Vinegar is an acid,obviously not the best one for you here. But it is also a VERY weak acid since vinegar is only 5% acetic acid and. therefore, 95% water. Sop, I guess if you gave it enough time, the acid would eat it and the water would rust it.
I've used vinegar for years as well and have never had a reaction like that. I usually only leave my parts in for a couple of days though; if they need it they're back for a couple more.
I am probably wrong but it may have something to do with it being a '48 plate Illinois '48 plates were made of a cardboard type material derived from soybeans because of steel shortages after the war maybe the IN. plates were made of a not very good steel or alloy
Atleast ass holes are still fairly common. I found this 57 chevy ashtray at my other house after it had laid in the yard for 10 years. It took nearly 2 weeks to get all the rust out, it didnt hurt it a bit.
Wow, I had kind of wondered after soaking some old 38 Ford Shocks for a couple of weeks. It seemed to me there was more gone that what was originally rusted. Interesting though, they were locked up solid and wouldn't budge before the soak, but moved nicely after the soak.
Today boys and girls we will learn about the pH scale, which scales the concentration of hydrogen ions. A pH of 7 is neutral. The higher the number to 14 is on the alkaline side of the scale. The lower the number to 0 is on the acidic side of the scale. Each number represents 10 times the strength in either direction. What did we learn today, vinegar (acid w/ pH of 2) breaks down the metal particle and reduces them to a gas. There's some kind of scientific break down here but heck if I know what it is. This is why your household cleaners work (whether acid or alkaline based). They actually eat away a part of the surface you are cleaning (i.e. rust) This will conclude our class for today. Wa Ha!
Why all that effort on an rusty 49 Indiana plate? They can't be that hard to come by, I see piles of old plates at most swapmeets.
Simply put, they were probably rusted a lot worse than you realize. Rust grows in a 3d shape and will burrow down into good metal further than you can see with the naked eye. The acid will follow those burrows and clean em and connect em up leaving holes in something you thought was solid. The edges are so sharp because acid attacks the metals's grain boundaries at a different rate than the grain itself. It's also why smooth metal has a sharkskin feel to it afterward.
It was a 1948 plate, not to easy to find around here. I was planning on using it on my 1948 chevy buisness coupe.
One of the secrets of stripping is to get the paint off first as it masks activity and creates uneven exposure of the metal to the acid. Use paint stripper first then dip the part in Muriatic acid (swimming pool acid) . USE EYE PROTECTION !! The muriatic acid will clean most rust in a matter of minutes . When it stops bubbling you are done . You can watch it act so no chance of leaving it in too long . Rinse thouroughly when finished . You can use the acid over and over again and it's usually only a few bucks a gallon
The times I have bought it it was labeled as muriatic acid. Its just hydrochloric with a fancy name. Be darn careful.
Oxalic acid (wood bleach) is what I use, it works great and it mild enough that you can just take the finished parts out by hand. Here's a link to a thread I wrote about. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=248198&highlight=oxalic+acid PS: Interesting seeing on the PH chart there that stomach acid has the same PH as what ate up the plate.
You should only use muriatic acid in a well ventilated area (preferably outside) It will attack bare metal and flash rust almost instantly. Mean stuff, don't breathe the fumes.
Yeah, seriously nasty. I poured a gallon of this into my pool the other day (you could say the pH was a "little off") and then I read the label where it said it was hydrochloric acid. I would have been more careful, I figured it was just some mild acid.
Muriatic acid is the new name for Hydrochloric acid. I get it a a swimming pool supply, Home Depot or Lowes. It has a PH of 1 Sometimes you can find it at a place that sell bricks & mortor.
Careful of fumes on any of these processes. They will accelerate corrosion within a 6-8 ft radius as the fumes condense in tiny amounts on your hot rod, harley, etc. Especially down by the floor.
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