Vise rust removal but keeping the paint

[Ronniexj]

Hey guys, I'm new here but..

I just bought a Starrett Athol 924 1/2,
Most of the paint is intact but it the screw and rotating base are rusted. Whats the best way to neutralize the rust without removing the original paint?

I'm trying to keep the "patina" and plan to apply some wax or oil over it once I get the rust cleaned up.

I read electrolysis will take off the paint but unsure of all the other chemicals it can be dipped in.

Thank you

 

[wahoowad]

You can't remove the rust without removing some of that paint. You can go to a hardware store and get whatever can of Rustoleum says it has good rust inhibitor in it and give it a fresh paint job. I recommend a nice green.

If it was me I'd probably put a paint stripper on it, remove the paint, hit it with a wire brush to clean off the surface rust, then prime it and then paint it. Green.

 

[BJ42LX]

Evapo-Rust advertises that it won't harm most paints.

However, I have found that even when paint is in good condition some of it goes away when using Evapo-Rust. Either because small amounts of rust have infiltrated under the paint or the follow-up scrubbing removes loose paint on its own.

 

[Kirbot]

That's definitely not the original paint. You could scrub down the rusty spots with wd40 and steel wool. But it's still going to look like a poorly repainted vise.

 

[Ronniexj]

Ah, I was thinking it was original paint...now I see the screw lug? is painted aswell which wouldn't have been... In that case I'll do an electrolysis dip on it and re-paint.

 

[zkling]

I'd start with a chemical paint stripper, there is a lot of paint on the vise.

 

[ddawg16]

vinegar.....soak it for a day or two.....the use a 3M scratch pad to remove the rust. If the paint is well attached, the vinegar won't bother it.

Or....soak it with oven cleaner....seal it up in a black trash bag for a few days and then wash off. Just be ready to paint it within hours.

 

[wild cowboy]

electrolyisis can handle stripping any amount of paint, and is not hazardous to your health like a chemical paint stripper!

 

[Tritonus]

Thank you Ronniexj for purchasing that vise.

The seller kept on dropping the price, and I started to worry. I'm so happy you bought it.

electrolyisis can handle stripping any amount of paint, and is not hazardous to your health like a chemical paint stripper!

I have found electrolysis can get rid of most of the paint, but not all. There have been spots that will not go away on some of my projects. Not sure what to do next other than nuke it with chemicals.

 

[BD1]

I use vinegar too. I found this posted using '' Citric Acid '' . I have not tried it but sounds like it is worth a try. I used the vinegar on horseshoes and it works well .
http://www.hawk-hill.com/2013/04/removing-rust-from-found-objects-without-scrubbing/

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000OZFECU/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[sometoyotaguy]

I use vinegar too. I found this posted using '' Citric Acid '' . I have not tried it but sounds like it is worth a try. I used the vinegar on horseshoes and it works well .
http://www.hawk-hill.com/2013/04/removing-rust-from-found-objects-without-scrubbing/

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000OZFECU/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Walmart sells citric acid in the canning section. I've dabbled with it, but it's temperature dependent, and the basement is pretty cold this time of year. It seems to work about as well as vinegar/ evaporust, but without the smell.

 

[gaston9mm]

im sure it will look great when your done with it. nice vice.

 

[22george]

9 parts water 1 part molasses. Let soak a couple weeks.
It didn't remove the paint on my fenders

 

[gilbo]

electrolyisis can handle stripping any amount of paint, and is not hazardous to your health like a chemical paint stripper!

after the electrolysis, you can repaint to the color of your liking

 

[Scimonetti]

after the electrolysis, you can repaint to the color of your liking

Yup. Paint peels right off. This is after 24 hours after 3 days and light brushing with a wire brush

 

[Ronniexj]

Thank you Ronniexj for purchasing that vise.

The seller kept on dropping the price, and I started to worry. I'm so happy you bought it.

Ha, why were you worried, were you gonna have to buy it? Or do you know the seller. Shipping killed me on the price but I can't find hardly any tools here locally, I'm in Montana.


I'm going to try the electrolysis route being the paint isn't original, I just might have to find a different battery charger.

I have a 1.5A "tender" and I think it has to sense the battery to charge.

 

[tool_scrounge]

9 parts water 1 part molasses. Let soak a couple weeks.
It didn't remove the paint on my fenders

+1 on this. I just cleaned a large drill press vise and there was rust coming through the textured paint. 4 days in the bath and all the rust is gone, but the paint is intact and looks nice. I did polish the steel rods with Scotchbright + WD40 for a few minutes. Overall I am pleased with the result.

 

[Fretters]

I have found electrolysis can get rid of most of the paint, but not all. There have been spots that will not go away on some of my projects. Not sure what to do next other than nuke it with chemicals.

Usually, when there's some stubborn bits of paint, I use a blunt knife blade, putty knife or similar and scrape the remainder off. Some paint will peel off and some clings like grim death to the surface.

 

[Ronniexj]

+1 on this. I just cleaned a large drill press vise and there was rust coming through the textured paint. 4 days in the bath and all the rust is gone, but the paint is intact and looks nice. I did polish the steel rods with Scotchbright + WD40 for a few minutes. Overall I am pleased with the result.

Looks great!

 

[KMScott]

Here is a Starrett with the original paint, just in case you repaint yours and need a example.

 

[MarcioWilges]

Did you manage to get the rust removed the way you wanted it to? Let us know what method you ended up using and whether it worked mate. I'd imagine that removal of the rust would have been a big job and musn't have been easy.

 

[PCO6]

For something like this I use phosphoric acid to remove rust. It does not remove paint.

I have a small dip tank.
View media item 33010
Phosphoric acid on the left and rinse water on the right.
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Here's a vice as I got it.
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Here it is after I removed it from the tank. I disassembled it before it went in.
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This is the same vice prior to reassembly.
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