Thread: Rust removal

It is a completely different substance.

Washing soda is what you want.

Yep. It's called Lectric Washing Soda and you will get it at the supermarket. I use about a third of a cup in a ten litre bucket of cold water. Dissolve it in a little hot water first as it doeasn't dissolve in cold so easily.

For small pieces - try vinegar - it is slow/safe [24 ->72 h depending on on heavy the rust is] and doesn't remove the original metal.
Bob

Thanks guys.

Originally Posted by Wolfs

Thanks guys.

I use McKenzies Bi-Carb Soda ($1.50/500g at coles supermarket) and it works like a charm-about half to 3/4 cup in 10 litres of water. And don't immerse both alligator clips in the soup...only the black one. keep the red one (on the sacrifical anode) high and dry. And remember if its a plane body or frog you're doing, the longer you leave it in the soup the more japanning you will lose. I leave mine in 24 hours to get rid of all the japanning cos I don't like it.

No question about it...this website will answer your questions fantastically well. http://www3.telus.net/public/aschoep...lyticrust.html

As they say in NZ, "Don't rust on your laurels!"
Mike

OK, that's covered the removal part.

My question is how to treat those precious tools to prevent them rusting again.

I have tried several of the spray-on coatings and they prove effective for a while but rust eventually begins to form under the coating, presumably due to porosity - and multiple coats don't seem to stop this.

I have also used the Dulux Quit Rust fish oil coating and some tools have stayed rust free whilst others are beginning to show some rust under the coating.

What is there in the collective wisdom out there?

Les Harris

G'day Les Harris,

Having just done 4 planes by electrolysis or citric acid or a combination of both and having run out of WD-40 I've been using gun oil - which is a rust preventative and inhibator and loosens moving parts.

Why? Because it's what I had at hand at the time, but pricey at $14 a small can. Maybe I should leave it for my air riffle instead.

Shedland, you said, "And don't immerse both alligator clips in the soup...only the black one. keep the red one (on the sacrifical anode) high and dry" Not know I dipped the clips wholusbolus, any reason for not dipping the red clip which has the cathode on it?

Re: how much citirc acid or bicarb soda - I've been just throwing in what I thought was enough, whether it was more than needed both have done the job well. Next up my 78

Anyone who has Hagar as his personal logo has got to be worth knowing! How's Helga?

Les Harris

Originally Posted by Waldo

Shedhand, you said, "And don't immerse both alligator clips in the soup...only the black one. keep the red one (on the sacrifical anode) high and dry" Not know I dipped the clips wholusbolus, any reason for not dipping the red clip which has the cathode on it?

The term "sacrificial anode" means just that. If you put the anode into the solution then particles of the anode (red or positive) will transfer themselves to the cathode (black or negative). This is the basis of electroplating.

Originally Posted by Les Harris

Anyone who has Hagar as his personal logo has got to be worth knowing! How's Helga?

Les Harris

G'day Les Harris,

Demanding as always.

Bob, I was a bit unclear how I've got my bath setup - so I'll explain what I have done by way of the cathode. I'm running off a 6v battery charger which has a + and - connector each running straight from the charger. Into each I have inserted and clipped into both a copper wire - black to a series of black aligator clips (colour so I don't mix them up) connected to the pieces having rust removed, and from the other a copper wire connected in series to three cathodes being nice heavy s/steel bolts.

This sound about right to you? It works for me, just have to watch the rust build up on the cathodes as it decreases the effectiveness if not cleaned reguarly.

Originally Posted by Les Harris

OK, that's covered the removal part.

My question is how to treat those precious tools to prevent them rusting again.

SNIP

If you don't mind the steel looking a bluish purple colour then you could try painting it several times with dilute phosphoric acid. You don't even have to remove all the rust if you don't want to, as the phosphoric acid converts the rust into relatively inert iron phosphate. Coca Cola has Phosphoric acid in it and a I used it about 10 years ago to stop a couple of finger sized propagating rust holes in the wheel arches of my 24 year old Mitsubishi van. The holes have not grown since then.

The problem with any coating or surface is that it only needs one scratch of the coating and the rust will start again. A nickel electroplated coating would be a pretty expensive but effective way of doing it.

Originally Posted by Waldo

Bob, I was a bit unclear how I've got my bath setup - so I'll explain what I have done by way of the cathode. I'm running off a 6v battery charger which has a + and - connector each running straight from the charger. Into each I have inserted and clipped into both a copper wire - black to a series of black aligator clips (colour so I don't mix them up) connected to the pieces having rust removed, and from the other a copper wire connected in series to three cathodes being nice heavy s/steel bolts.

This sound about right to you? It works for me, just have to watch the rust build up on the cathodes as it decreases the effectiveness if not cleaned reguarly.

Yep, that all sounds pretty good Waldo. With only 6 volts you may wish to try to keep the pieces as close together as you can get them (without them actually touching one another of course.)
But if you continue to immerse your anodes in the soup you will soon need to replace them

Originally Posted by Les Harris

OK, that's covered the removal part.

My question is how to treat those precious tools to prevent them rusting again.

Les Harris

There is a product called X-Troll Rust Conqueror. Get it from better paint stores. It is a clear varnish and seems to prevent the reappearance of rust for many years.
I saw a sample of an already rusted steel plate. Rust Conqueror had sealed the rust and prevented any further rusting for 4 years.
Of course a varnish like this can only be used on non-working surfaces. You could not, for instance, use it on a plane sole or chisel back, but I have used it wherever I sensibly can, and it has prevented all rust for several years.
Then I've been using SilverGlide as a wipe whenever I put any tool away. I have recently switched to Lanotec, because it's an Aussie product and I can get it here in town. This has kept me mostly rust free.

Kind regards
Brian