cleaning up and derusting old sockets

[maddawg308]

Have a bunch of old sockets where the outside is nice and shiny, but the inside of the sockets are all rusty and nasty. Was wondering what you guys do to clean up old sockets that are this way. Evapo-Rust? Metal brush or bottle brush? Can't use a wire wheel on them when the rust is inside....

 

[jjjrmx5]

Evaporust for me on sensitive or chrome stuff. Pour into a seperate container what ya need and use it over and over until it looses it's capabilities. Then repeat. Electrolosis on the heavy duty stuff.

EVAPO-RUST is non-corrosive to steel and does not harm brass, copper, aluminum, gold, lead, titanium, steel, cast iron, chrome, solder points, vinyl, plastic, rubber, silicone, glass, cork, or wood. EVAPO-RUST has an indefinite shelf life* and can be used over and over until it absolutely stops working. On average, one gallon de-rusts up to 300 pounds of light to moderately rusted steel.

 

[mooman]

I would soak them in degreaser first, either simple green or purple power and clean them with a firm tooth brush. Then see what they look like and hit em with some evaporust if needed.

 

[SMKS]

I have used Evapo-rust and I like it. The best price is probably HF with a 20% off coupon.

 

[CanUK]

I had luck using vinegar on some "new" sockets I bought of ebay that were rusty inside. Soaked for a day then wiped them out, hit them with the plastic bristle brush on the dremel -got them into a clean useable state although there was still evidence of the rust having been present (like staining).

 

[Outlawmws]

I would soak them in degreaser first, either simple green or purple power and clean them with a firm tooth brush. Then see what they look like and hit em with some evaporust if needed.

Pretty much this^^^

Evaporust or Vinegar, but don't leave them in very long as you can get chrome peeling, and don't use Vinegar on Cad plated tools at all, (no experience with Evaporust for Cad, but I'd guess no also...)

Brushes as mentioned, slam stiff bottle brushes, or you can use gun bore bronze brushes for the smaller sockets and pockets.

 

[glenmore]

Evaporust will save you a ton of time and elbow grease. I do a lot of garage saling and I only wish I had gotten some sooner.

 

[BreeStephany]

provided that the sockets don't have a chrome finish, I soak mine in phosphoric acid (I believe 65 - 70% concentration) for 24 - 36 hours, then take them out and put them in a media polisher (used for polishing ammo brass / small parts, etc.) overnight. They come out nice and sparkly, inside and out.

The combination of phosphoric acid and the polishing media can be pretty harsh on chrome finished tools, but works well for stainless and polished tools.

Before soaking them, you will want to take a battery terminal brush to them to get out all the thick grease and debris. I have found that a bottle of Awesome (cheap citrus based household cleaner) really helps break down the excess grease if they exceptionally dirty.

 

[zuk123]

I have a couple battery terminal brushes for cleaning inside sockets. A double ended copper fitting cleaning brush works good too.

I have 3 sizes of copper fitting brush that work wonders. They clean them up in only a couple of twists by hand, or put the socket on a drill adapter and hold the brush.

The brushes last longer if you do it by hand.

zuk

 

[Gort the giant robot]

I work in a shop where we have a Storm Vulcan parts washer and a Mac glass bead machine. I have a 12 x 12 piece of 1/2 inch plywood with a bunch of large nails stuck in it. I slip the sockets onto the nails and throw them in the washer when i am washing something else. I use the glass bead machine to do the insides of sockets only. To polish the outside of sockets i chuck them in a drill press with cut off short extensions to hold them and use different scratchy pads.

Gort.

 

[Hetman]

provided that the sockets don't have a chrome finish, I soak mine in phosphoric acid (I believe 65 - 70% concentration) for 24 - 36 hours, then take them out and put them in a media polisher (used for polishing ammo brass / small parts, etc.) overnight. They come out nice and sparkly, inside and out.

The combination of phosphoric acid and the polishing media can be pretty harsh on chrome finished tools, but works well for stainless and polished tools.

Before soaking them, you will want to take a battery terminal brush to them to get out all the thick grease and debris. I have found that a bottle of Awesome (cheap citrus based household cleaner) really helps break down the excess grease if they exceptionally dirty.

Exellent idea , I recommend it too. Unfortunalety I can get only 25% but it still works fine.

 

[Harley94]

To de-grease mine, I'll drop them in a plastic coffee can with mineral spirits in it and let them soak, for a few days. I'll slosh them around from time to time to help break up the crud.