screw Nail Polish to prevent rusting

[dani.petro]

Hello,

I live in a humid area and wanted to know if using nail polish on screw heads can prevent them from rusting.

Also can I clean metal parts that have stains like io shield and tempered glass with acetone, as I have some extra laying around. I hope acetone won't cause rusting.

[Applefreak]

Depends on the metal composition, short wipes should be fine. Long term, you can't use acetone as it evaporates. For rust proofing, you can use some a zinc paste or spray which. 2 to 3 coatings and then use a metal paint, I use hammerite high temp color (more resilient) but pretty much any metal color is fine. Make sure to use 3 to 4 coatings here and seal it off with some clear coat. But check what it says on the label, some colors need to be primed first, which is great for long term outdoor use, but only that. Most spray cans can be directly applied.

 

As for cleaning in general, use Isopropyl alcohol at about 72 % or higher for cleaning your parts. My go to for nasty stains and polishing in general is the good old Autosol paste. It makes old pc cases super shiny, especially on the inside and it stays that way as well. Also great for screw drivers, helmet visors, etc.

I would not recommend Acetone. Also do not ever use chlorine based products, those will cause stainless steel to rust.

Cleaning glass with Acetone on the other hand is fine. Though keep in mind that it's pretty bad for your health when exposed to.

[aisle9]

21 minutes ago, dani.petro said:

Hello,

I live in a humid area and wanted to know if using nail polish on screw heads can prevent them from rusting.

Also can I clean metal parts that have stains like io shield and tempered glass with acetone, as I have some extra laying around. I hope acetone won't cause rusting.

Why not just get new screws? If you're in the US, you can get a set for $15 or so with hundreds of screws in it.

 

It's also worth pointing out that if your screw heads are rusting, other components in your system are being damaged as well. Do you live right near the ocean, by chance? Salty sea air is hell on electronics.

[dani.petro]

<removed by staff>

8 hours ago, aisle9 said:

Why not just get new screws? If you're in the US, you can get a set for $15 or so with hundreds of screws in it.

 

It's also worth pointing out that if your screw heads are rusting, other components in your system are being damaged as well. Do you live right near the ocean, by chance? Salty sea air is hell on electronics.

Yes I live near the ocean so rusting of metal parts because of salty air is a bit of an issue here. So I was thinking about coating them in some sort of quick drying air barrier and transparent nail polish came to my mind. Already have extra screws but changing them too often will strip the case screwing points. And if they do strip down I have to use small screws with those bolts or whatever they are called.

Edited August 6, 2020 by SansVarnic
Removed content.

[aisle9]

26 minutes ago, dani.petro said:

 

Yes I live near the ocean so rusting of metal parts because of salty air is a bit of an issue here. So I was thinking about coating them in some sort of quick drying air barrier and transparent nail polish came to my mind. Already have extra screws but changing them too often will strip the case screwing points. And if they do strip down I have to use small screws with those bolts or whatever they are called.

Have you considered buying a dehumidifier and keeping doors and windows to your computer room closed? Nothing's going to completely remove the salty humidity, but a little bedroom-sized dehumidifier combined with limiting airflow to the room would help. I'm much more concerned about your other components than I am your screws, tbqh.

[dani.petro]

Just now, aisle9 said:

Have you considered buying a dehumidifier and keeping doors and windows to your computer room closed? Nothing's going to completely remove the salty humidity, but a little bedroom-sized dehumidifier combined with limiting airflow to the room would help. I'm much more concerned about your other components than I am your screws, tbqh.

I keep my pc in a closed room with Air Conditioner and I also keep silica gel packets inside the case.

Never had issues with other pc components apart from the psu fan grills and pc case side panels rusting slightly near the mounting and rivet points.