Tidying up rusty weights, m8s.

[macky]

[BigBruvOfEnglandUK]

I mentioned in another thread recently that I bought some old weights, adjustable handles and fixed weight dumbells for only AUD$20.
I finally found some time to start cleaning them up today but I've just realised that I forgot to start on the dumbbells. I might do them tomorrow.
All I did was give them a quick wire brushing, dusted them off and gave them a coat of rust converter on one side, waited until that dried and then the same on the other. Rust converter is a lot easier to use than paint and I prefer the look. You don't need to paint over it either and lasts well outside.
I didn't really need to wire brush them as rust converter does a great job on it's own but I thought that I may as well do it.
It was just a few minutes work.

Before.


After.

[stormshadow]

Nice job Bruv. They look new. Never saw the Celsius brand before.

To make those handles never loosen I do two things. On the part right next to the inner stop on the handle I use a one inch diameter rubber washer. I get them on eBay. Load the weights and then put a one inch steel lock washer and then the screw on lock that came with handle. They don't move or loosen

In the US they are called star lock handles and I like them

Those plates look like classic York Barbell plates with the outside rim that are my favorites.

[Deleted]

I had the York green iron plates but when I got some 25 lb plates they was black so got a spray can of green Tremclad rust paint, pretty much the same colour. Later got two 50lb plates and needed a bit of a touch-up spray.

[brothersteve]

Real nice job on those Bruv.

[BigBruvOfEnglandUK]

Dec 20, 2022 13:05:34 GMT stormshadow said:

Nice job Bruv. They look new. Never saw the Celsius brand before.

To make those handles never loosen I do two things. On the part right next to the inner stop on the handle I use a one inch diameter rubber washer. I get them on eBay. Load the weights and then put a one inch steel lock washer and then the screw on lock that came with handle. They don't move or loosen

In the US they are called star lock handles and I like them

Those plates look like classic York Barbell plates with the outside rim that are my favorites.

They look like new in the pic but not in real life. I really prefer how rusty old weights look after they've had rust converter on them compared to new or repainted weights. It's not easy to explain but if you try it I think you will like it too.
I've seen plenty of weights in great condition on Facebook Marketplace that looked like they were never used going cheap but I was actually holding out to find a rusty set so I could do this treatment. I really wouldn't have minded if they were even rustier. The more rust the better.

As you can see in the first post in this thread I have done this before and sold off a bunch of the weights that I didn't need. I'm a bit of a minimalist but recently decided that my workouts would be a little simpler to set up with another pair of handles and a few more weights plus I got a few more fixed weight dumbbells so it all makes for a lot less changing weights, m8s.
 
I'm pretty sure that Celsius are an Australian brand. They are very common here.

The handles are called spinlock handles here.

[MBS]

Dec 20, 2022 10:31:49 GMT BigBruvOfEnglandUK said:

I mentioned in another thread recently that I bought some old weights, adjustable handles and fixed weight dumbells for only AUD$20.
I finally found some time to start cleaning them up today but I've just realised that I forgot to start on the dumbbells. I might do them tomorrow.
All I did was give them a quick wire brushing, dusted them off and gave them a coat of rust converter on one side, waited until that dried and then the same on the other. Rust converter is a lot easier to use than paint and I prefer the look. You don't need to paint over it either and lasts well outside.
I didn't really need to wire brush them as rust converter does a great job on it's own but I thought that I may as well do it.
It was just a few minutes work.

Before.


After.

Thanks for the tip. I have some rusted plates I cleaned up, and read wd40 would coat them. Well after they got rained on, they looked worse than before.   I’ll try your method instead. Didn’t know about rust converter spray. 

[BigBruvOfEnglandUK]

The first time I did it I used spray on but tipped it out of the bottle and brushed it on. This time I bought a small bottle of brush on liquid. I think it's better. It goes on so easily and with a brush you can be sure to get in everywhere and you're not breathing in some nasty mist.
Instead of using a container for it just make a small pool of it on one of the weights and use that as your rust converter reservoir to dip the brush in. The brush cleans up easily with soap and water.

If they have been coated with WD-40 it might be an idea to give them a clean with paint thinners or some other solvent.

I did the same treatment on some dumbbells today.
Before.


After.

[Deleted]

The only thing I don't like is KG, Imperial is used here for weight and size, hate metric.

[captkronos]

I only have a few dumbbells now, and i won’t part with them for sentimental reasons …like all the times I stubbed a pinky toe on them in the dark. A couple of my sets are pretty old, I coated them with that black flex seal spray

[mr potatohead]

Dec 21, 2022 3:51:02 GMT MBS said:

.....  I have some rusted plates I cleaned up, and read wd40 would coat them. Well after they got rained on, they looked worse than before.   ........

Yeah, WD-40 actually attracts moisture. It also attracts dirt, gums up mechanisms if left on and it's not a good lubricant.
I use it to kill wasps. It's ok for that, but is pretty much the opposite of everything it claims.
Like way too much in our world today, its value is all in people's heads, placed there by the marketing that someone has done.

There are real lubricating, cleaning, non-gummy, non-dirt attracting (actually, dirt expelling), rust loosening, moisture-protecting liquids or semi-solids out there, some of which absolutely excel at specific tasks even though they are not advertised at all to do so.

[Nosie Norman]

"There are real lubricating, cleaning, non-gummy, non-dirt attracting (actually, dirt expelling), rust loosening, moisture-protecting liquids or semi-solids out there, some of which absolutely excel at specific tasks even though they are not advertised at all to do so.".....like what?

[BigBruvOfEnglandUK]

Dec 21, 2022 11:23:00 GMT captkronos said:

I only have a few dumbbells now, and i won’t part with them for sentimental reasons …like all the times I stubbed a pinky toe on them in the dark. A couple of my sets are pretty old, I coated them with that black flex seal spray

I love the look of those!

I wish I still had my old dumbbells that I had in EnglandUK. Unfortunately they were too heavy to be transporting around the world.
My favourite ones were a pair of boxing dumbbells. They only weighed a pound each and had leather bound handles. They were really old and hardly used. They looked fantastic. I had them on display. I should have kept them, m8.

[mr potatohead]

Dec 21, 2022 14:27:01 GMT Nosie Norman said:

"There are real lubricating, cleaning, non-gummy, non-dirt attracting (actually, dirt expelling), rust loosening, moisture-protecting liquids or semi-solids out there, some of which absolutely excel at specific tasks even though they are not advertised at all to do so.".....like what?

Like, what ..... do you want it to do?

[Goober the Mechanic]

Pro mechanic here, and WD 40 definitely has its uses:

Lubricates moving parts such as hinges, wheels, rollers, chains, and gears

Protects against rust and corrosion on tools

Loosens rusted/stuck plumbing joints

Loosens rusted bolts

Lubricates and protects power tools

Removes rust from saw blades

Lubricates squeaky doors and drawers

Prevents metal surfaces from rusting

Cleans and softens paintbrushes

Unsticks painted radiator valves

Keeps lawnmower wheels turning smoothly

Untangles jewelry chains

Removes chewing gum from almost any surface, especially when it’s left on the bedpost overnight