, I plan to use a rust stopping product called Extend on it that turns the rust black. Ultimately I want to create a simple durable black finish on the metal and want to do it cheap and easy. I just wire brushed the table and have it sitting outside...but I want to make it get rusty quickly and evenly without using dangerous chemicals. How can I speed up the process?

Thanks!

Donna C [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]
design faculty at a college - Amherst, Massachusetts
2003

---

Try a salt water solution.

James Totter, CEF
- Tallahassee, Florida
2004

---

October 25, 2008

Hi, Donna. I'd say repeatedly spritz it with a mix of vinegar ⇦in bulk on eBay or Amazon [affil links] and salt and water, preferably while leaving it in the sun.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey