Oily Steelwork

Steelwork can get oily very easily in a fabrication shop, and that can create problems for the galvanizer. As the steel is to be cleaned in hydrochloric acid (which is a water based acid), oily steel will not "wet", until the oil is removed.

The degreaser that most galvanizers have as the first chemical stage of processing will remove light oil, but heavy oil and grease requires costly manual removal.

Oil sources include:

• Drilling lubricant, such as in the image above.
• Mig welding anti-spatter spray
• Bandsaw lubricant
• General workshop litter

For Mig welding anti-spatter spray, the hardest to remove is any silicone based spray. Some sprays are designed for use on steel which is to be galvanized. Using them saves money.