This isn't rust, it's Cetol.
Once again I had to battle my nemesis Cetol. Heading to the boat in the marina tender you could see the orangey dried drips all over the metal swim ladder as we approached. Because the ladder hangs upside-down when not in use, all the drips and blotches of of the finish stood out like a sore thumb. I looked the product up on the internet and it comes three colors: Cetol Marine, which has an attractive dark amber appearance on wood, Cetol Marine Light, which has a lighter amber appearance on wood, and Cetol Marine Natural Teak, which has a rich golden color that enhances the natural beauty and grain of wood. I think what I'm removing must be the dark amber. The product had mixed reviews, the pro side outweighed the list of cons. As in anything, I guess it depends on how well it's applied.
For us, the Cetol was badly administered and probably slapped on over teak that had already begun to show mold and white areas where the varnish had lifted. What I removed was thick, layers of varnish and Cetol, so the grain of the beautiful wood no longer showed. The teak was actually so worn and tired looking that I thought at first it would have to be replaced and was truly amazed that it could be stripped down and come back from the grave so full of life. So I removed the teak, heat gunned off the old finish, sanded, bleached and applied eight coats of Gloss Epiphane. It was truly an amazing transformation. The wood grain and patina under the new glossy finish was breathtaking. Next I tackled the rack.
Unfortunately, the Cetol was spread all over the swim ladder metal as well. They obviously brushed all the surrounding areas along with it, plus the drips that splattered all over the side rungs. I tried a list of things to dissolve the finsh, lacquer thinner did nothing to penetrate the coating and whatever else was suggested I tried but it wouldn’t release its grip. I even tried chipping it off but that was time consuming and because I was working with a round metal tube and a flat chisel, the two shapes only connected in a thin line so I had to be really careful not to scratch the metal. A friend suggested paint remover andloaned me his can, a smelly chemical that always bothered me when I used to strip furniture, but with a mask, rubber gloves and fine steel wool it did the trick. It was a low odor product and if that's the case I would hate to think what the really smelly stuff could do, b=probably cause a buzz for a good ling time or headaches on top of headaches. All I'm saying, before I started using it my hair was straight, now it's curly.....
The Cetol was coated in all the welded areas where the step rungs met the side rails but I got in the creases with strands of fine steel wool and used it like dental floss back and forth to clean out the grooves. Working with steel wool is messy and the little fibers go everywhere and you can’t leave any behind on the metal or they will rust. I learned my lesson the hard way using it on the boat to clean the rust off the exposed metal of the lifelines; tiny bits blew around the scuppers and on the gelcoat of the deck that left little rust marks after moisture got to them. More work for me.
After Cetol was removed off of the metal ladder, then I used a marine metal polish and buffed them to a shine to protect it from the salt water. I always thought stainless steel didn’t rust but there must be something else in it because it forms in scratches and the bond where the metal is joined. It seems to need constant polishing each year.
Sorry I don’t have a picture of the finished job; it now sparkles like a diamond in the sun and satisfies the crow in me. And even better, when the tender takes us to our boat my chest puffs with pride. That sure was a lot of work for a piece of equipment that we don’t even use. I don’t swim all that well, doggy paddle is my speed, and we board along the starboard side with a neat step fender, but it’s all part of the overall look of the boat and one must keep up appearances.
For us, the Cetol was badly administered and probably slapped on over teak that had already begun to show mold and white areas where the varnish had lifted. What I removed was thick, layers of varnish and Cetol, so the grain of the beautiful wood no longer showed. The teak was actually so worn and tired looking that I thought at first it would have to be replaced and was truly amazed that it could be stripped down and come back from the grave so full of life. So I removed the teak, heat gunned off the old finish, sanded, bleached and applied eight coats of Gloss Epiphane. It was truly an amazing transformation. The wood grain and patina under the new glossy finish was breathtaking. Next I tackled the rack.
Unfortunately, the Cetol was spread all over the swim ladder metal as well. They obviously brushed all the surrounding areas along with it, plus the drips that splattered all over the side rungs. I tried a list of things to dissolve the finsh, lacquer thinner did nothing to penetrate the coating and whatever else was suggested I tried but it wouldn’t release its grip. I even tried chipping it off but that was time consuming and because I was working with a round metal tube and a flat chisel, the two shapes only connected in a thin line so I had to be really careful not to scratch the metal. A friend suggested paint remover andloaned me his can, a smelly chemical that always bothered me when I used to strip furniture, but with a mask, rubber gloves and fine steel wool it did the trick. It was a low odor product and if that's the case I would hate to think what the really smelly stuff could do, b=probably cause a buzz for a good ling time or headaches on top of headaches. All I'm saying, before I started using it my hair was straight, now it's curly.....
The Cetol was coated in all the welded areas where the step rungs met the side rails but I got in the creases with strands of fine steel wool and used it like dental floss back and forth to clean out the grooves. Working with steel wool is messy and the little fibers go everywhere and you can’t leave any behind on the metal or they will rust. I learned my lesson the hard way using it on the boat to clean the rust off the exposed metal of the lifelines; tiny bits blew around the scuppers and on the gelcoat of the deck that left little rust marks after moisture got to them. More work for me.
After Cetol was removed off of the metal ladder, then I used a marine metal polish and buffed them to a shine to protect it from the salt water. I always thought stainless steel didn’t rust but there must be something else in it because it forms in scratches and the bond where the metal is joined. It seems to need constant polishing each year.
Sorry I don’t have a picture of the finished job; it now sparkles like a diamond in the sun and satisfies the crow in me. And even better, when the tender takes us to our boat my chest puffs with pride. That sure was a lot of work for a piece of equipment that we don’t even use. I don’t swim all that well, doggy paddle is my speed, and we board along the starboard side with a neat step fender, but it’s all part of the overall look of the boat and one must keep up appearances.
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