Jerry can restoration
- Thread starter Spence621
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- jerry cans
Bitosin
New member
Assuming they are the older metal type, the interior rust and crud can be cleaned out with Muratic Acid (available at swimming pool supply place). Be careful not to spill it on concrete as it will eat it up. Twin City Surplus has the spouts and gaskets. For the exterior, sand and repaint to your liking.
CashMoney
I piss excellence.
I'd go ask a paint supply store what would hold up to gasoline the best if it were me. My guess would be some kinda acrilyc laquer paint. a lot of enaml ones will bubble up from gas.
RARECJ8
Well-known member
i hasve a number of jerrry cans and to keep the insides clean and happy i annually take the empty can and pour in about 1/2 qt of motor oil. Shaken shake and turn then let it sit flat, then on side,m ratating, etc. and over a few days give the insides a good coating and soaking. then fully drain the oil into the next can and repeat. Seems to work very well.
Do NOT get muratic acid near or on anything zinc plated!!! it will create a gas that will suffocate and possibly kill you. As for cleaning you could go and get some ceramic tumbling media for deburring metal parts in a Tumbler. Harbor freight http://www.harborfreight.com/1-1-2-half-inch-x-7-16-inch-large-ceramic-polishing-media-97029.html will possibly have this as will MSC or any industrial supply place. put the media in the can after cleanig it out with mineral spirits. add some water and shake them for a while. employ your freinds with beer and pizza to help.
Bitosin
New member
I hadn't heard of that, but thanks for the info...good to know.
I'm not sure if it's zinc plated or not, but I'm not about to find out haha. The motor oil and mineral spirits sound like a good idea. Ono of the cans the guy gave me had rocks and dirt in it, no joke. I asked him why and he couldn't tell me. I was like "whatever" *hand $5 over and leave*. Also, one of the cans had old gas in it, about half full. Any ideas of how to legally and safely get rid of it?
DirtyChemist
Well-known member
Store them OPEN!!!! That's how they rust. People seal them up and they condensate inside and sooner than later they rust.
I filled mine with some rocks and cleaned out the inside....then some gas, maybe half a gallon, and shook it around for a while.
You'll be amazed how much stuff comes out of them. I'm pretty sure someone makes a coating you can apply to the inside by pouring it in and swirling the can around.
As far as painting the outside.....I sanded mine with some 100 grit to rough it up, slapped some primer on and painted silver since I'd never seen a silver one...only red and green.
I filled mine with some rocks and cleaned out the inside....then some gas, maybe half a gallon, and shook it around for a while.
You'll be amazed how much stuff comes out of them. I'm pretty sure someone makes a coating you can apply to the inside by pouring it in and swirling the can around.
As far as painting the outside.....I sanded mine with some 100 grit to rough it up, slapped some primer on and painted silver since I'd never seen a silver one...only red and green.
DirtyChemist
Well-known member
I'm sure they're fine with fuel in them. It's when you have NOTHING in them when you want to store them open. People don't realize it's not a plastic gas tank and they condensate inside which leads to the rust. I'd use them like normal however find a good screen to put between the tank and whatever you're filling. Maybe buy a funnel with one so you clean out the tank and can use them at the same time.
Or fill it with rocks and bang it around and rinse it out a lot.
http://www.g503.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=58089&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0
some more info for ya.
Or fill it with rocks and bang it around and rinse it out a lot.
http://www.g503.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=58089&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0
some more info for ya.
