From: J. Forster (jfor@quik.com)
Date: Mon Sep 27 2004 - 20:05:28 PDT
> > I quite often put rusty STEEL parts in muriatic to
> > dissolve the rust (Actually I use a muriatic acid
> > bath followed by a water bath, followed by a dilute
> > sodium hydroxide bath to stop any residual etching,
> > followed by a water bath, followed by a paint
> > thinner bath).
Derusting baths are normally phosphoric acid. Hydrochloric (muriatic) will eat iron and steel, and
aluminum but more slowly at room temperature. (BTW, 'Naval Jelly' is gelled phosphoric acid)
Sodium Hydroxide will eat most aluminums, especially at elevated temperatures. Drano is a mix of
aluminum chips and an excess of sodium hydroxide and gets pretty hot in use. If you throw
aluminum into the hydroxide the reaction will heat the bath also. You may get a runaway reaction
and a real mess. BTW, hydrogen is released and is flammable and even explosive.
IMO, use Naval Jelly.
-John
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