TheSamba.com :: View topic

Wed Jan 05, 2005 10:51 pm

Hi,

I have to clean some bolts, washers + nuts from light rust! Is there any stuff out there (like solvent) who "eats" rust away? I saw once a guy at Pomona who sold it (takes about 24hrs to clean rust off). Like many times - address gone :( Any idea where I can get this solvent and how it is called???

Thu Jan 06, 2005 3:56 am

Get a tumbler.

Thu Jan 06, 2005 5:38 am

Try a wire wheel in your grinder. It removes the rust without damage. After you clean off the rust then run a tap in the nuts and a die on the bolts. This works great and it cleans all of the threads. :shock:

Thu Jan 06, 2005 5:41 am

I 2nd a tumbler

Thu Jan 06, 2005 6:07 am

Ive had good results soaking nuts and bolts in a container with lime-away, clr. Any kind of calcium, lime and rust remover. How ever after you pull them out of the remover clean them real good with something like simple green. Something about that stuff will cause them to rust right back up.

I've taken some really rusted seat bolts that'd normally be tossed away and soaked them in penetrating oil a little then to the lime way and besides the pitting they look brand new.

Thu Jan 06, 2005 8:39 pm

any one know if that stuff (lime-away) will eat my paint? i don't hava a showroom finish on my buses, but just wondered. i've been chasing my door hinge & gate hinge threads on the project sc shell with the tap & die and the previously 'tight' rusty screws turned in & bottomed out in their holes without much effort at all! worked so well, i'm now considering locktite red to keep 'em secure...

Thu Jan 06, 2005 9:17 pm

Thanks " coolin on air".

I just did your way. Works great :D Best way to get rid of rust on small pieces!! Since all threats are rolled - retaping not the best way to go :wink:

Thu Jan 06, 2005 9:29 pm

Muritic acid that you can by at most any hardware store will eat all the rust including in the pits. An hour or two in a bucket with straight muritic acid and all the rust will be gone. Give them a stir once or twice. Keep them in an enclosed container as the fumes are not good to breath. I usually tumble them or wire brush them before coating them either with an eastwood cad plating or black passive coating systems.

-Craig

Fri Jan 07, 2005 3:16 pm

I say get a tumbler also. I think Eastwoods sells a kit that comes with the tumbler plus some of the different medias to use with it. I hope to get one soon.

Coolair, how do you like the eastwood black and cad coatings? Are they any good?

Fri Jan 07, 2005 3:28 pm

I like to take all hardware, soak it in carb cleaner for a week or so, drain it, rinse with water, and then spread it out to dry. I live in a dry climate so the moisture is usually gone before it has a chance to rust things more. I then use a wire wheel and continue to clean things up. I would note that the wheel I have is fairly soft as I can accidently stick my finger or hand into it while running with out damage... with some wheels, it would take your finger off.

I dont particularly like tumblers. They are great to remove burrs from freshly machined surfaces but I find it annoying to listen to the tumbler for hours on end. but that's my personal opinion.

Fri Jan 07, 2005 3:42 pm

Anyone like a challenge?

Sat Jan 08, 2005 7:39 am

Glenn, Did you have much trouble removing this dist. from the ocean bottom from the Titanic. :lol: :shock:

Sat Jan 08, 2005 7:57 am

tazbug wrote: Glenn, Did you have much trouble removing this dist. from the ocean bottom from the Titanic. :lol: :shock:

Actually, it cleaned up nice.

Sat Jan 08, 2005 8:12 am

Is that really the same distriutor?

Sun Jan 09, 2005 8:47 pm

[quote="The Gnome"]I say get a tumbler also. I think Eastwoods sells a kit that comes with the tumbler plus some of the different medias to use with it. I hope to get one soon.

Coolair, how do you like the eastwood black and cad coatings? Are they any good?[/quote]

It replicates the color of the original bolts well. It is essentially a dye with a sealer coat. It seems fairly durable but nowhere near durable as having it professionally plated. The nice thing is you can go a good quantity of bolts at once where as with the cad plating kit you can only do one at a time.
I have no evidence that it will rust quickly yet as I have not yet driven my split in the elements. I don't trust the sealer so outside bolts get a coat of clear for extra protection.

-Craig

Sun Jan 09, 2005 8:53 pm

[email protected] wrote: Is that really the same distriutor?

Look at the stains in the inside of the body... it's the same.

I do good work :wink:

Mon Jan 10, 2005 1:29 pm

Since we're talking Eastwood tumbers here, just thought I'd ask if anyone else who uses one has the same thing happen to them as I've experienced. As per instructions, I pour in the green media (look like tiny pyramids) add a bid of water and then my screws, nuts, washers, etc. I generally let them tumble for 4 to 5 hours. Once done, out come the pieces that then need to be rinsed off because they are covered with a greyish liquid film. I generally will use "brake clean" to rinse off the pieces (brake clean drys very fast and cleans oils/grease off). However, the nuts, screws, etc. once dry still are covered slightly with this greyish film - now in a powder-like state. The pieces need to be as clean as possible before I start black oxide dipping. So, after waiting all this time for the tumbler, I usually have to finish cleaning these off with the trusty wire wheel or blast cabinet. At times, I don't know about this tumbling thing. I guess Eastwoods item is nice in the fact that the blast cabinet can be too strong at times plus its hard to hold on to some of these tiny hardware fasteners while blasting. Same goes with the bench grinder -- you can sure "launch" items if not careful. Just some random thoughts on a slow day....

Tue Jan 11, 2005 6:36 am

I add a tablespoon or two TSP ( the real stuff not the "phosphate free" substitute) to the tub after I throw the hardware in. Just water will not cut the grease that is on your stuff that you cant see. It works great. For heavily soiled stuff I sometimes will change out the water after an hour or two and put in fresh tsp. I have not had any residue problems as long as I gave the parts a good rinse afterwords.

I worked in a shop that had giant sweco machines that were as big as jaccuzzis and the always ran a detergent to clean parts.

Eastwood is currently having a sale on their tumblers

www.eastwood.com

Tue Jan 11, 2005 12:09 pm

I am assuming these are special nuts and bolts? If not, why not buy some new ones?

Tue Jan 11, 2005 12:32 pm

carmangary wrote: I am assuming these are special nuts and bolts? If not, why not buy some new ones?

Some hardware is unique.

Normally M8 bolts have a 13mm head, but early VW fender bolts are M8 with a double thick 14mm head and a point on the end.

Many screws and bolts also are not your standard type.

It's all about "restoring" and just replacing.