Metal ClearCoat

[DieselDennis]

I'm making a coffee table for our house.  Simple table.  Metal frame with a wood top.

LOML says she likes the "natural" color on the metal, which you may know is just blotchy gray.  

So while we may not touch the metal frame, the wood top will be pine with a gray stain.  I use a stain pre-conditioner and finish with paste wax.  

So while I know the metal frame will never get wet and may even "age" and look better, I think I may should apply a clear coat.  Does anyone have experience with a clear coat going straight over virgin metal?  Care to share or recommend a brand or product?

[MikeBob]

Dewaxed Shellac, Rustolium has a clear spray, or Pentrol a oil based paint additive that also seals raw metal.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Flood-Penetro.../100130893

[Tynyyn]

I've rehabbed a few hand planes and used sand paper to get the sole and sides to a mirror finish. If I let that freshly polished metal set out over night then rust will begin to show its ugly face. I have since started applying bees wax on the sole and sides and I have yet to have see any rust. It is silky smooth with no tactile feel of waxiness. IMHO, you might want to get a block of white bees wax and try it on a portion of your metal.

Terry

[Ed in NC]

I have used and like rattle can lacquer. I have had very good luck with Watco brand; it comes in both gloss and semi gloss. Just make sure the metal is clean of any type of oil or grease from your hands.

Ed

[Cooler]

Perfectly clean steel will start to rust within hours.  Ask any injection molder who put away a mold (after plastic molding the mold is 100% free of all oils) without treating it.  Left on the table overnight it will show rust in the morning.

I would use Sealcoat shellac as shellac adheres well to almost everything.  And coat it with an acrylic clear coat.  At all the wear edges put down one or two additional coats.  

I do like the contrast between the natural steel and a bright brushed steel.  A belt sander will achieve that look very quickly.  But it will be perfectly clean and should be coated immediately or you will see rust.  Don't put down a water based finish on clean steel.  Use shellac or an oil based finish or you might get rust.

If I had the welders and the skills I would incorporate a lot of steel in my woodworking.  Too much investment and too little space remaining to go that route though.

Also the thought of carrying large pieces of steel down to the basement is not very appealing.