Rust removal: anyone try this?

[In The Ten Ring]

So I bought HotRodTodd's NOS fender and I am happy as can be.

What about an electrolytic method to remove the surface rust? (It's got a fair share of it.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQNvhUYqCkw

[Ratpin]

it can change the molecular structure of the steel. I would just use evaporust and try and keep it wet.

[special-K]

You need a rust convertor. Rust is iron oxide and convertor changes it to iron phosphate...black. It is no longer rust at that point. I have something here, but had it so long I'm not sure who made it or if the company is still around. Just Google iron oxide to iron phosphate. I just did and that with 'convert' popped up. so I clicked on that and got mucho resultos

[67 chevelle]

ospho

[Tomb23]

Tried it ! Just makes one hell of a mess!

[LT102]

Our Ace Hardware carries Ospho.

[kaycee]

Go down to the paint and body forum and see what is recommended

[special-K]

That was it...Ospho. Small parts you let soak. A fender you would want to keep brushing it on. I have another product in a pump spray bottle that does the same thing, but can't read what the label says or recall where I got it. you could pump spray Ospho, but don't expect the sprayer to last real long. It's phosphorous acid, I believe, that does the trick

Tractor supply and advance Auto sell convertors that leave a white oxide crust you have to remove. I stay way from that crap. By the time you get that crust off you lose the coating. Permatex has one in spray bomb that works really well. It turns rust black and leaves clear coating that lasts a good 6 months. That's what I spray on my old metal signage on my shop to keep it in a stable stat. That is what I would spray on a surface rusted truck. You can prime straight over these types of convertors

[WIDESIDE72]

Evaporust works, but on a large part like a fender it is going to be difficult , due to the fact that it really needs to "soak".

Speaking of Ospho, what's the deal with the makeup of it? I remember years ago the stuff worked great. Now it is just so-so. They took some of the acid out, I suppose. With the old stuff, you really had to watch and not get any on you or clothes, now, meh.

[GRX]

The electrolytic method (E-tank) can be very effective. For a fender you will need a tank the size of a kiddie pool though. And remember it is basically a "line of sight" method. So you will need to rotate that large part and have several anode points.

[jeffahart]

I use Rust Bullet.
www.rustbullet.com

[Davidf]

I media blast the rust off. My 1952 truck was one solid piece of surface rust...no paint on any surface. I tried all kinds of methods and in the end, the only affective method was media blasting. Call around your area and find a shop that does it. you will save yourself a ton of work in the end.

[adricar1]

i second rust bullet, it works very well.

[Scottcoda]

Originally Posted by Davidf

I media blast the rust off. My 1952 truck was one solid piece of surface rust...no paint on any surface. I tried all kinds of methods and in the end, the only affective method was media blasting. Call around your area and find a shop that does it. you will save yourself a ton of work in the end.

X2!!! If you have a decent compressor harbor freight sells basic blasting equipment that work for small projects.. Media blasting is the way to go

[cwheeler2584]

if you are worried about the damaging effects of sandblasting, i normally get my parts baking soda blasted. The process does not create the high heat like normal sandblasting so there is minimal chance of warping the parts. and it only strips the surface material. you can send an entire intact car and it wont damage the glass, chrome, rubber or etc. They even use it to strip old wooden boats.The only down fall is that it does not remover heavy body filler. but just a suggestion

[EARNHARDT#3]

Electrolysis rocks! I even did a gas tank with it!

[In The Ten Ring]

Thank you guys! I was beginning to wonder if I'd get the answers I was looking for.

I could get a kiddie pool but I was thinking about making my own pool out of wood and lining it with pool lining material. I could do it on my back porch which is covered and has an electrical outlet.

Now, if I went that route, would a car battery charger supply enough voltage?

If I went the route of a media blaster......do I need a booth or can I do this outside as well?

[EARNHARDT#3]

Originally Posted by In The Ten Ring

Thank you guys! I was beginning to wonder if I'd get the answers I was looking for.

I could get a kiddie pool but I was thinking about making my own pool out of wood and lining it with pool lining material. I could do it on my back porch which is covered and has an electrical outlet.

Now, if I went that route, would a car battery charger supply enough voltage?

If I went the route of a media blaster......do I need a booth or can I do this outside as well?

Yes a battery charger is what you need. But it needs to be an old school one that won't constantly trip it's breaker. I found mine to work best on the 6 volt setting oddly enough. Bubbles like crazy!

[franken]

A cheap alternative is molasses if you can find it at a feed store, or you can buy it in bags. About 5 gallons with water and immerse the part in it.

[special-K]

You can blast outside for sure. Soda blasting won't do you any good for rust. It's a great way to strip paint. You just have to watch building heat with sand blasting. Go slow with less pressure. Patience is a virtue. You can sand rust off, too. It's the nooks and crannies you can't get to that are a concern. That's where you can use the suggested methods

[Davidf]

I agree that soda blasting is affective at removing paint. It will probably take care of the light rust, but not the pitting rust. As for "sand" blasting, I don't think it is the heat that warps the metal, but rather the tiny peening of the metal from the crystal impact. This peening occurs on one side of the metal at a time and thus the warping is caused (ie. stretching/shrinking due to peening). not sure on this and there are probably two camps on this issue. Either way, peening or heat, it can cause damage if done incorrectly. Done correctly, and should not be much of a problem.

As for soda, I use it on soft metal parts such as carbs and zinc plated parts that I just want to clean up. I fabricated my own siphon soda blaster that works well on the small stuff. Word of caution is to make sure you wash any part well before painting as left over soda will ruin the fresh paint.

[Orange Crate]

Originally Posted by Ratpin

it can change the molecular structure of the steel. I would just use evaporust and try and keep it wet.

Hugh? Were you not paying attention in Chem class (again)? Maybe this is how you turn lead into gold?

[WIDESIDE72]

Sandblasting creates heat. Believe it or not there is some "technique" involved in asting sheetmetal. You have to use a very shallow angle and take paint and rust off in layers, not staying in one place too long and dont blast straight at 90 degrees.

[swamp rat]

Originally Posted by franken

A cheap alternative is molasses if you can find it at a feed store, or you can buy it in bags. About 5 gallons with water and immerse the part in it.

This is suppose to work well, buy a wading pool and fill it up, keep a cover on it. it takes a while to remove all the rust but its non toxic. then power wash it off and let it dry. There are video's on youtube about it.

[truckkeepsmesane]

With small parts you can soak them in white vinegar too. Just agitate every once in a while!