I have purchased a WM20 frame that has some rust. I have been using diluted Hydrochloric pool acid (1/3 acid:2/3 water)to remove rust from other rust parts with good results. So I have been thinking to submerge the rust frame into the acid bath. Has anyone tried this?
I always used molasses or black treacle to remove rust as it does not attack the base metal. Just takes a while to work. Molasses is cheap from farm supply stores in NZ.
Cheers all
Submerging a frame would allow the acid inside, in some ways that sounds like a good idea as tubing can rust from the inside out, but you would have to be sure you had killed the acid and applied a protective layer inside which is impossible to see.
Phosphoric acid is used to neutralise rust....A Google search will turn up plenty of information on dilution rates etc....I believe 'made up' commercial products are available as well....Ian
Thanks for your input. Yes I have given the inside tubing some thought. I was thinking of power washing the acid out of the tubing with soapy water through the tubing. Then use air pressure with warm air to remove excess soapy water then spray the inside of the tubing with rust converter. BUT you after your message, I looked further into the reaction of Hydrochloric Acid and Brass. Although it would do nothing to the copper component in the brass it will have a negative affect because the acid will dissolve the Zinc in the brass. SO back to the drawing board for me, I do not want to go the molasses way to remove the rust. I will have to sand blast, rinse and etch paint to seal the metal.
When I worked in a plating shop we always used diluted hydrochloroc acid to remove rust from items before plating including motorcycle frames (with nickel, chrome etc) or if they were to be enamelled. They were submerged and pickled for however long it took to remove all traces of rust.
Just make sure the frame is well rinsed and flushed out and then dried quickly.
Best way to remove rust is by electrolysis, you just need an anode washing soda and a bold style battery charger 12 volt.
There are hundreds of tutorials on the net.
It only attacks rust and not the base metal.
Safe on non ferrous as well other than making brass coppery in colour.
It will strip plating. As you are reversing the charge
Electrolysis is the way to go, very easy, kids paddling pool is excellent for bike frames ( remove kids first), I'm just using the process to remove the rust from a Landrover lightweight radio table cage. I've upgraded from paddling pool to the plastic bottom of a very large ferret cage. ( no ferrets were harmed in the process)
I take just about all my stuff that needs painting to the powder coaters ,just to be blasted,they do it quickly-cheap-and don't lose things
I've used molasses before and reclaimed some really rusty parts
Inside fuel tanks I use vinegar
When using molasses and vinegar,As soon as I take them out of the tank before they've got a chance to dry I spray them with what we call prepsol to stop the flash rusting, here in australia it's what we use for washing down panels before painting,it's spirit based like methylated spiritsthe bike frames that I've done I've used fish oil on the inside of the tubes,its the only thing I've found that stops and prevents rust
Cheers from sunny Ballarat
oh BTW i have used acid but i find all the bare metal items in my shed go rusty....
