Cleaning Rust Off of Tools Without Harsh Chemicals

[Dr Stan]

https://www.instructables.com/id/Cleanin...dium=email

[Alphonse]

Thanks for the post.  Yes, vinegar is cheap and will clean stuff up fairly well.  However please remember it is acetic acid, albeit dilute.  And to that end you are acid treating whatever you put in it and it will pit and corrode metal if left in there long enough.  

For me, when I want to clean up tools with cutting edges, I do not want to damage the cutting edge via an acid treatment.  I prefer to use Evaporust which is a chelating agent which does not attack raw metal, it attacks the rust and leaves a good cutting edge undamaged.  

A friend of mine said he didn't like Evaporust was too expensive.  Come to find out he was throwing it away after one use.  You continue to use the solution until you deplete it.  So it is not really that costly.  I use it and put it back in the jug.  I do settle out any solids and filter it through a coffee filter if needed.

[Alphonse]

here's what it looks like:
   

[awemawson]

Citric Acid - much nicer - smells nicer - safe on your hands - works well, can be poured down the sink.

..... after all it's only lemon juice :)

[f350ca]

Molasses, slow as molasses in January but its also a chelating agent. Bought by the pound at a feed store and cut 10 to 1 with water its great for large projects and cheap.

[randyc]

Good idea and both ingredients are usually on hand.  Reminded me of the following:

I use approximately the same solution for permanent marking.  Those greatly enlarged photos below show liitle teeny letters (0.1 inch high).  They were etched on steel parts with the vinegar/salt solution and a power supply - I used about 5 volts at around 800 mA for those parts, if I recall correctly.  (A 5V supply from an old desktop computer would be good).  A sacrificial piece of the same material is required as a cathode.

The simple setup:

   

A couple of examples:

   


  etch3.jpg (Size: 59.87 KB / Downloads: 83)

The parts need to be clean (hot, soapy water followed by a hot rinse and drying).   Then the lettering (transfer letters, ordered from the internet - many sizes available) applied.  Dunk it in the solution, turn on the power supply and come back in about 45 minutes to remove and rinse the parts.

Areas where etching is undesirable can be masked off, for example by painting with shellac which can later be removed with a bit of alcohol.  The depth of the etch is determined by current and the duration of the part in the solution.

  Sorry but the vinegar/salt reminded me of this old trick that I haven't used in four or five years

[Mayhem]

I use electrolysis as well. Clean and easy.

[TomG]

I like phosphoric acid, in the form of metal prep like you get from the automotive paint supply. It works fairly quickly and you don't have to worry about getting it all neutralized because when it air dries, it leaves a phosphate coating that acts as a rust preventative that you can paint right over. If it's good enough for Coca Cola, it's good enough for my parts. :)

Tom

[Dr Stan]

Lots of good ideas.  I recently purchased my first gallon of Evapo-rust and have yet to put it to use.  Just too many things to do right now.  I have some old calipers (not vernier, dial or digital) etc that need a good cleaning and I'm hoping it will get into the spaces that are next to impossible to clean by hand.

I also used reverse electrolysis when rebuilding my mill.  Great way to clean up the table, especially the T slots.

[rleete]

I get glacial acetic acid from work. The stuff smells like plain old vinegar (if a bit on the strong side), but is many times more concentrated.

For those who don't know, "glacial" means they take all the water out of it. Not quite "eat your skin as soon as you touch it", but you really don't want to be sticking your bare hands in it either. Works the same as store bought vinegar, but at a much accelerated pace. Meaning I don't have to let a part soak for days, just hours. Works about as fast an as well as naval jelly, but it's free.