Rust Removal (Wheel Example)
Posted: Fri Aug 27, 2010 8:43 am
Building or restoring any metal project may need to be cleaned up to be salvaged. I want to share a cool technique that I do to make an otherwise hopeless rusty part into a rust free item.
My example is a way rusty CA95 rim.
The rim seems pretty rough and was purchased for low money.
Next purchase some Prep & Etch from Home Depot
Then buy a plastic tote to fit your part(my tote way large to fit a wheel) Remeber that any container will work depending on the size of your parts!
Fill the container with a 5 to 1 mixture of Prep & Etch. Make as much as you need. You can reuse the solution. Just filter through 0000 steel wool.
Once the container and solution is made soak the (wheel) in the solution for several hours or overnight.
Out of the bath the rim looks like this
After using some liquid chrome cleaner the rim is clean
Heavy corrosion on the inside of the rim or any part will have to be ground off. The chrome in the pic is damaged, but the rim would look fairly nice.
NOTE! DISPOSAL: NEUTALIZE WITH BAKING SODA. MUCH FOAMING WILL HAPPEN DURING THE NEUTRALIZING STEP. RINSE ANY SPILLED SOLUTION WITH BAKING SODE SOLUTION. TRY TO REUSE THE SOLUTION!
WEAR SAFETY GOGGLES AND GLOVES!
Also note that Phosphoric Acid Solution at a 5 to 1 mixture is fairly weak and of course you drink sweetened phosphoric acid....it's called Pepsi Cola, Coca Cola & The like.
This solution will darked aluminum. Brighten aluminum with 0000 steel wool. Try not to use this technique on aluminum..That's a whole other technique that requires more steps.
My example is a way rusty CA95 rim.
The rim seems pretty rough and was purchased for low money.
Next purchase some Prep & Etch from Home Depot
Then buy a plastic tote to fit your part(my tote way large to fit a wheel) Remeber that any container will work depending on the size of your parts!
Fill the container with a 5 to 1 mixture of Prep & Etch. Make as much as you need. You can reuse the solution. Just filter through 0000 steel wool.
Once the container and solution is made soak the (wheel) in the solution for several hours or overnight.
Out of the bath the rim looks like this
After using some liquid chrome cleaner the rim is clean
Heavy corrosion on the inside of the rim or any part will have to be ground off. The chrome in the pic is damaged, but the rim would look fairly nice.
NOTE! DISPOSAL: NEUTALIZE WITH BAKING SODA. MUCH FOAMING WILL HAPPEN DURING THE NEUTRALIZING STEP. RINSE ANY SPILLED SOLUTION WITH BAKING SODE SOLUTION. TRY TO REUSE THE SOLUTION!
WEAR SAFETY GOGGLES AND GLOVES!
Also note that Phosphoric Acid Solution at a 5 to 1 mixture is fairly weak and of course you drink sweetened phosphoric acid....it's called Pepsi Cola, Coca Cola & The like.
This solution will darked aluminum. Brighten aluminum with 0000 steel wool. Try not to use this technique on aluminum..That's a whole other technique that requires more steps.