magnesium corrsion?!

[grantwolland]

this weekend I went into my shed and noticed my saws that were sitting on their wooden shelf had a white powdery "corrosion" on any exposed piece of their magnesium housings. I didn't think magnesium would corrode like that. I know aluminum will corrode but it takes a long time and exposure to something like saltwater. Is magnesium more susecptible to corrosion or is there a different culprit I should be looking for? I figure I will sand down the corrosion and give them a light coating of oil? any other suggestions.

 

[Lakeside53]

Yes, it will corrode. I'd treat it with diluted purple cleaner, brush with a soft wire brush (like stainless or brass wire), wash off, dry then coat with LPS-3.

Painting is a better long term solution...

 

[Grande Dog]

I've seen some saws from the islands that were used for cutting a steady diet of palms. Given some time, they end up like swiss chesse.

 

[knucklepanshovel]

I have seen some suprising fast corrosion. 1 saw left in a trunk I am afraid to poke it as it may leak gas where it corroded so bad & was only there maybe 6 months but trunk leaked & carpet was soaked..

as for magnesium corroding ask any old "airhead" air cooled vw person that messed with type 1,2,& 3 engines which are magnesium I have seen so many junked cases that were pulled out of a car & left to sit on ground & person say it needs a rebuild & not realise that that in 1 to 2 years case can be totally ruined. now if it was covered & elevated usually ok for a rebuilder.

the type 4 VW guys are ok. there cases are aluminum take alot longer..

Later,
Randy

 

[Brian S]

If I read this correctly, mag corrodes only from contact with water/saltwater?

Clean and dry and stored inside should never corrode, right?

 

[stihl86]

I would look for an oxidizer that is stored in the shed with the saw You have a pool? Some chemicals will do what your describing in a short period of time.

 

[Nikko]

I've got a Bosch router with a barrel that's made of magnesium - part of the maintenance routine is to scrub off the oxidation and wax it up to last another few months before it starts to bind up again. It's a PITA, but it's also a nice router so I'm willing to put up with the BS.

The router's my table router, lives in a bone dry shop. No exposure to moisture/water/high humidity, ever.

Nikko

 

[bama]

Bagged fertilizer and sitting on a concrete floor will cause this to happen. I bought a saw that had the entire bottom eaten away because of sitting on a bag of lawn fertilizer.

 

[Dan-Tor]

About 10 years ago I saw a Sthil 015 that was used to cut meat and was left for months.
The magnesium was eaten until it made a hole in the crankcase.
It must have been eaten by the aminoacids in the meat.

 

[J.Walker]

Magnesium Corrsion

Manual had a posting about Magnesium a while ago. Check it out.

http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=71834

 

[grantwolland]

I was just surprised because even though it has been a wet summer it took only about a week to form and fairly heavily. they are in my garden shed and the only fertilizer I have is miracle gro. I will definatley scrub them and oil them up as lakeside mentioned. hard to find cases for these old darlings. thanks.

 

[Mad Professor]

If I read this correctly, mag corrodes only from contact with water/saltwater?

Clean and dry and stored inside should never corrode, right?

Alcohols will do the same thing methanol > ethanol > isopropanol

 

[The Lorax]

About 10 years ago I saw a Sthil 015 that was used to cut meat

Meat? what kind of meat needs a chainsaw to cut it?

 

[Dan-Tor]

Meat? what kind of meat needs a chainsaw to cut it?

Cow's carcass, like this guy cuts in New Zeland:

 

[Brian S]

Cow's carcass, like this guy cuts in New Zeland:

I don't know about you guys but I prefer 3/8 full chisel for cow, but I always switch to semi-chisel for the dirtier conditions of cutting pig.

 

[Brian S]

When you butcher a cow, do you need a smaller "limbing" saw and a bigger one for the "trunk"? I guess it depends on how you like you steak cut, against the "grain" or with it.

HA HAh ha ho.. Never mind....

 

[teacherman]

Bagged fertilizer and sitting on a concrete floor will cause this to happen. I bought a saw that had the entire bottom eaten away because of sitting on a bag of lawn fertilizer.

That really sucks.

 

[heimannm]

Now that we are on the subject...

Is the purple stuff the best way to clean up corrosion on magnesium? I have a McCulloch 650 totally disassembled right now with a fair bit of corrosion evident on lots of the internal as well as external surfaces like the fuel tank, oil tank, crank case, etc. I am open to all suggestions.

Thanks,

Mark

 

[blsnelling]

Did someone ask if Magnesium corrodes This is what happens to Ekka's MS440s cutting palms in Australia. I believe he said it only takes about a year to do this.

 

[teacherman]

Meat? what kind of meat needs a chainsaw to cut it?

Didn't you see an old B movie called Rancho Deluxe? The procedure is well demonstrated in the opening scene.......

Cow's carcass, like this guy cuts in New Zeland:

I don't know about you guys but I prefer 3/8 full chisel for cow, but I always switch to semi-chisel for the dirtier conditions of cutting pig.

Thassum sick material, mon. I like it! Maye I will figure out a quick way to field dress a deer.........Oh, finally got my deer head back a few weeks agod. Check it out.