Bead Blast Rust or Use Rust Converter?

[Susan_in_SF]

I have used both methods and it depends on what you are planning to do.

Blasting requires immediate preparation and at the least priming or the metal will have surface rust again in a couple of days. I found even overnight I had surface rust on components after blasting.

When I resprayed my car (bare metal respray) I used rust converter on surface rust. It turns it black and provides a protective layer to prevent further rusting.

I have also oil dipped metal to prevent rust. I did this on my surface plate feet. Heat them before dull red and plunge into an oil bath. Just be careful as the oil can sometimes flash, and you will lose an eyebrow, (don't ask how I know that)..........

Thanks for the heads up on the flash, warrjon. I like my eyebrows, lol

 

[Susan_in_SF]

I'm 2 steps below a novice machinist so I can't contribute much toward that end, but I've been operating and maintaining rusty old junk machinery as a logger, farmer, railroader most of my life.
The last 35 years I've lived here in Southeast Alaska and maintained equipment operated in salt water and high humidity (at least it's cool unlike coastal Texas or Florida ). Commercial fishing boats, sport boats, airplanes and vehicles are all subject to some pretty severe corrosion, everything is in a hurry to return to it's natural state. I've used just about every method available to clean-up rust; hand tools, power tools, wire brushes, grinders, needle scalers, elbow grease and chemicals. I like sand blasting, I just bought a new sand blast cabinet and I have a pressure pot for big stuff, for heavy rust on heavy iron it's fun to watch new shinny metal appear.
Several years ago I was restoring a old Dodge Power Wagon. Sand blasting tended to destroy sheet metal parts, it erodes away the thin metal but also causes it to stretch and distort. I learned about electrolysis. What a wonderful way to clean up rusty parts. I cleaned up some sheet metal parts that I thought were beyond salvage, sandblasting, wire brushing or chemicals would have destroyed them. After a dip in the electrolysis tank they looked almost new, you could even see the stamped part numbers.
I expanded to a 30 gallon plastic garbage can and a larger battery charger and started doing all the steel parts that way. I tried different electrolyte mixes ( plain water is an electrolyte, additives just make it more efficient) and discovered salt water worked best, I just go down to a dock and fill up buckets with salt water( I wash after in muratic acid then water and paint immediately). Any dc voltage will work, but the more current the faster the results. My 24 volt battery charger worked great until the smoke leaked out of it. The sludge that comes of the part and the anode build up in the bottom of the tank and when it reaches the part it creates a short circuit and out goes the smoke.
I had a batch going one time and was doing some oxy/ac cutting. I kept hearing loud pops, almost like a firecracker. I realized the sparks from the cutting were igniting the hydrogen gas bubbles escaping from the electrolysis tank. I was outdoors so there was no danger of hydrogen accumulating and causing a fire or explosion, but it's something to be aware of.
I got a 20amp 12volt power supply and a large fish tote from a local fish cannery to clean the larger parts from these old trucks, but life has put that project on hold for a while and I've only done a few small parts lately. Most of the work I've been doing lately is on small airplanes and electrolysis doesn't work on aluminum.

Thanks for the input. I really do want to try out electrolysis eventually. I've read so many positive things about it.

 

[Susan_in_SF]

I'm a big fan of electrolysis. I use washing soda (available at most grocery stores in a yellow Arm & Hammer Box, typically near laundry detergent). I have two different containers and power supplies. The small container is a 5 gallon bucket. The large is a big plastic trash barrel. One power supply is an old battery charger, the other uses a transformer salvaged from a computer UPS and a full wave bridge rectifier (about $3) and a fuse in case of accidental short. . It also has an ammeter to see how well things are going but it is not necessary, bubbles tell you if it's going.

Here are instructions for the process. Hooking the correct lead (Negative) to the part to be cleaned is important.

http://antique-engines.com/electrol.asp

Thanks for the link, not-so CluelessNewB

 

[Susan_in_SF]

Thanks guys for your responses. After reading your feedback on electrolysis, I picked up a manual Schumacher battery charger. Whenever I finally try using this on a rusty item, I will definitely share with you guys how it goes
Susan

 

[Headrc]

I also put together an electrolysis tub quickly and simply and it works like a charm. Best way to get rid of rust I have found ...and the cheapest way. Tubalcain (Lyle) on Youtube did a fantastic demo of using all the methods if you want to check it out.

 

[warrjon]

Thanks for the heads up on the flash, warrjon. I like my eyebrows, lol

They do grow back LOL

 

[NortonDommi]

Best way to get rid of rust I have found ...and the cheapest way.

Best way I have found is a wheelie bin filled with water/Molasses at 40-60:1. Degrease, dump in and leave. Different metals take different lengths of time. Slow but extremely effective and no worries if you forget something is in there as only rust is affected. Cheapest method I know off. I had one bin going for over 20 years and only changed bins because I had a spasm and dropped an axle that cracked the bottom of the bin. A jar of Black-strap Molasses is free from my mates farm, Rainwater is free and even the bins were free because the council changed contractors and a pile of them got scrapped.

 

[porthos]

i bought my 1955 10L about 6 years ago. it had a coat of brown paint over the original. i disassembled everything and had it soda blasted. the cost was $250.00. took the guy about 3 hours and it was CLEAN

 

[tq60]

We use a plastic trash can with different voltage power supplies as different crud levels sometimes take a bit more voltage.

Lye is what we use as it attacks anything organic so rust, paint, grease or anything else it comes off and the electricity works on the rust.

Have a timer to limit it and it will warm up and work better with the heat.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

 

[Bob Korves]

Lye is what we use as it attacks anything organic so rust, paint, grease or anything else it comes off and the electricity works on the rust.

Be careful, sodium hydroxide (lye) will attack just about everything except iron and steel, including you...