Rust and paint remover

[BSJ]

Always used commercial rust removal products in the past...but most aren't easily obtainable here in Upper Tambon Nowhere. So I checked Youtube to see what folks had been trying. Vinegar was a popular choice, and wifey happened to have a 5L of 5% acid vinegar in the cupboard!

The pix shows 3 homemade bent arm pins which were all lightly rusted on the up side....one still is! And a rusty hand crank off a S/H Kubota diesel, we bought to power a pump, shown after a 5 day dip in the vinegar bath. The 2 pins on the left had 24 hours each in the vinegar bath. The one on the left was just cleaned and not coated with WD40....and neither was the hand crank.

What ever the Black paint was on the hand crank...it is gone as well!

Anyone trying this method of de-rusting using vinegar should wear rubber gloves as you hand will be badly stained handling the parts!

[NeverSure]

Many acids will remove rust. The best by far is oxalic acid. I buy it as a powder and mix it in hot water. The water must be hot when mixed, but it's then OK for it to cool down and it will stay viable for a long time. There is no rubbing or scrubbing involved BUT the parts must be degreased by washing because the water based acid won't penetrate oils and grease. I simply scrub them first with liquid dishwashing soap.

Here are pics of a Schwinn bicycle wheel, ca. 1960. Note that it won't hurt chrome. Nothing was done other than to soak overnight and rinse.

Edited January 12, 2016 by NeverSure

[bramds]

I put parts in a small bath of coke for a couple of days, rust was gone.

[BSJ]

Many acids will remove rust. The best by far is oxalic acid. I buy it as a powder and mix it in hot water. The water must be hot when mixed, but it's then OK for it to cool down and it will stay viable for a long time. There is no rubbing or scrubbing involved BUT the parts must be degreased by washing because the water based acid won't penetrate oils and grease. I simply scrub them first with liquid dishwashing soap.

Here are pics of a Schwinn bicycle wheel, ca. 1960. Note that it won't hurt chrome. Nothing was done other than to soak overnight and rinse.

DSC02377.JPG

DSC02378.JPG

Jags650.jpg

Thanks for the tip. Oxalic acid I will try if I can find a chemical supplier who can supply small quantities. Wiki said "Oxalic acid's main applications include cleaning or bleaching, especially for the removal of rust (iron complexing agent). Bar Keepers Friend is an example of a household cleaner containing oxalic acid. Its utility in rust removal agents is due to its forming a stable, water-soluble salt with ferric iron, ferrioxalate ion.". Somehow I don't think I will find 'Bar Keepers Friend' in LOS!

[NeverSure]

Many acids will remove rust. The best by far is oxalic acid. I buy it as a powder and mix it in hot water. The water must be hot when mixed, but it's then OK for it to cool down and it will stay viable for a long time. There is no rubbing or scrubbing involved BUT the parts must be degreased by washing because the water based acid won't penetrate oils and grease. I simply scrub them first with liquid dishwashing soap.

Here are pics of a Schwinn bicycle wheel, ca. 1960. Note that it won't hurt chrome. Nothing was done other than to soak overnight and rinse.

DSC02377.JPG

DSC02378.JPG

Jags650.jpg

Thanks for the tip. Oxalic acid I will try if I can find a chemical supplier who can supply small quantities. Wiki said "Oxalic acid's main applications include cleaning or bleaching, especially for the removal of rust (iron complexing agent). Bar Keepers Friend is an example of a household cleaner containing oxalic acid. Its utility in rust removal agents is due to its forming a stable, water-soluble salt with ferric iron, ferrioxalate ion.". Somehow I don't think I will find 'Bar Keepers Friend' in LOS!

Barkeepers' Friend is found on the shelf next to Comet Cleanser and other such powders in the US. If you can find it you still need to make a paste with it and coat your part. Then that needs to be wrapped in plastic wrap to keep it from drying out. Only minor rust can be removed by scrubbing alone. It dissolves the rust to where it will rinse off.

I get my oxalic acid on ebay. Chemists including pharmacists can get it but it's really cheap and I just keep a good supply on hand. I mix it in a 16 gallon Rubbermaid tub and keep it in the corner of the garage for when I need it. It doesn't seem to go bad with age, but it "wears out" from use.

When I want to throw it out I neutralize it with baking soda first. It's actually quite mild.

Cheers.

[papa al]

If you don't want to remove part to soak,

diet cola [less sticky] using aluminium foil ball as scrubee.

phosforic and carbonic acid.

not sure of the chemistry of aluminium efficacy.

works quickly.

once told a masonry helper to clean some trowels with muriatic acid.

he figures, easier to just soak overnight.

nothing but handles left next morning.

5 5

So a baking soda flush = good idea.