The rust finally got me.

AxisDrummer

Senior Member
Hey guys,

Well after 4+ years of gigging my Tama Silverstar twice a month, I finally spotted out some rust located in the exact spot where my wing nut tightens my toms to the L-Rods..

I'm fairly meticulous when it comes to preventing "rust-causing conditions."
1) I have a finished basement, non-damp, have a dehumidifier in music room that stays at 45%. In the winter it is very dry and stays under 35%.

2) After a gig....even though it's 3 am, I always bring my drums inside back into the basement and even un-bag them to let them "air out" after playing in a smoky bar.

3) I've only played a few outdoor gigs, but immediately do as mentioned in #2 after gig.

I'm not exactly the type to TOTALLY take apart everything and give them a total cleaning, but I do wipe stuff down occasionally and dusting.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4_lWxJWS2CtQmNkSjYwWWtGaXBQUXNFZ21YNmR0R3ZNTll3/view?usp=sharing

Any remedy for this? I know there is hundreds of "How do I remove rust?" threads and most of them involve a soft drink. What would we the best in THIS case? I'd rather not disassemble the tom mount and soak it. IS there something I could wipe on the L-Rod and use a toothbrush to scrape away the surface rust?

I'm NOT loosing sleep over it, but if there's a solution to prevent further damage I'd LOVE to hear it.

Thank you.
 
You could try Simoniz Chrome Cleaner. I used this on my early kits which had some light rusting on chrome parts. I seem to recall it worked really well.
 
Take a green 3M pad to it or an old tooth brush and chrome cleaner and gently, I say gently rub the rust off.
 
I have heard some people recommend Turtle Wax brand "Chrome Polish & Rust Remover." This might be worth a purchase. If it doesn't work on the rust, I can also use it to give my cymbal stands/hardware an occasional wipedown.
 
Noxon and either a toothbrush or tin foil is what I've done for similar rust and pitting situations. The cola remedy you mentioned works better for general shining up, but I haven't had luck removing rust with it.
 
I'm NOT loosing sleep over it, but if there's a solution to prevent further damage I'd LOVE to hear it.


Bare metal will rust when exposed to air. Tis just a fact of life.

The only thing preventing that is the plating on your hardware.

When the plating fails, remove the rust, clean, dry, and re-apply a protective coating. WD40 at least, re-plating at most, and a world of in-betweens.
 
Hi AxisDrummer, the Turtle Wax brand Chrome Polish & Rust Remover works well with a little elbow grease.
 
I thought this thread was going to be about not practicing lol, not actual rust.
 
Alternative: accept and embrace the rust mojo, and fuhgettuhboudit.
 
I second the "little bit of WD-40 and some crumpled aluminium foil." The foil is abrasive on the oxide but not on the steel or chrome; a little lubricant softens the rust. I've used chrome polish and foil with very good results too and I think it leaves a bit of waxy residue after polished off. Don't try this on anything other than bare metal or chrome - it will tear up coated metal.

Those fixes work for rust freckles, but "pitted" rust is another animal. In that case, I'd scrub/wash the area well and apply a thin smear of grease or petroleum jelly to forestall further damage. Once you go down this path, it'll need periodic attention.
 
Probably just a poorly chromed part, not your fault. I had a Premier kit back in the day and used it in really damp practice venues. Never had a problem as Prem had magnificent chrome plating.
 
Silvo siver polish.. will remove the rust and protect it over a long period of time..
 
A good coating of Carnuba automobile wax (Mother's, Meguires, etc.) on your chrome parts (lugs, hardware, stands, etc.) is great for preventing rust. Makes them shiny, too.
 
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