Re: Cleaning up old nuts and bolts ?
 

This...

...and this... is what I do to old rusty bolts. Cleans 'em up nice. Remember to wear eye protection when usin' the wire wheel on a bench grinder. ;)

Gary

Re: Cleaning up old nuts and bolts ?
 

Oxalic acid. Inexpensive, removes the rust and coats with a zinc coating.

Re: Cleaning up old nuts and bolts ?
 

The Apple Cider vinegar works like a charm! I tried this out the other day. I let them sit in there all week, took them out today and they came out great! I have more in there as of now too. Can't go wrong for the price.

Ray

Re: Cleaning up old nuts and bolts ?
 

i agree vinegar will surprise you what it does to anything rusty.

Re: Cleaning up old nuts and bolts ?
 

White vinager and let them sit over night. Take them out and wire brush them, let dry and paint them. Poke the bolt through some cardboard and paint the heads.;)

Re: Cleaning up old nuts and bolts ?
 

Since I posted this, I have accumulated more nuts and bolts of all kinds in different containers. I have tried different methods inluding the automatic trans fluid. I placed a bunch of bolts in a large can with a lid and filled it up with transmission fluid. It took a long time but the bolts did come out clean. I've wire wheeled some and cleaned some with diesel but never tried the muriatic acid.

This apple cider method sounds interesting. I may try that on the batch that I have next. Do they have to be cleaned of grease first?

Re: Cleaning up old nuts and bolts ?
 

I take mine to my local plater. They strip the then plate them for about 20 bucks for a 2 gallon pale full. I have gotten zinc and black phosphate done.
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Re: Cleaning up old nuts and bolts ?
 

As WD-40 is actually a solvent that works pretty decently.

I've used a can of carb cleaner with the basket in it for nuts and bolts a lot to get the grease off. You can only soak a few at a time but you just throw a handful in the the basket put it in the can and let it soak for a couple of hours and pull it out and rinse it off.

I use "Oil Eater" to clean larger parts where I spay it on with a squirt bottle, let it soak, scrub it with a parts washing brush and hose it off and have great results. Some of the local shops are using it in their hot tanks because it is biodegradable unlike the old caustic powder we used to put in hot tanks. some of that in a five gallon bucket would work great for cleaning small parts but you still will have to deal with the rust. A rock or shell tumbler and some abrasive powder might work to clean small batches of nuts and bolts. just put them in and let them turn.

Re: Cleaning up old nuts and bolts ?
 

Works great....can soak in gas then wipe with rag before the wire wheel.

Then store them all in oil and they are better then new.

:smoke:

Re: Cleaning up old nuts and bolts ?
 

Muratic acid is diluted Hydrochloric acid and is widely used in swimming pools for cleaning and for lowering PH in the water, BAD STUFF! Even though it is the primary acid in your stomach, I'd stay away from it for reasons already indicated. Phosphoric acid, used in most "Cola's"(in trace amounts) is the acid used in the "rust converters" such as "Naval Jelly." It is much less harmful and reacts with iron oxide to form a "black phosphate" that is an "inert compound" and when painted with a zinc primer will remain inert to any further oxidation. Many nuts and bolts as well as many parts such as carburetor's on many older motorcycles are no longer available so careful restoration and cleaning is a must. Many restorers are using "Lemon Juice" to clean aluminum, brass, and copper parts followed with a sodium bicarbonate solution rinse (baking soda & water) to neutralize any remaining acid. Iye treated headers, truck beds, and many nuts and bolts with Phosphoric Acid and have very good results! My 72 bed had 4 areas where the rust had eat completely through the bed. Most rusting problems with these trucks and most older vehicles is directly related to poor grounding and "Electrolysis" takes over! Most rusting can be stopped dead by using "Anodes" placed at various locations on the truck or vehicle such as the bottom of the battery tray. ;) "Schools out!" PS. "Im a hoarder!" Transmission fluid & Acetone is my not so secret but favorite soaking/cleaning solution! ;)

Re: Cleaning up old nuts and bolts ?
 

Nice Post
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Re: Cleaning up old nuts and bolts ?
 

If it's more grease than rust, I keep a 5 gallon bucket of Pine-sol as a degreaser, even takes the grease stains out of cast aluminum. You just throw them in there for a few days or a week and it doesn't kill the plating. If you want to brighten up the plating fill a container 1/3rd full of your bolts about half Ajax scouring powder and the rest water and shake. It's cheap use lots and it will make the mixture viscus enough to keep the nuts and bolts from nicking each other. Anyway, motorcycle restoration tricks where almost every nut and bolt is visible in the end product.

..Oh and rust well that you just kind of wipe it off whith your fingers, I see it once in a while here in Southern California, you're talking about that light orangishy dusty stuff that accumulates on stuff right? Although I'm not sure why you'd have any on a vehicle that is only 40 years old.

Re: Cleaning up old nuts and bolts ?
 

I have always used white vinegar .Works great,removes all the rust . just soak for 24 hours.


''Whether you hear cheering or booing,as long as you still hear noise
you still got it.'' Dale Earnhardt

Re: Cleaning up old nuts and bolts ?
 

vinegar is the best
coca cola works well also

Re: Cleaning up old nuts and bolts ?
 

Anything acidic will clean off rust...
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Re: Cleaning up old nuts and bolts ?
 

-
Check this thread out.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=452909

The cement mixer is what I use, only I do it outside so I don't need the cover. Works good and you can do a lot at once...

LockDoc

Re: Cleaning up old nuts and bolts ?
 

Evapo-Rust from Autozone. Soak overnight...the best.http://www.autozone.com/autozone/acc...er=643195_0_0_

Re: Cleaning up old nuts and bolts ?
 

I kept every original bolt that I could. Blasted them all in a blast cabinet. One at a time. The blackones I sprayed with black epoxy. Zinc ones I replated with zinc kit from eastwood.

Took a long time but I would do like ten a day or so and all that original hardware looks great in there. Looks of them have very neat stapings on them, not like the generic china bolts of today.