Humidity in basement

[ninosdemente]

Well I learned how humidity can help develop rust on my Rock Chucker (press bushing and handle). At a previous thread, someone suggested steel wool to get rid of rust and to not "scratch" areas used with the steel wool. Followed by rag of oil. Which I did and it did help.

As title says, I now know basement has humidity problems.

What other components/tools etc can humidity take its toll on? Well I know at least it wont affect plastic.

I have 2 packages of cci primers, dies in there boxes, will humidity "hurt" those at some point?

[Bfglowkey]

A small shot of Hornady One Shot spray lube periodically may help with the dies. Die maintenance is easily overlooked. If you have the carbide dies I will defer to someone else if they need that same attention. If you store your brass there you may see some visual signs of humidity if it is uncleaned waiting prep. Mostly around the primer pockets where primer residue. Fix was easy...I now store my shot brass after I at very least clean it...tumble/sonic wash and primer pocket scrubbed. Not sure about primers though. Keep that powder somewhere dry ( obvious I know lol)

[cdoc42]

Check out the Kano Industries website for Kroil products. They make an anti-rust spray that is claimed to last 6 months, among other things of interest.

http://www.kanolabs.com/

[ninosdemente]

I do keep the brass in plastic jars with lid. Those are already been through the tumbler except for one containing .40/.45 brass which don't own but hopefully one day I will use.

They are kept something similar to this:
https://www.uline.com/Product/Detail...E&gclsrc=aw.ds

The powder is kept in basement as well too, I haven't opened it yet. Planning on doing so this weekend for at least one jar.

Items kept with lids, wouldn't they offer some type of "protection"? As well as the dies with their boxes?

[EM44052]

Have you considered purchasing a de-humidifier for your basement? I had the same problem and after installing my de-humidifier, the basement stayed dry.

Another solution may be to purchase a safe, gun cabinet, or even a regular cabinet and install a mini dehumidifier. I have a safe with one of these installed and it works great. The mini dehumidifier cost around $20 and it can be re-charged by plugging it up when the indicator states it needs charging.

[Unclenick]

For longer-term (guarantee 2 years, but I find it lasts longer in Ohio climate), I've been using a pump spray bottle of LPS-3 for the last ten years or so. LPS-2 also has a corrosion inhibitor and looks and smells like the original Birchwood Casey Sheath product, which I expect was supplied by LPS on an OEM basis. It seems to me that 1 year was the number they claim for this thinner product.

If you have a lot of rust, get some Gunzilla bore cleaner. Apply it to the rust and wait 24 hours and then use a little more with your steel wool to get the rust off. When I first saw this product at Camp Perry about fifteen years ago, the maker had a sectioned shotgun barrel that was badly rusted and pitted and to which he'd applied the product to one half and did as I described and the rust was gone.

I once let some Gunzilla sit, forgotten, for about six weeks in a '03 Springfield barrel that had some rust pitting. When I dry patched it out, all the rust color came out and my Hawkeye borescope showed nothing but clean, shiny steel left behind. The pits had been glazed with carbon, too, and all that came out with it. There were separate black and rust red places on the patch. Not a trace left behind and no elbow grease involved. I subsequently took a rusted piece of steel and submerged it in Gunzilla and watched over a period of about three weeks as the rust fell off and accumulated in the bottom of the vial I put them in. Pretty amazing. The owner said his chemist told him it breaks the rust and carbon bonds. It needs a little time to work, but does great when it gets that.


If you go the gun safe (or just use a cabinet with a door), you can save yourself the bother of reconditioning a desiccant by using a GoldenRod safe heater or another low-power heat source. They work by raising the temperature of the air inside a few degrees. That increases the ability of the air to hold dissolved water, which lowers the relative humidity. It's the relative humidity (relative to the dew point) that matters and not the absolute humidity (total mass of dissolved water in the air) that matters to rust. The warmed air effectively holds onto water better which keeps it from creating mischief like causing rust.

[Mike Irwin]

I run a large dehumidifier in my basement pretty much 24x7 9 to 10 months of the year. Otherwise, it's a swamp down there.

[T. O'Heir]

It's 0000 steel wool and oil. Not steel wool followed by an oily rag. Then lightly grease whatever you're not using regularly. Just remember you'll have to clean the grease off before using. A dip in mineral spirits will do that.
I believe primer cups are plated brass or a non-ferrous alloy, but contact CCI and ask 'em to be sure(a magnet will instantly tell you if they're ferrous.). Faster to store 'em where the humidity isn't an issue though. Assuming that's possible. Isn't in some places. In some of those places a de-humidifier will not work well. Too humid.

