I put some parts in with some paint on them and it did soften the paint so I don't think I would chance it.
we got a small cheep rock tumbler that we throw our bolts and nuts in run it with the course fill for about 15 to 20 min and they come out looking like they were sand blasted .. did all the head bolts for the Flatty that way
Baking Soda is a base you can mix with water 50/50 to neutralize acids. I've had good results removing rust off/ blueing of gunparts with good tolietbowl cleaners and rust out.
I use an acid solution from PPG to prepare bare metal for painting. After applying to bare metal rinse with water and dry. Then it's ready to paint. Other types of acid would also work I think, using the same process.
Somewhere along the way, I picked up some 50's Ford door-hinges. They look kinda...neat, but are pretty much covered in rust. Luckily their pretty heavy metal. Found an icecream bucket, filled it full of a bunch of vinegar that was leftover from pickeling peppers, and stuck it in there. Didn't cover it, looks like root beer now and the part dosn't really look clean, but I haven't touched or brushed it either. Been about 2-3 days.
If you cover the container, the vinegar won't evaporate and you'll be able to use it again. If they have been in the vinegar for a couple of days, pull them out and wash using a high pressure nozzle with the hose to wash them. If you still have some rust put them back in for a couple of more days. If they come out of the vinegar looking good, after rinsing again, wash them with some soap and water to kill the acid from the vinegar, dry and do whatever you want with them (like primer and paint).
I didn't do too much brushing on it, and the pictures don't really do it justice, but man...that is definetly an improvement. You can see the line up to where I had it soaking. Looks like it was sprayed with aluminum spray paint. Was in there for three-days, uncovered, with some vinegar and some watered down vinegar. I washed it with Dawn dish washing liquid and warm water. Anyway...if the "moving parts" of the hinge were welded up...would make an nice spring perch, eh? Maybe an little unsafe...but this looks like some heavy metal.
Whaddya think of pouring several gallons of Vinegar into the gas tank a truck that's been sitting about 10 years to to clean out the rust and varnish?
Vinegar will soften aluminum and pot metal parts. Inside a steel gas tank should be OK if ou remove the sender. Don't let it sit too long. Glenn
I use vinegar and just rinse with water to nuetralize. No need for chemicals to nuetralize as water is a nuetral Ph. Dry parts good and prime to prevent surface rust. Works really good!
Hmm...was told the doorhinge is cast-steel, and welding instructor said it probably wasn't the safest thing to hold the front end of an vehicle on. Then some guy asked me if I was building an Rat Rod...
I've used vinegar to de-rust some nuts and bolts from a 30A. I let them sit for about 9 days. A thick black crust was on the surface. Pulled the bolts out, wire brushed them, and was surprised as they looked new but with pits. Vinegar works great!
I believe vinegar can be neutralized by enough water. I thought I remember that simple alka-seltzer can also neutralize some acids.
I use Muriatic acid ,full strenth, in a plastic bucket for rusty parts and fasteners. It also removes galvanization. Fumes are obnoxious; one whiff will send you gasping and coughing ,and do not smoke around the fumes, highly volitile! Neutralize with baking soda. I usually rinse off parts with hot water so the parts dry quickly and primer them ASAP. You can reuse the acid several times, and if you have problems with moles in your yard ,stuff a rag into a burrow and saturate it with acid, they move away from the fumes. You can also reuse it to etch or clean sidewalks/patios. And if you really want to be an SOB it's far worse than sugar in a gas tank!
Go find a 5000 litre tank of Hydrochloric Acid, check that the pH is at least 3.0 , drive car off an old Evel Knievel jumpramp you got at a swap meet and splash the car into the tank and leave it in their for about a year or two. VOILE rust is gone! Then I just need to hose it off with water. If my calculations sound a little ludicrous, who could I ask to do it acurately??? Oh, wait a second........I could go to all those SUCCESSFUL companies that SAFELY acid-dip car parts.... WOW, ....I cant find ANY of those......I wonder why not?????? Maybe I should ask a chemist???????
I use vinegar to break loose stuck engines. Works every time. I just fill the cylinders and forget about it for a week or two.
It does remove some paint. I put the cowl panels for my A in Viniger. After a few days the rust was gone as well at the paint that was painted over the stock paint. It did leave some of the stock paint though. I put them in viniger, washed them down with a high presure hose, wire brushed them, washed them, and then put them in a baking soda and water mixture. I then dried them on my wood stove (warm sun would work if available). I got very little flash rusting.
If the chrome has already pitted or corroded then the vinegar will eat further into it, especially if the wheel covers are aluminium. Although not like sulphuric or Nitric acid, vinegar is quite corrosive and will dissolve most metals relatively quickly, use it but you must make sure to thoroughly clean all traces of vinegar off.
I've used white vinegar to de-rust some old Ford A & T wrenches. 24hr soak, rinse thoroughly with water. then WD. Works great.
I have used the evapo-rust and it works.When i pulled the motor on 56 buick wagon and wanted to clean the frame from grease and rust .I used sprayed on oven cleaner.I sprayed it on , went up and had lunch and came back down and hosed it off .Everything came off.I dont know how heavy duty you have to go.Bruce.
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