Cleaning up rusty, grimy parts

[foothilltom 33]

Brethren (and Sistren),

 

Am wondering what folks use for generally cleaning up crappy parts (hardware, nuts, bolts, etc.) that is either a bit rusty, dirty, or just generally buggered.

 

About everything I take off this car looks like it came from the Stone Age, and I'm not looking forward to buying new stuff at every turn.

 

I'm hoping you all have dealt with this. A guy at the HW store just now told me to use Coca-Cola. I've heard that urban legend about dissolving bone, but I'd hate to see it dissolve my parts.

 

As usual, opinions are much appreciated.

[ForceFed70 14]

Skip the cola.

 

If you don't own one already, buy a media blasting cabinate. You'll use it many many times....

 

You'll also need a compressor that can run it.

 

It's a bit of an investment, but worth every penny IMO.

[Solo2 0]

What ever happened to the good old fashion bench wire wheel?

[SlimeGold 69 15]

What ever happened to the good old fashion bench wire wheel?

 

 

Yep. That works too. I have a sand blasting cabinet and I still use my wire wheel on the bench grinder to clean up bolts and small parts.

[cramer 12]

Hello,

 

I use oven cleaner, rubbing alcohol, acetone (buy these at the dollar store/walmart) and a wire brush to clean my old hardware...

 

I have thought about getting a parts tumbler from harbor freight though...:whistling:

 

I have tried the cola on a test piece and let it sit overnight...nothing awe inspiring happened but it did give it a better shine

 

Marc Cramer

[69mach1mw 10]

have u guys ever heard of removing rust by electrolsis? Ive used it and seems to work well on some of my rusty parts, it wont kill grime or nothing but it cuts through rust

[ForceFed70 14]

have u guys ever heard of removing rust by electrolsis? Ive used it and seems to work well on some of my rusty parts, it wont kill grime or nothing but it cuts through rust

 

 

Baking soda, a steel electrode, and a 12V battery charger right? I've heard good things but havn't tried it myself.

[69mach1mw 10]

u got the basic idea, but its washing soda (slightly different), and yea the more electrodes the better. I saw one site that used steel plates instead as the electrodes. I did it to two of my hood springs and they turned out well...i just forgot to prime them after to protect them for rust, and now they could probably use it again.

 

Thats the site i found it on

http://antique-engines.com/electrol.asp

[cramer 12]

Good article post on it here

 

http://www.fordmuscle.com/forums/tech-exchange/467718-rust-removal-electrolysis.html

 

Marc Cramer

[9R03F 10]

You can't beat one of these. Price wise or quality wise. Great tool.

 

http://www.tptools.com/eccStoreImages/product_images/Images/960-ti-sandblasting-cabinet_T.jpg

 

www.tptools.com

[burritoboi5 10]

Electrolisis is a good cheap way to remove rust on complex parts but be careful, I burned up a battery charger this way. Blasting is probably the quickest and easiest but also the most exspensive.

[69mach1mw 10]

Electrolisis is a good cheap way to remove rust on complex parts but be careful, I burned up a battery charger this way. Blasting is probably the quickest and easiest but also the most exspensive.

 

how did u burn up the battery charger, too much current or did the leads touch and short out? Id like to know so that i don't do the same.

[burritoboi5 10]

I had too many leads and left it on for a while with a brake drum in the tub. Just started smoking and when I opened it the coil/wiring was gone.

[69mach1mw 10]

I had too many leads and left it on for a while with a brake drum in the tub. Just started smoking and when I opened it the coil/wiring was gone.

 

ahh i wont do that then, and your right media blasting is quicker and easier but electrolysis is so much cheaper.

[bnickel 10,004]

buy a can of carb dip, you can just get the smaller one. it will take off pretty much all of the grease and crud but you'll need something else for the rust. lacquer thinner works well too, on really nasty parts i'll use the carb dip overnight and then put the parts in a small container of lacquer thinner overnight the next night. dip the parts in some gun bluing, rinse and coat with a light machine oil and you'll have a factory correct looking black oxide finish.

[foothilltom 33]

Hey bnickel, can you clarify the product name for "carb dip"? I've seen carbeurator cleaner products, but they're usually spray-on type. What you're describing sounds like it comes in a jug.

 

Thanks for the explanation.

[bnickel 10,004]

Hey bnickel, can you clarify the product name for "carb dip"? I've seen carbeurator cleaner products, but they're usually spray-on type. What you're describing sounds like it comes in a jug.

 

Thanks for the explanation.

 

 

well, yeah it's kind of a jug. really it's more like a 1 or 5 gallon can. Berrymans B-12, Gunk and others make it. generally available at any auto parts store. they call it it a dip because you dip the parts in the can and leave them overnight. this was the only carb cleaner available until they came out with the spray can stuff. when it cames to spray can stuff i actually brake parts cleaner to carb spray.

[Gazoo 10]

You'd be amazed what you can do with drill mounted wire wheels, or a wire wheel on your bench grinder. Used with care, these work excellently. Those newer nylon bristle wheels and flapper pads also work well.

 

Once all the paint and grime is gone, and you want to clean the parts for painting, my favorite tool is --- the dishwasher.

 

The alkaline detergent is an excellent prep for painting, though you should leave out the rinse agent. And make sure all the grease and loose paint is gone first or the wife will kill you.

 

I also "bake" painted items in the oven after they have dried for a day or two first. This provides very durable finishes.

[bnickel 10,004]

i've baked parts in the pizza oven at one of the pizza places i used to work before. i did a new gas cap for my old mustang II, put it in about 3/4 of the way through and ran it the rest of the way through and let it cool for about 15 minutes. the spray can paint on the cap lasted better than the paint on teh rest of the car.

[Gazoo 10]

Oh, I also forgot one of the best tricks I've found. To clean up grimy wiring harnesses, and almost any kind of flexible plastic or rubber parts, use the cream or pump type Fast Orange hand cleaner with pumice. My wiring harnesses looked like new once I had given them a good rubdown with Fast Orange. I love this stuff, and buy it by the gallon bottle.