Homemade Evapo-rust

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Andre

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I mentioned I use a homemade "Evapo-Rust" type cleaner for rust removal and was asked to explain, so I figured a new topic would be useful for searching in the future.

I first stumbled upon it as a substitute for PCB etching acid, and quickly discovered it worked well at many things. It's roughly 50 water/30 vinegar/20 Hydrogen Peroxide/and enough salt to dissolve. You will need to refresh the hydrogen peroxide occasionally as oxygen will come out of solution.

This really isn't cost effective to be used on large parts, but for small items it works quite well. Leave the item to soak for a few hours, then under running water scrub the rust off with a wire brush. The surface will be left with a matte grey finish that's very easily polished with scotchbrite.

These are the pictures. I picked this drill chuck up at a thrift shop for #1 and am still trying to free it up. The cleaning was all done in the manner written above. I have not cleaned it up with scotchbrite yet.

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The wire brush was hard to get into the annular ring gear, but the rust is loose there. Notice how clear and readable the letting is.

I'm trying electrolysis to get into the body of the chuck and free it up. If not, well, it was $1 after all...

6xFg166.jpg

vUVV6Sg.jpg

6xFg166.jpg

vUVV6Sg.jpg

6xFg166.jpg

vUVV6Sg.jpg

6xFg166.jpg

vUVV6Sg.jpg

6xFg166.jpg

vUVV6Sg.jpg
 
interesting, thanks for the write up. Now that you've got it that far, I would simply press the sleeve of, remove the rings and then gently tap the jars down into the body. Once you have them all down you can tap them out in turn. Electrolysis won't help much as it's line of sight.

To be honest though, looking at the chuck holes I'd wager that the chuck'll be toast. I've taken apart a few that looked a bit like that and the scroll or teeth on the jaws (or both) were always banged up. Never hurts to try though and if you do screw it up, you've only wasted a buck and some time :)
 
The chuck is actually stuck solid so I'm not sure if pressing the sleeve off is possible. I do have a one ton arbor press though.......

If the chuck is apart I'd prefer to manually clean everything, because although it's probably shot I don't want to take a chance with hydrogen embrittlement on the threaded ring.

I knew the chuck was toast. I set it back on the shelf at the store but picked it up again later knowing I'd always think "What if...." At the least it's a neat decoration.
 
I'm not a chemistry guy.
Does Oxy-Clean detergent work the same way?
Wonder if it'd be less expensive, and easier to control the concentration.

Daryl
MN
 
I'm not a chemistry guy.
Does Oxy-Clean detergent work the same way?
Wonder if it'd be less expensive, and easier to control the concentration.

Daryl
MN
Never tried it, the oxygen would probably help but just itself in water probably wouldn't work very well because it's not that acidic. But wait, there's more!
 
The chuck is actually stuck solid so I'm not sure if pressing the sleeve off is possible. I do have a one ton arbor press though.......

If the chuck is apart I'd prefer to manually clean everything, because although it's probably shot I don't want to take a chance with hydrogen embrittlement on the threaded ring.

I knew the chuck was toast. I set it back on the shelf at the store but picked it up again later knowing I'd always think "What if...." At the least it's a neat decoration.

should be fine to press off - that doesn't really have anything to do with the chuck being locked up. That's more to do with the jaws being stuck in their bores or the ring gear/ jaw teeth being gunked up or rusted together. My guess is just solidified crap, although I did press one chuck apart to find it full of jaw teeth and bits of chuck metal.

no harm in trying though, I've resuscitated chucks that looked almost as bad as that and they're working just fine.
 
I will let you know if it works, Matt. I might just have to clamp down my arbor press for this! I also know a guy with a 2 ton press if need be.
 
fingers crossed :)

an arbor press should be fine - if it takes more force than that then something is going wrong and you should stop. Making sure it's pressed straight is the key. Many (sensible) people bore out a piece of tubing to hold the sleeve and make sure it's straight, which isn't a bad idea. one of mine cocked in the press, jammed and split the sleeve.
 
Try a little ceramic heater close to the part as I have done this on parts that do not move and it worked. The metal will expand, but the gunk will not. While the part is very warm try to move it, and once it moves then clean the parts that are hard to get to.
Paul
 
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