New pipe fence - paint or leave rusty?

[swampratt]

My cousin in Weleetka Ok painted his pipe fence white and the county assessor raised his taxes over it.
Said if it was red or black it would not raise taxes.

I have bad words for them.
My understanding is that rust if not flaky is actually a protective layer.
I say do not paint it.

 

[rawhide]

This is what I've been using from Lowe's and I've had good luck with it and the WBAU from SW.
Any rust inhibitive red oxide primer would work though.
Prime one day, paint the next

Is using this product in addition to the rust converter I've already applied overkill or worth the additional protection?

I've been using a wire brush and bastard file on the rust followed by rust converter I picked up at a local oilfield supply. Tonight I picked up a rust removal disk to use with a cordless drill.

 

[Cowcatcher]

@rawhide if you’ve got a generator to power it, this tool is nice. It’s on sale often for $120. We keep our steel on a rack outside. This tool knocks surface rust off fast when I drag a stick of steel or a piece of sheet metal into the shop for a project.
https://www.harborfreight.com/9-amp-surface-conditioning-tool-58079.html

 

[rawhide]

@rawhide if you’ve got a generator to power it, this tool is nice. It’s on sale often for $120. We keep our steel on a rack outside. This tool knocks surface rust off fast when I drag a stick of steel or a piece of sheet metal into the shop for a project.
https://www.harborfreight.com/9-amp-surface-conditioning-tool-58079.html

Thanks. I do have a generator and that may be a good option. $149 on HB website tonight.

 

[rawhide]

@rawhide if you’ve got a generator to power it, this tool is nice. It’s on sale often for $120. We keep our steel on a rack outside. This tool knocks surface rust off fast when I drag a stick of steel or a piece of sheet metal into the shop for a project.
https://www.harborfreight.com/9-amp-surface-conditioning-tool-58079.html

What grit wheel do you use for rust?

 

[Cowcatcher]

What grit wheel do you use for rust?

I use the most coarse one. It’s actually the only one I use for everything. I’m not doing body work on a car or trying to get a smooth as glass finish. But even that coarse one (40 grit I think but might be 60) leaves a finish that’s smooth to the touch.

 

[HoLeChit]

I hate painting. REALLY hate painting. 1/2 mile or more of pipe fencing? F that... I'll be dead and buried long before that fence rusts away.

So I'll be the lone voice in the wilderness saying NO to the pipe fence painting.

Two peas in a pod, you and I. Painting is one of the things I hate most in this world.

 

[Shadowrider]

My understanding is that rust if not flaky is actually a protective layer.

Once you get a layer of good oxide layer (rust) formed it does slow down some but doesn't totally stop on steel or iron.

Aluminum anodizing does stop it pretty much cold. Anodize is just an oxide layer. Look at it as a "shield" from the oxygen in the air so no corrosion occurs.

 

[turkeyrun]

Paint it with mitts. Don't soak the mitts. Spread the paint to not leave too thick. Use a metal primer and metal paint.
Sprayer uses more paint, will have thin spots and harder to get full coverage.

Good primer / paint will last years.

Dad had a RV awning put up 30 years ago. 3" pipe poles, not painted. Some had rusted through in 15 years.
Papa put his up in '68. Always scraped, primed and painted BEFORE needed. No rust, still solid. Painted on 10-12 year cycle.

Depending on the look you want, aluminum paint holds up well. Black looks good. A rust brown color would be a natural look.

 

[okietool]

Some of the cross country high lines now have nothing on the poles. They are supposed to last longer is my understanding.
Mine is 2 3/8 upset tubing and was painted but I won’t paint it again.
Drill pipe is hard to build with, it’s almost always magnetized.

So I say no paint.