[FITASC]

Once you get the rust off, you need a barrier to prevent humid air from contacting your press. You might try using a wax instead of oil which can migrate or dissipate

[Rifletom]

Just a thought on OP storing tumbled brass in plastic jars. Not sure, but, I'm thinking when jars are opened then closed, they may be "trapping" condensation[humidity] when lid is put back on. Especially in humid conditions. Just typing out loud.

[std7mag]

Nino,
Trust me, get a dehumidifier!!!
Humidity will affect press, dies, brass, primer, bullets, and powder.
Not good for any manuals you may have by the reloading bench either.

[ninosdemente]

Thanks guys... actually I was thinking about getting a dehumidifier... will have to check Menards to see what they have.

[gwpercle]

Living in South Louisiana we got lots of heat, humidity , rain and rust...constant battle with it.
Check out a product called WD40 Specialist Rust Prevent...not regular WD40 , the Rust Prevent is formulated to apply a rust barrier on steel and stay there . I've seen some rust testing done with many products and this stuff came in first or second by a wide margin.
I use it on Presses, Lube sizer, dies and tools...so far it's working ....I like it.
Gary

[hounddawg]

Get a 5 pound sack of the cheapest rice you can find and some old gym socks and make yourself some desiccant bags to toss in the jars with the brass. I don't think anything will keep it shiny forever but it slows things down a bit even with a salt marsh a half mile away. Once every month or so renew the "desiccant" by microwaving it for a minute or so.

[Mobuck]

I run one dehumidifier during normal summer weather and two if it's a wet period. No problem in winter as the furnace dries everything.

[RC20]

McMaster Carrs carries desiccant packs you can put in containers.

That would be a help until you get the humidity under control.

I would invest in something like Rubber Maid 4 cup to 9 + cup containers for all parts until you get a handle on the humidity (with the desiccant packs)

Its going to take a while to remove the moisture that has saturated your basement so even the DE-humidtifer is not an instant solution.

I feel for the folks on the Gulf Coast and other constant humidity challenged areas. Unless the room is well isolated and seal-able you have a tough and likely impossible fight and then have to go with rust presenters.

[Bimus]

For storing welding rods a none working refrigerator or freezer with a light bulb in it works very well at keeping things dry .

[hounddawg]

At Lowes today I noticed some big jugs of Damp Rid and thought of this thread

[LE-28]

For storing welding rods a none working refrigerator or freezer with a light bulb in it works very well at keeping things dry .

That's why what Uncle Nick said works

If you go the gun safe (or just use a cabinet with a door), you can save yourself the bother of reconditioning a desiccant by using a GoldenRod safe heater or another low-power heat source. They work by raising the temperature of the air inside a few degrees. That increases the ability of the air to hold dissolved water, which lowers the relative humidity. It's the relative humidity (relative to the dew point) that matters and not the absolute humidity (total mass of dissolved water in the air) that matters to rust. The warmed air effectively holds onto water better which keeps it from creating mischief like causing rust.

I suffered with a damp basement for a lot of years, man I don't want to go back to that.

There is only one good thing about it, there is no static. But that is the only good thing about it.

I am very fortunate now to have an air conditioned humidity controlled room to load in. My wife thinks so to because it's our laundry room so guess what my sideline is when I'm in there.

[RC20]

Bummer man

[ninosdemente]

Well apparently I did have a dehumidifier after all stored away. A little too late as it is pretty bad in the basement. Found late last night and has been on since then. Think will have to buy or make desiccant packs and probably look into getting a DampRid, heck at this point I will try anything that will do some help with trying to control the humidity. Its rather a large basement so that running humidifier will not be sufficient.

[Unclenick]

If the dehumidifier has an option to attach a garden hose to it to drain, so you don't have to empty the collecting bin. you can run the hose straight to your basement drain. I have that and, additionally, a small stand fan that helps circulate basement air. When spring rains start to dampen the basement I usually have to run the dehumidifier constantly for about a week before it is substantially better. Wood, paper, cardboard and anything else that can hold moisture down there needs time to dry out. Once it has, you have an absorbing buffer against small swings in humidity, but having the humidifier's humidistat set to hold that new-found point can then take over the process of maintaining it and the fan can usually be turned off.

[ninosdemente]

Mine doens't have that drain... would be nice so I don't have to go back and forth. Guess the exercise won't hurt either.

[Grey_Lion]

so besides humidity - I learned an extremely expensive truth about pool chemicals.

If you want to produce a LOT of rust quickly, just open a container of pool acid and allow the fumes access to anything with iron within 8 feet or so......

The solid layer of rust will form overnight - serious pitting starts appx day 3.....

[Unclenick]

Yes. Chlorine in about any form is extremely aggressive on steel and iron in about any form.