Thread: How Can I Make Bolts Look Rusty

I can come over and touch them - I turn tools rusty overnight.... this could be the one time it is a gift rather than a hinderance.

200 rusty bolts, a bit hard to buy them!
Perhaps you could put them in a bucket of very salty water overnight (or pool chlorine?) and then let them rust naturally. Slow the rusting process by giving them a coat of varnish when they are 'rusty' enough. Getting stuck into the bolts with an angle grinder first could give them an 'older' look.
Guess it kind of depends on the time frame that you have.

I have used the following method to clean rust from tools.

Mixing washing soda and water in a large tub and then use a stainless steel electrode connected to a battery charger and the other to the tool. adjust the distance between the tool and electrode until about 1 Amp of current flows. Next morning the stainless electrode is covered in rust and the tool is clean.
I would get a piece of 6 mm X 25 flat steel and drill and tap for the size bolts you are using so you could do a batch at a time and use a rusty piece of metal in place of the stainless and see what happens. - In fact I will try it and post some photos.

Regards
woodcutta

Originally Posted by woodcutta

I have used the following method to clean rust from tools.

Mixing washing soda and water in a large tub and then use a stainless steel electrode connected to a battery charger and the other to the tool. adjust the distance between the tool and electrode until about 1 Amp of current flows. Next morning the stainless electrode is covered in rust and the tool is clean.
I would get a piece of 6 mm X 25 flat steel and drill and tap for the size bolts you are using so you could do a batch at a time and use a rusty piece of metal in place of the stainless and see what happens. - In fact I will try it and post some photos.

Regards
woodcutta

Thanks for that.
Sounds good, bit of a hassle tho, I was thinking more along the lines of a bucket of acid overnight, I just dont know what acid or what would be fastest. Using an electrode type setup might mean it eats in to it more which is what I want, I kind of want it all un even looking like its been out at sea for years, not just an orange layer on the outside.

Will look forwar to hearing what happens if you do it, thanks mate.

Soak them in vinegar overnight then leave them out to dry.
In a coupla days they'll be very rusty.

Yes, what i was thinking, mix them in a few chemicals, and let them dry, or just take em down the beach, in a secluded spot, and leave them for a week, I garantee they'll be well and trully gone.

Joash

Hi Andrew'

It will not happen over night!

Either use Hydrochloric / Phosphoric acid or Sulphuric acid (car battery) the more concentrated the quicker the result. Unfortunately I don't have the knowledge off which is the most aggressive.

Only immerse head's protect, thread's from fumes (grease will work) and PLEASE DO NOT Do Not Do It In Your Shed, the fumes will rust everything in sight.

If you want 80 years distress bolt head, knock of edges, a few divots and then shot blast aggressively (not sand blast) prior to above.

80 Year rust not very easy to replicate, i have spent most of my time trying to get rid of it, but then thank God for Pommy cars and their Oil leaks.

Regards.

Den

G'day All,
If you heat the bolts to red hot in a metal container, using Heat beads and a vacuum cleaner on blow, they will cool down to a reddish brown, and soaking in any weak acid, like vinegar will turn them very rusty and cruddy.
Regards,
Noel

there are lots of things you can do but.

hydrocloric acid is available at any hardware.

It will rip any plating off the gear real fast...... watch the fumes they bite.
don't leave it in too long or it will all be :eek: gone.

you should be able to get a realy good etched effect.
don't rinse and leave out in the weather for a week, it its dry, water them each day. A sprinkle of salt wouldn't hurt either. on em if you like:confused:

should be rusty real quick.... you wont get flake in a week.

cheers

To 'age' iron and steel patches, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, suggest urinating on the bare metal and leaving it for 6 months in the New York weather - this gives about 500 years of 'patina' and pitting - Yes, I went there a few years back & visited the armour section, had it ask

Just make sure you remove all the plating & any paint/lacquer from the surface before adding your preferred rust accellerant.

Hydrocloric acid works quite well, it starts rust in a few minutes after the surface dries, but it may take a while to build up a good coating.

Burning and then burying in decaying vegetation should get a thick coat in a week or so if kept damp - don't leave it too long as the rusty surface will become seriously flaky, which is probably not what you want.

Another one that works is to heat the iron parts & wipe them with 'Browning Solution' intended for firearms - one brand is(was?) Birchwood-Casey. You can also use 'Cold Blue' but put onto hot metal instead of cold (how hot? hot enough to boil water) - very quick, permanent brown patina. THe 'Cold Blue' is likely to be a bit blotchy, specially if you have touched the metal with bare hands (skin grease).

I'd just use Hydrochloric Acid, can be done neat but would be very aggressive. I'd suggest a mix of 10 water to one Acid. Put about 500ml in a 20l bucket of water, drop in all bolts and leave for a few minutes you should see the acid working on the metal.

Tip the lot on to bare ground away from plants, concrete pets etc and hose off the acid. Toss bolts on lawn and leave overnight. The acid will initially leave the bots nice and shiney but that wont last long, there should be plenty of rust in the morning.

Perhaps try one bolt first as a test in case it does not meet your requirements. Acid is nasty stuff, don't forget eye and skin needs to be protected and follow all safety instructions.

There are plenty of good rust tips to try take your pick.

John.

Stay away from the Phosphoric acid, it is more useful in getting rid of rust than creating it.
It is the main ingredient in most rust removal products.
The black residue is Iron Phosphate, and this is chemically useful to retard future rust.

For the real geeks, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phosphoric_acid

Andrew

I think I left it 'cooking' too long. It would probably give the results you require in a few hours.

Pic 1 the Ruster and the Rustee
Pic 2 the setup I used (Always knew that Balck Wattle and 2 X 10 Red Cedar would come in handy0
Pic 3 Turned it on at 6pm last night and took it out at 10am this morning

Woodcutta

PS and who said it wouldn't happen overnight

Originally Posted by woodcutta

Andrew

I think I left it 'cooking' too long. It would probably give the results you require in a few hours.

Pic 1 the Ruster and the Rustee
Pic 2 the setup I used (Always knew that Balck Wattle and 2 X 10 Red Cedar would come in handy0
Pic 3 Turned it on at 6pm last night and took it out at 10am this morning

Woodcutta,

PS and who said it wouldn't happen overnight

Hi woodcutta

I did,

That thing is Fried :eek: . I remember something being said about 80 years of rust, which can produce a bubbled effect not total annihilation!

I did mention to protect the threads you may want to use them

zathras

I could not agree more. My ignorance

Cub3

Your right it is fried. Not sure if I got 80 years of rust - Maybe 79 years 8 months

I must admit it worked better than expected:eek: . I tried to rub it off expecting a shiny bolt with an 'electroplated' coating, but not the case. Just in that short period the bolt is quite pitted and the rust needed a wire brush to clean it off.

woodcutta