Rust Removal, Molasses.

[graffian]

A farmer near me had a blue drum with molasses and water in, he chuck rusty stuff in it to clean the rust off, I never took a lot of notice as I had a tank of phosphoric acid, he said he left the parts in a few
weeks and they came out rust free. I don't have my a tank of phosphoric acid any more, well I do but it's
so dilute it takes months to clean things. So when I had a pile of really rusty scaffold clamps to clean I
thought I would give molasses and water a try.

I got a can of molasses, from the horse feed place up the road, and chucked a few liters of molasses in
to 10 litres of water. Then I chucked in a pile of rusty clamps. That was last Friday.

The scrap bit of steel I used to stir the molasses/water was rusty, I have looked at it a few times in the
last week and it looks like the rust has gone, but I haven't washed the molasses off it to have a good look.

Today I pulled a clamp out of the drum and hosed the molasses off it. The rust has all gone!
The nut undid very easily, I couldn't shift them with reasonable force before.
Very impressed.

Now what do I do to keep to the clamps clean while they are out in the rain;-)

 

[Covert]

Pics please !

 

[norlander]

Now what do I do to keep to the clamps clean while they are out in the rain;-)

Leave the molasses on, the sheep, wildlife and slugs will come and lick it off and polish em up.

Interesting post though, I think they have been using molasses to treat roads in winter, but most likely mixed with rock salt? so thats still corrosive no doubt.

 

[graffian]

The rusty one is typical of what they were like. They have sat on the ground besides my land rover for
around ten years. I didn't even clean the flaking rust off before chucking them in the syrup.
The one without rust is still wet from hosing the molasses off, it's clean bare metal.
Not a lot of point of including a photo of an oil drum of black stuff, I did take one.

 

[CompoSimmonite]

Only problem with Molasses is it attracts flies etc so best if you have a lid to seal

 

[mike 109444]

I dd read a post by an Oz guy that had a tank about 5ft across and 3ft deep that he had a molasses mix in and he would drop whole wings or bonnets in to remove rust. Main headach he had was the scum that would form on top and the sweet smell would attract rats ! but did work well.

 

[TechnicAl]

Ive never heard that one before but I know the Sugar Beet Factories use a load of Stainless (312 and some unusual grades) to refurbish their equipment every year. I think molasses comes from sugar beet. So I suspect there is something in it thats corrosive.

Does treacle come from molasses?..........I love treacle sponge so please dont create a shortage

 

[Swift&Bold]

Electrolysis is the way, a lump of steel for the Anode, a 19v laptop transformer and some soda crystals.

 

[mike 109444]

Electrolysis is the way, a lump of steel for the Anode, a 19v laptop transformer and some soda crystals.

I do like the electrolysis method and have used it but it does have some issues such as the line of sight where by it's best where the current has shortest path. I know you can add additional leads etc. Also avoiding touching the parts and anode together can be a chore, I was doing a car wing and due to it's shap was a battle in the tub I had. Then there is having cabling running around the work area. Found that the descaler that I get in the service kits from work is citric acid granuals and is not always needed on some sites as they have RO water so some spare . half a bag in an old glass fiber cold water tank, bung item in and leave to soak for a day or two, job done inc nooks and cranny's
Would try the molasses but A) I would have to pay for them and B) are chocolate lab would try and eat/drink it I am sure

 

[Disco_Stu]

Hmmm interesting, at work there is a big tank with a couple of ton of molasses in it, plenty of empty barrels and plenty of rusty metal.

 

[mike 109444]

Just remember if security stop you and ask if you have something brown and sticky in your pocket....think before you answer

 

[bigegg]

I wonder how adding molasses to the electrolysis tank would work?

I don't have anything to de-rust at the moment tho - and even if I had, my gear is in storage.

On my "to do" list is to investigate all these additives - I've been using asda own brand washing powder for years which works well enough for me.

 

[123hotchef]

I am going to try bircarb in mine

 

[steveo3002]

how much does a barrel of molasses cost ?

 

[123hotchef]

not sure but 5L is 7 quid iirc in the horse feed barn

 

[bigegg]

Just looked online.
Molasses is about 10 quid a gallon...
Im actually seriously considering painting the underneath of my van with it, leave it a week, then power wash off before undersealing.

 

[steveo3002]

we could all chip in and fill a large swimming pool up with it and take turns parking in it

 

[123hotchef]

Just looked online.
Molasses is about 10 quid a gallon...
Im actually seriously considering painting the underneath of my van with it, leave it a week, then power wash off before undersealing.

heat it up in the microwave and u can spray it on with a schulzh style gun

 

[TechnicAl]

Just looked online.
Molasses is about 10 quid a gallon...
Im actually seriously considering painting the underneath of my van with it, leave it a week, then power wash off before undersealing.

You will be like the pied piper........

 

[rikrobson]

apart from The Smell, the invasion of little fury creatures into the workshop and the dog drinong the mixture it sounds like its a good method.

So looking it up its called Chelation. Its chemistry, where an organic compound (Ligand) binds to an metal ion. Its the same process that they use to detoxify patients that have heavy metal poisoning.

"Chelating comes from the Greek word Chele which means claw. Chelating agents are organic molecules that form a structure like a claw and hold metal atoms within their molecules so they dissolve in solution."

Oxallic acid would probably be a cleaner way as its a chelator too.