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Penners
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Hello, cr - that's a fine-looking old enamelled cistern.
Personally, I would use the CT1 (on the inside of course!). It claims to be a replacement for all the other various sealants, and to work (as you said) even underwater. I reckon it would do a good job on your pinhole leak.
And if, in a couple of years' time, it turns out not to have lived up to its promise, then it's not a big job to remove it with silicone remover and try something different.
http://www.ct1ltd.com/replace-all-silicone-sealant-with-just-ct1-sealant.html
Personally, I would use the CT1 (on the inside of course!). It claims to be a replacement for all the other various sealants, and to work (as you said) even underwater. I reckon it would do a good job on your pinhole leak.
And if, in a couple of years' time, it turns out not to have lived up to its promise, then it's not a big job to remove it with silicone remover and try something different.
http://www.ct1ltd.com/replace-all-silicone-sealant-with-just-ct1-sealant.html
Flyfisher
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Is the pinhole an isolated problem or is it the first symptom of a lot of rust/corrosion with more leaks likely to follow?
If it's the former then I'd probably fill the hole from the inside with epoxy resin (after draining and thoroughly drying the area, possibly with a heat gun or hair-dryer. I've no real idea if this would be any better or worse than CT1 (which I've never used) but I'd be very confident of it doing the job and I always have some in the workshop.
If it's the first symptom of a much bigger problem then it might be worth considering a more drastic treatment such as lining the base of the cistern (assuming that's where the rust is) with some sort of waterproof resin-based material such as GRP - the sort of thing used to build/repair GRP sailing dinghys. This would be completely invisible in use but should protect the base of the cistern from any further corrosion and extend its serviceable life by many decades.
If it's the former then I'd probably fill the hole from the inside with epoxy resin (after draining and thoroughly drying the area, possibly with a heat gun or hair-dryer. I've no real idea if this would be any better or worse than CT1 (which I've never used) but I'd be very confident of it doing the job and I always have some in the workshop.
If it's the first symptom of a much bigger problem then it might be worth considering a more drastic treatment such as lining the base of the cistern (assuming that's where the rust is) with some sort of waterproof resin-based material such as GRP - the sort of thing used to build/repair GRP sailing dinghys. This would be completely invisible in use but should protect the base of the cistern from any further corrosion and extend its serviceable life by many decades.
Feltwell
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Old motorbike petrol tanks tend to go rusty on the inside and you get problems with pinhole leaks, plus bits of rust coming away and blocking jets in the carb. I've not used it myself, but a product called Petseal is often used to seal the inside and stop the leaks - and if it can cope with petrol, I wouldn't have thought water would be too much of a problem. May be worth a Google!
JoceAndChris
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Sorry, I've no advice about the leak at all as mine is 30s ceramic and had functional problems of a different kind. I'm very interested in your cistern pull though, as I've just spent a ridiculous number of hours replacing mine (most of those hours spent trawling through repro and salvage websites).
This came from Hemswell Antiques, Centre 1 - they have a display case full. It was quite a bit cheaper than the Ebay ones, and vastly cheaper than the Thomas Crapper repro one.
What you see is how it looks after a day spent with scrapers to remove the paint, and then a shine with Brasso!
Good luck with youir cistern restoration, and I'd love to see pics of the other bits. I like a nice vintage toilet.
This came from Hemswell Antiques, Centre 1 - they have a display case full. It was quite a bit cheaper than the Ebay ones, and vastly cheaper than the Thomas Crapper repro one.
What you see is how it looks after a day spent with scrapers to remove the paint, and then a shine with Brasso!
Good luck with youir cistern restoration, and I'd love to see pics of the other bits. I like a nice vintage toilet.
Flyfisher
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Good thinking Batman . . . I'm annoyed I didn't think of that, though I should have because, when I was restoring my old tractor, rusty/leaking fuel tanks were a common problem raised on the tractor forums (yes, I know, I have the anorak and everything! :roll: ). Most people were keen to retain the original tanks and Feltwell's suggestion was the tried and tested solution, for both diesel and petrol tanks, so I too would imagine it would work fine with a water tank - if it's more than just a single pinhole.Feltwell said:
88v8
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CT1 is good, although I never used it on leaks.
Yes, Jenolite, zinc primer, epoxy, might do it.
Then clean & Jenolite the whole inside, and paint with POR 15.
Fuel tank slosh sealant might also do the job, although how it would fare with water I know not.
If you have a water softener, check that the settings are still appropriate to your current water hardness as overdosing softeners can result in a (relatively) high salt carry-over which makes the water very aggressive - rust, copper stains in baths & basins.
Ivor
PS be very careful with the white enamel. If it gets chipped, any repair will stick out like a sore thumb.
Yes, Jenolite, zinc primer, epoxy, might do it.
Then clean & Jenolite the whole inside, and paint with POR 15.
Fuel tank slosh sealant might also do the job, although how it would fare with water I know not.
If you have a water softener, check that the settings are still appropriate to your current water hardness as overdosing softeners can result in a (relatively) high salt carry-over which makes the water very aggressive - rust, copper stains in baths & basins.
Ivor
PS be very careful with the white enamel. If it gets chipped, any repair will stick out like a sore thumb.
CliffordPope
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If it's an isolated leak I would dry and scrape it very thoroughly and poke out the pinhole as much as it wants. Then use chemical metal or JP Weld from the inside, pressing it well into the hole and smoothing it over on the outside a bit.
That way it will be held solidly in the hole and not just be dependant on sticking to the side.
If the whole thing is weak and beginning to perforate then I'd scrape it thoroughly all over to get all loose rust off, and then use marine resin, possibly with glassfibre mat, to build a new inner liner to the tank. The holes on the outside can be smoothed over with resin filler.
If you are unsure about the progress of other potential weak points then paint the whole of the inside with a coat or two of resin.
That way it will be held solidly in the hole and not just be dependant on sticking to the side.
If the whole thing is weak and beginning to perforate then I'd scrape it thoroughly all over to get all loose rust off, and then use marine resin, possibly with glassfibre mat, to build a new inner liner to the tank. The holes on the outside can be smoothed over with resin filler.
If you are unsure about the progress of other potential weak points then paint the whole of the inside with a coat or two of resin.
J B weld is amazing stuff.
This is how my cistern turned out.
Stripped of paint and rust, several coats of rust converter, several coats of red oxide primer then several coats of gloss.
I wouldnt fuss over a pin hole too much, there is no real pressure in a cistern, chewing gum would probably hold it.
This is how my cistern turned out.
Stripped of paint and rust, several coats of rust converter, several coats of red oxide primer then several coats of gloss.
I wouldnt fuss over a pin hole too much, there is no real pressure in a cistern, chewing gum would probably hold it.