If you're trying to remove rust from small parts, phosphoric acid is what
you need. I've got a jar of this on the bench right now and each wee part
gets dipped in it for an hour or so before painting. Takes all the rust and
millscale off and leaves the surface like new, with a nice grey "phosphated
coating" which is supposed to help prevent further rusting. It's available
over here in Scotland from all half decent automotive paint suppliers as
"metal pre treatment and rust remover, 30% Phosphoric acid".
Cheers,
Chaz
42 MB
84 109GS
http://freespace.virgin.net/chaz.mackenzie/home.htm
-----Original Message-----
From: cdavis <cdavis@webworldinc.com>
>I found the lye solution worked best on paint, the muriatic acid better on
>the grease and oil. Neither one removed much rust or scale, maybe I needed
>longer soak times. After each basket had soaked I dipped it in the boiling
>water and baking soda solution to neutralize the acid. Then dried the
>parts and bagged them. I wanted to prime them right then, but I would have
>been up all night, so that has to wait until this evening.
>
>The chemical stripping worked ok, but I think I'll borrow a relative's
>bench top bead blasting booth next time. It takes time for the chemicals
>to work, so I'm not sure it's any faster than bead blasting. Bead blasting
>seems to give a more consistent result. I'd like to try the tumbling
>method, but I bagged and labeled all the hardware as it came off the truck
>and I would have lost my system if I had just thrown it all in one big
>tumbling vat.
>
>Clean up wasn't bad, and I neutralized my left over acids with plenty of
>baking soda and water and disposed down the drain.
>
>Chris Davis
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Thu Jul 05 2001 - 00:40:36 PDT