Stopping flash rust

[grim_d]

Hi all,

I have some old mild steel screw type skin pins that I'd like to take to work but unfortunately they were left lying in the workshop for a bit too long and got a bit crusty, they cleaned up perfectly with a citric acid bath but when I try to dry them they flash rust badly.

Any ideas on how to minimise this? Not keen in dousing them in oil as it will make them...oily, would it even work while they are still wet anyway?

Not sure if I have anything else to hand that I can use to clean them up and if I have to buy something I might as well just buy new pins!

Cheers.

 

[MattF]

Put them in a metal basket with a handle, in the citric. When you remove them, dunk them straight into a pot of boiling water for a few seconds.

 

[brightspark]

squirt them with wd 40 and wipe them clean the second u take them out

 

[Tiggy_dorset]

As above. When I done my Clarkson chuck and collets, I rinsed, blew dry with airline, good dowsing of wd and wipe clean... still looking good.

 

[rikrobson]

Phosphoric acid will do the trick too.

 

[rikrobson]

Duck oil too.

 

[tinman123]

which is better, duck oil ( i take it to be the swarfega stuff) or WD40 for rust flash and beyond say?

 

[vincentt]

I'd use baking soda in boiling water. Make sure it is really hot so that when you lift it out of the water it dries instantly. Baking soda acts as neutralizer for the acid.

Then depends on how soon you are planning to work it you can coat it with light oil or grease.

 

[richie00boy]

Duck oil is a longer lasting coating but more oily.

If you use phosphoric acid it leaves phosphate layer which prevents flash rust for a little while. I still prefer citric acid though as I usually apply paint and the phosphate layer is not best for the epoxy primer.

 

[grim_d]

Didn't want to use oil, makes them a bit slippery and will attract dirt.

The boiling water thing worked a treat! Thanks!

 

[tinman123]

Duck oil is a longer lasting coating but more oily.

If you use phosphoric acid it leaves phosphate layer which prevents flash rust for a little while. I still prefer citric acid though as I usually apply paint and the phosphate layer is not best for the epoxy primer.

if you mixed a bit of oil with the wd youd have something very similar by the sounds of it.

is there anything thats as good as wd40 (which is ok i suppose) out there for cheaper coin?

would mixing some diesel with some oil be as good as anything...

 

[brightspark]

acetone and atf fluid 50 percent mix better than wd 40

 

[MattF]

is there anything thats as good as wd40 (which is ok i suppose) out there for cheaper coin?

would mixing some diesel with some oil be as good as anything...

Anything oil or wax like which coats and clings will seal the surface against further corrosion.

 

[tinman123]

Anything oil or wax like which coats and clings will seal the surface against further corrosion.

what ingredient would make the oil and diesel mixture hang about longer i wonder.
or what about if i mixed a ltr of coke and a ltr of oil together..., would they even mix...

acetone and atf fluid 50 percent mix better than wd 40

yes, ive heard that a few times before, ive found a place where i can acquire some acetone so ill try some of that out to see what all the fuss is about.