I removed all the pistons from my rods today and threw them in the media blaster (glass) they look new again (if new was white) but I know to clean them excessively but since these are bare metal do these need some kind of oil bake process or when I build the motor just cover them in oil and call it good? It’ll be sitting a year or so before being ran.

 

I'd spray them with oil and place in sealed plastic bags

 

That’s how I have them now but once I build the engine should I be worried about it rusting inside the block?

 

Coat the inside of the block with oil and seal it in a large trash bag

 

The key is to prevent exposure to moisture. So if you build the short-block and expect it to sit a year, coat everything with oil and seal it in a bag. I'd go as far as using a vacuum to draw out any air/moisture if the motor is going to sit in an unconditioned environment.

 

Starrett M1