rust remover

B

Bleedin Knuckles

New Member
Has anyone any opions on the rust removing fliuds that are available? I've tried 3 : both Finnegans' products and Machine Mart's. I don't rate either of the Finnegans stuff too highly, although I have a mate who says the dip works well. When I tried it I diluted it to the recommended 9:1 solution, and it did seem to clean up one of the front brake dust plates fairly well, but it struggled when used again. Similarly I tried their gel which also claims "brings back to bare metal", but didn't find this very true either. I kept painting it on every 20 mins for about 5 hours one weekend but the deepest rust only turned black, which is probably OK but not what they claim will happen.
Machine Mart's rust remover is however a different kettle of fish. Although more expensive and only available in 1 litre bottles, it is quite superb at removing rust from albeit smaller items, getting back to bare steel when soaked overnight. I have used it very effectively on the bottoms of doors by making a trough out of plastic guttering, sealing off the ends, filling it up, and soaking the bottom of the door overnight. The next day the whole of the bottom of the door has turned back to grey metal, unbelievable! You can reuse the remover as many times as you like before it eventually gets very dirty and goes a bit thick. As I say I think this product is amazing, pity MM don't make a bigger size, and don't stock more than 2 bottles at a time.
If anyone has experience of these or any other products then I'd be very interested to read them.
 
As you probably know all the rust removers are based on phosphoric acid. They are mostly a bit of a rip off as your buying diluted phosphoric acid in a fancy bottle. Some will possibly contain solvents or gelling agents etc. The products like hammerite kurust or Trustan include lead chromate (possibly) that turns black as it "develops" and form inert compounds from the rust.

All I can say is that if you can get hold of it from a chemical supplier phosphoric acid diluted at 10% with water is the best bet. My dad and I clubbed together with a friend of his a few years ago and bought several gallons of it for about £10 a gallon. It's not easy to find someone willing to supply it though as there all the COSH regulations about transportation, containters etc.

You've obviously got to be careful with it and add the acid to the water, wear goggles etc but once diluted it's not that bad and certainly won't harm you skin if you wash it off promptly. The biggest problem is it reacts vigoursly with concrete. I was using an old plastic (central heating) header tank to store mine in and I went in the cellar the other day to find it had developed a leak and the floor was fizzing merrily away!

It'll also clean aluminuim castings up althought you need to keep an eye on them otherwise they have a nasty habit of dispearing!
 
I find with a bit of work with wire wool jenolite works - it will take several coats but can get back to nice shiny steel,


What about the water solubile stuff advertised in practical classics??? sounds too goooood toooo beeeee trueeeee?
 
Jenolite is pretty good but like I said it's basically just diluted phosphoric acid (You could read the label for confirmation of this startling fact). The stuff advertised in practical classics isn't to good to be true BUT yet again it's diluted phosphoric acid.

It doesn't matter what the advert says they are all based on PHOSPHORIC ACID!!!!!!!!!! If you wish to use this information to your advantage then find an outlet willing to supply you with phosphoric acid dilute it with water put it into a fancy bottle and flog it in Practical Classics!!!

I was wrong about the chromate in rust converters though see this link for a description of how rust converters work:
http://www.corrosion-doctors.org/MetalCoatings/rust-converter.htm
 
The rust remover from Machine Mart certainly does fizz when you spill some on the concrete floor of your garage! I don't think the price is that bad; it works out at just under £16 for a gallon, considering you're buying in 1 litre bottles. The green stuff from Finegans doesn't seem to have the same acidic smell, and as I said I don't think it's as good. I don't know where I can buy Jenolite locally, so I'll stick to the pink stuff from Machine Mart for now, hopefully I shan't need to be de-rusting for much longer!!
 
I luckly get jenolite in macess - car accessory wholesaler totrade only - maybe local motor factors can assit any one that is looking for it.
Derek
Even luckier only having to de rust tiny wee bits of car :D
 
If you work in a school - like what I used to...

ask the head of chemistry to order you some phosphoric acid....

(s)he can only say no!

I believe the only cure for rust is a gas axe, new metal and a good mig by the way...
 
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