The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Rust removal

Anyone up for a poll?

What rust removal methods do you use??

I just tried a technique that a friend found on the internet about taking rust off things like manifolds and metal parts that you dont want to blast for the potential of removing "more than the rust." Its called electrolysis and consists of running a current through water and baking soda. It takes about 48 hours and it works EXCELLENT. Instructions for it can be found online.

NOTE: PLEASE DONT GO AND TRY RUNNING CURRENT THROUGH WATER WITHOUT LOOKING FOR THE INSTRUCTIONS! haha

i like a wire wheel on the grinder

phosphoric acid, paint prep. for small parts, just soak and scrub with a brush and rinse with water.

I've been using the wire wheel on the grinder and it has worked pretty well on most items. I have heard of the baking soda and water w/ 2 amp battery charger hooked up and am going to try it but haven't yet. I was going to see if someone here had tried it first and looks like they have.

in the truck magazine i got last week had an article about what triple said.with pictures.

I personally have used nothing but bead/sand blasting. BUT I have been wanting to try a five gallon bucket with the Molasses concotion for small pieces. My theory has always been that if there is not enough metal to clean by blasting then get a new one....of coarse if it is available. Each piece, each person, each process is a little different requiring us to "measure twice, cut once".

I have a car repair shop and a 1928 Case model 'L' tractor that I am currently restoring.

I started off using wire wheels, sandblasting, etc, but I found that it was rather time consuming. A friend of mine who is a chemical Engineer, gave me some of the D-Rust-It, rust remover, that you soak, spray or pump over parts. It worked so good that it freed me up to do other tasks. I have since become the Northeast Rep for the stuff, in addition to running my repair shop. Check out the link below to see if it might work as an alternative.

Lee

Here is some info I used when I tried electrolytic rust removal.


http://www3.telus.net/public/aschoepp/electrolyticrust.html

I used vinegar on some wheels and small parts. I believe it's described in the tech section on this site. I soaked overnight and pressue washed. As long as there is no paint on it, it will take it down to bare metal. You need to dry the parts and spray with rust converter asap or they will start rusting again immediately.

It seems like soaking the parts would be the way to go. While they're soaking, you could be free to do other tasks(or relax!). I guess I'm surprised that grinding, sandblasting, and concocting/setting up molasses and electrolysis, would be so popular. Not to mention mostly labor intensive, dirty and sticky to boot.

sand, glass, walnut shells

Hey Lotus Boy..

I tried that rust remover from D-Rust-It a month ago. WOW.. did that work and it didnt even take off my fingernail paint wehn I reached into the bucket to take my rusty box end wrenches. It ripped the rust right off. Now I dont have to take them back to the dollar store..

Keep up the good work
Sara

Hey, Shouldn't Sara be a New Gal???

Thanks for the comments.

Has anyone tried the new stuff that is made out of BEETS? I've read about it and wouild like to "buy and try" a five gallon bucket of it but it was to expensive for my wallet. Maybe we should grow us some beets!!

BEETS I thought it was BEEF. I sat a mcDonalds hamber on my hood of car and it took off the paint.. Does this count.

I've used the elecrolytic method - easy, cheap, non-toxic, and no mess

I've also sandblasted, and had it done, great for scaley corrosion .... I've used phosphoric acid, perfect for light surface rust .... I've used Zero Rust , excellent product, much less of a danger than most rust conversion paints, and very durable .... and I make vinegar so I know what it can do, but there's much better uses for it

there's places for nearly all methods of dealing with rust, and frequently what's cheap is what's best, including adding a bit of elbow grease

Bill