naval jelly

[Dan Hartung]

OK, it's phosphoric acid in a gel.

I've used it for a "quick fix", such as carport pilings, and I found by accident that instead of washing it off after 15 minutes, when I leave it on overnight or especially past a rainstorm, it develops a white color, sort of like a slapdash primer job. It seems to inhibit rust this way, too, although the label on the new bottles says it really doesn't.

I guess there's no reason to expect that; I'm not sure what the phosporic acid and iron turn into chemically and what its properties are vs. basic ongoing corrosion.

Now that I'm getting ready to actually get around to painting things (with ACE Rust-Stop spray), is there any harm in painting over this Naval Jelly layer? Or will it inhibit binding?

[rednelb]

i used to leave naval jelly on everything.. mikne left a black primer though

[Richard J Kinch]

No, that involved manganese. And clean steel, not rust.

[Joe Bobst]

You're right about the manganese. And note that I did not refer to Parkerizing for rusty steel. To clarify matters, I was correct regarding Parkerizing as a phospating process. It is one of two kinds of Parkerizing extant. For more info go to

Lots more links in Google, but this one sums it up nicely. Cheers.

Joe

[Chip Stein]

it turns iron oxide into iron phosphate. a better answer is POR-15 not only stops the rust but creates a vapor barrier to prevent it. Chip