Chemical rust removal

[Gareth J]

An alternative to electrolytic rust removal is to use phosphoric acid.

Here's a little test batch.

Before:

During:

20mins in. The surface rust is clean, pits need longer.

Overnight.

Heavy flaking needs chipping off but everything else is good.

No wires, no power. Branded as milkstone remover.

This gallon cost a fiver. Bigger drums are cheaper but not a lot. You can even get it with detergent in which would presumably cut through a bit of oil.

 

[grim_d]

Citric acid solution does that same.

 

[mike 109444]

Does any one know of a way to "jellyfi" (if that's a real word ) this chemical as I use the "Swarfega metal cleaner & restorer" which I think has the detergent in it to aid cleaning. I tried wall paper paste but that did not work to well. It would be better to allow use on vertical surfaces (and even up side down,as when I had to do under side of car roof!)
Tried looking up acid plus jelly but nowt useful

 

[wristpin]

The Bilt Hamber Deox Gel is brilliant but not cheap.

 

[Charlie390]

Does any one know of a way to "jellyfi" (if that's a real word ) this chemical as I use the "Swarfega metal cleaner & restorer" which I think has the detergent in it to aid cleaning. I tried wall paper paste but that did not work to well. It would be better to allow use on vertical surfaces (and even up side down,as when I had to do under side of car roof!)
Tried looking up acid plus jelly but nowt useful

http://www.halfords.com/motoring/pa...al-treatment/hammerite-rust-remover-gel-750ml

Hammerite do this stuff which is an acidic jelly that can be brushed on. I've never been overly convinced with it though really

 

[zippot]

I used citric acid to great effect and jellyfield it by making it with wallpaper paste so it wouldstick to hard to reach places hope that helps.

 

[Maker]

Does any one know of a way to "jellyfi" (if that's a real word ) this chemical as I use the "Swarfega metal cleaner & restorer" which I think has the detergent in it to aid cleaning. I tried wall paper paste but that did not work to well. It would be better to allow use on vertical surfaces (and even up side down,as when I had to do under side of car roof!)
Tried looking up acid plus jelly but nowt useful

Try thickening or gelling agent. If wallpaper paste* didn't work, there's various things food related things that may work; agar, xanthan gum, pectin or gelatin powder.
*AFIAK, not just any wallpaper paste works for this, it has to be mostly/entirely methyl cellulose (I think this is the thickener in Nitromorse BTW).

 

[steviec_lj]

Interesting, not expensive either..

Could gelatine be used as a thickening agent?

 

[Shedendman]

I was told,but never tried it,as i thought nah,but that was to mix it with warm candle wax then paste it on

 

[MattF]

Corn flour seems to crop up as a suggestion/ingredient more than anything else when it comes to making anything into a paste.

 

[mike 109444]

Try thickening or gelling agent. If wallpaper paste* didn't work, there's various things food related things that may work; agar, xanthan gum, pectin or gelatin powder.
*AFIAK, not just any wallpaper paste works for this, it has to be mostly/entirely methyl cellulose (I think this is the thickener in Nitromorse BTW).

Ah so not all past is the same.
I have looked up some of the "thickeners " you mentioned, generally on Wiki but it tends to bring back bad memory's of chemistry lessons (from MANY years ago ) when they start to go into the chemical details. Keep meaning to get some hair gel to try mixing it with. Even thought of food jelly but think our dog might start licking it off !

 

[anjum]

Mix it with the Hammerite gel as it's c**p!

 

[mike 109444]

Mix it with the Hammerite gel as it's c**p!

Tried that as I had previously pick up a tub from halfords and well it makes a crap product worse ! If I recall the hammerite is water based !

 

[vw1]

The Bilt Hamber Deox Gel is brilliant but not cheap.

I have used it with good results ..

 

[DrDeAtH]

Oxalic acid works too...

 

[Gareth J]

Don't know about jelling it. Try spraying with a plant sprayer or soaking a cloth to lie on the surface.

Anything in a jell might be hampered by the slower fluid movement? As in, getting the products of the rust reaction away from the surface metal to let new acid in might not be so effective.

 

[Turbo]

I have tried using milkstone remover and while it does work to a degree it is not as good on heavy rust unless you keep changing the solution. As it gets contaminated with rust it seems to neutralise the acid and it stops working. Another problem is that it also attacks good metal. I left a bolt in a solution for a few days. It had some mild surface rust I wanted to remove. When I remembered about it the bolt was useless, the threads were eaten away!

What you can use it for is to neutralise rust before painting. Phosphoric acid is the main ingredient in those rust remedy type products that turn rust black. It is also used in brake dust remover for car wheels, though in a weak solution.

 

[ronan]

A mixture of salt and vinegar is supposed to be good for rust removal, a cup of salt to a gallon of vinegar. Someone needs to do a test of all these various concoctions.

 

[DeadSquirrel]

Read the foot note fram a chemist here http://www.schsm.org/html/hints_and_tips.html for how salt and vinegar works, or maybe the salt isn't significant. And here for more http://m.wikihow.com/Remove-Rust-and-Corrosion.

 

[finyuk2005]

anyone ever tried stainless pickling paste? its thick enough and very acidic, possibly too acidic,
likely a daft idea!