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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
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    Default Cleaning a rusty vice

    Bought an old Dawn No.7 vice for my new bench. It needs a good clean and has some surface rust on the rods, screw and quick release mechanism. What's a good way to go about getting rid of the rust ? Preferably without taking the vice apart.

    If I were to soak the whole thing in citric acid and then hose the solution off, would a wipe down with WD40 be sufficient to lubricate it all again ? I've soaked things like chisels in citric acid but never anything with moving parts.

    Thanks in advance,

    Sam

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  3. #2
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    Get yourself a plastic tub big enough to submerge the vice , a car battery charger and a piece of mild steel. Fill the tub with water and throw in a couple of handfuls of washing soda crystals (available at your local supermarket). Place the mild steel piece in the tub connected to the positive terminal of the charger. Connect the negative terminal of the charger to the vice and place it in the tub. Make sure that there is no physical contact between the vice and the mild steel.

    Turn on the charger and leave the whole thing for a couple of days. You will see that the solution will bubble a little, that is hydrogen escaping - it is a minute amount and is not dangerous. The water will turn brown, maybe black and get very scummy. Don't worry about it. Nothing toxic is produced and the water is not acidic or alkaline . It won't hurt your skin.

    After a couple of days turn off the charger , take out the vice and hose it off. The bare steel surfaces may have become black. Give it a rub over with a brass brush under running water. If the vice had paint or plating on it, the finish will remain intact unless there was already rust under it. If there is still rust on the thing put it back for another couple of days.

    The process cannot hurt anything . It will remove the rust. It will not fix any pitting that has already occurred.

    The sacrificial piece of mild steel will be horribly corroded and quite nasty looking. dry it off and keep it for next time. Throw the water on the garden - can't hurt it.

    The time taken depends on the size of the item, the size of the sacrificial steel , the proximity of the the two and the current limit of the charger. It is rare to be able to carry more that a couple of amps at 12 volts in this setup.


    I have just finished derusting a 40 year old Durden Pacemaker combination saw and jointer using this method. The cast iron tables have come up a treat. I have also used it on old steel rules, squares,chisels and planes.

  4. #3
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    Avery

    Thanks for that
    regards
    Nick
    veni, vidi,
    tornavi
    Without wood it's just ...

  5. #4
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    Default The Cleanup.

    Hi Avery,
    It is interesting that you use Mild Steel.
    If you go to the HTPAA Site, there is an explanation of that method, but using Stainless Steel, by Kevin Chamberlain.The method he uses only takes a few hours, & you can see the rust falling off. Horses for courses.
    Regards,
    issatree.
    Have Lathe, Wood Travel.

  6. #5
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    Default

    Avery, Thanks for that detailled explanation. When you say 'Connect the negative terminal of the charger to the vice and place it in the tub' do you mean the vice and also the negative terminal is fully submerged ?

    So after getting the rust off, shaking and drying all the water from the nooks and crannys should I be wiping it over with WD40 or something else ? Does the screw need proper grease on it ?

    Sam

  7. #6
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    Default

    [QUOTE=Sam;1298689]Avery, Thanks for that detailled explanation. When you say 'Connect the negative terminal of the charger to the vice and place it in the tub' do you mean the vice and also the negative terminal is fully submerged ?

    Yes, the aligator clip or whatever, on the end of the negative lead will not be damaged at in the process, although it may get a but scummy and need a good rinse.

    So after getting the rust off, shaking and drying all the water from the nooks and crannys should I be wiping it over with WD40 or something else ? Does the screw need proper grease on it ?

    I use a warm airstream from an old vacuum cleaner in "blow" mode to dry off the piece. Compressed air would be good. Then a spray and wipe with WD40. I would guess that the screw thread would be better with grease.

  8. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by issatree View Post
    Hi Avery,
    It is interesting that you use Mild Steel.
    If you go to the HTPAA Site, there is an explanation of that method, but using Stainless Steel, by Kevin Chamberlain.The method he uses only takes a few hours, & you can see the rust falling off. Horses for courses.
    I have never tried stainless. Mainly because I don't have any lying around. The time taken depends on the amount of rust and the current that you can get to flow. I think the current flow depends on the surface area of the two electrodes, their proximity and the strength of the solution. Many battery chargers have current limits on them.

  9. #8
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    I'm not a chemist or a metal engineer, but from what I've read you shouldn't use stainless as the sacrificial iron as it contains toxic chromium which is given off in the electrolysis process. For all I know it might be BS, but it's probably safer to stick with non-stainless.

  10. #9
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    Now you mention it Scissors, I also remember reading the same thing.

  11. #10
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Scissors View Post
    I'm not a chemist or a metal engineer, but from what I've read you shouldn't use stainless as the sacrificial iron as it contains toxic chromium which is given off in the electrolysis process. For all I know it might be BS, but it's probably safer to stick with non-stainless.
    It's not BS, it's real. Be careful.

  12. #11
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    Eastern Australia
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    Default

    From the depth of my brain a small light is flashing. I remember something about treacle.
    Yep googled it and theres a bit on it there with molasses or treacle, think its the same difference.
    So be green and dont use power, use treacle.

  13. #12
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    Victoria
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    The guy I bought it from swore by molasses !

    I hadnt thought of drying it with air, suddenly the 'blow' function on my shop vac makes sense instead of just making me giggle.....

  14. #13
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    Default

    If it is only some surface rust then I do not see electrolysis or acid as being required.
    WD40 or kerro or diesel, let it soak a bit then scrub off with steel wool or perhaps fine wet and dry. You may want to pull the thing apart to do a good clean up what ever way you go. I got a swivel vice out of a skip many years ago on an oil rig in the north sea, all rusted up with sea water and would not move at all. Soaked it in diesel for 3 days, pulled it apart and scrubbed it clean with a wire brush then wet and dry. My dad used it for many years then it was passed on to someone else. I dont know where it is now but would imagine it is still going strong. I like the molasses idea. A bit of finger licking as you go.
    Regards
    John

  15. #14
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    Hamilton, VIC
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    Default

    Another option to using metal is carbon rods. I picked one up from an art sullpy place for a few dollars and it worked quite well on an old jointer plane. You get less brown sludge with a carbon rod than metal too.

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