Rust Removal

[Uzzy]

I have just inherited my partners late fathers tools mostly spanners etc the one thing they all have in common is the old favorite "RUST" not in huge amounts but. So does anyone know of the best thing for rust removal? Is it the old favorite paraffin or is there a commercial product that I could use.

[dscott]

Dear Uzzy,
One of the best is a grit blaster, I always seem to work where there is one and for my sins get to clean it out every so often. Lovely to paint on brass afterwards.
The other posibility other than cleaning them all with a wire brush in a drill is to paint them with cure rust then they come out with a nice black finish.
My MGB did 12 years ago, but it all came back eventually and the 9 th owner took it on. well it was a 1969 model.
Ahh, back to open cab steam engines.
David Scott.

[alanstepney]

One easy, cheap, effective and non-destructive way is electrolytic.

Any of the abrasive methods, wire brush through to grinding it off, will reduce the parent metal, whereas electrolosys converts rust back into iron.

Details at, www.alanstepney.info/page38.html

[wayne]

Be careful when grit blasting which grit and pressure you use and what pressure you use. Also note commercial firms almost never and I mean almost never thoroughly clean the item of residue blast media.

Glass bead works well on aluminium fairly clean steal and cast iron, although never tried it on brass gives satin finish. The component should have no oil, grease, paint, heavy rust or any dirt on it. This method it gives the item an as new finish. 60-70 psi pressure any higher and the glass beads break down, giving an un uniform finish in a recycling cabinet.

Dangers Glass bead will turn to grinding paste if the component is not thoroughly cleaned, blowing out with a blowgun alone will not clean the bead away. I prevent bead getting in the critical areas by blanking with plate and gasket, plugs ect, note masking tape is useless, I then power wash, blow out power wash blow out, swab. On my commando gearbox this procedure was repeated 7 times till I was satisfied. 20 years ago I did the cylinder head and just blew it out 200 miles later the internals looked more like 200,000 miles (befor any body says it no the oil filter dos not protect from this)

Aluminium oxide as above slightly moor abrasive, on softer metals can mark operate between 60-80psi, gives slightly rougher satin finish which depends on the metals

Copper oxide paint and moderate rust removal slightly roughs up mild steal ect 70-80psi operating pressure. Would no use on very soft metals as it can really rough the surface up

Sand I would not use this at all, cast iron components will start rusting again within the hour due to moisture even in dry sand furthermore it is unsuitable for soft metals as it can loge in the surface

Metal shot. Professional use only this blast mi media can be dangerous if used with the wrong pressures, wrong equipment and defiantly with the wrong PPE

Hints

With more expensive ceramic nozzles, rotate the nozzle 120 degrees every 20 minuets or so this causes the nozzle to wear evenly.

All ways wear approved protective goggles (not protective glasses), dust face mask, gloves and face and body skin protection

With certain blast media when used with certain metals the type of finish can be altered by the grade of media and the blast angle.

Note I am not a shot blaster, but a qualified engineer with 10years experience in compressed air profession (20 years with steam) who examines and advises on PSSR and compressed are systems and equipment.

[wayne]

Ps I am also dyslexic

[SteveW]

Uzzy,

Some body here was suggesting marinading the rusty items in a nice cup of tea.

More precisely recycle your used tea bags to make a tea soup and use that to convert the rust. I tried with on our steel wok and it turned the rust to a black deposit just like the expensive rust converter I used a while back. Something to do with tannic acid. I'm still not too sure if steel plus tea (two safe products) equals safe so the black got removed mandraulically.

Years ago I listened to a radio program on a bunch of folk using some secret ingredient to convert an original rusty submarine into a non-rusty one. This stuff was simple, bio-degradable, safe and a load of the other goods things. Apparently this stuff worked but they were very coy about it.

Having tried Alan's method, discussed here a couple of times, I think it has the edge being a bit more aggressive and with the aid of a final brush over will return bright metal. Just be careful with your choice of anode material. I had a bit of copper pipe reduced to foil once, steel gets very rusty, stainless steel has been recommended and I found a bit of lead flashing OK. It's a question of how far you'll look for a bit of scrap that could get very cruddy.

[alanstepney]

The tea was The Viffer's suggestion. I have heard it before but never tried it.

As for "my" method, stainless steel is the best anode material. Yes, it does get cruddy, but lasts virtually for ever.

[Jo]

Tannic acid (tea) excellent stuff. Dip the offending item in hot (or cold) black tea and leave it over night. The tea goes black as does the rust which will just rinse off. I use it in preference to any of the commercial substances.

But I would not recommend drinking it afterwards. ;D

[ukjimoo]

Slightly more expensive than tea at £6.80 for 12 fl oz, is Permatex rust dissolver gel.
Spray on, leave for 5-10 mins and rinse off.
Sounds great in theory, ive not tried it though.

[SteveW]

Guys,

It occurs... The old standby was JENOLITE phosphoric acid but I've not seen it for a while and I've been looking. All that I've been able to find is the 'safe' rust converter stuff but it costs a bit.

Anyway, flushed with cash I bought some of the new stuff. Paint on, wait... but I haven't yet found out what to do once cured.

Leave the residue on (a sort of shellac coloured varnish effect) or remove it before painting. Neither the product nor their web fills the gap. Has anyone got any ideas about this new stuff?

[David Thompson]

The "tea" treatment is an old one - I think I've seen it on the British Horological Society website.

For phosphoric acid, try pouring Coca-Cola over it. I think it should work but to be honest I think it might get sticky too. This is now a standard school chemistry experiment, although I think they put it on coins. I don't know why it should brighten coppery stuff, perhaps that's just the acidity kicking in.

If you use a commercial phosphate dip as an anti-rust protective treatment for steel it leaves a nasty black coating which comes off on your hands. Jenolite does that, but I usually wipe or scrub it off to leave bright metal.

I have only recently discovered ScotchBrite pads and I find them really effective, especially if the rust is not too severe. They come in all sorts of sizes in B&Q.