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How to de-rust

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polexican23

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Hey guys, working on a 65 vw dune buggy project. I don't have access to a sandblaster or money to pay for a shop to do it. (budget build-time is not a factor)

The front axle beam is showing its age and needs a good cleaning. Mostly road grim, grease and surface rust.

Can you guys recommend products or tools to help with the clean up process? I have used a grinder with a 4" wire wheel for most of it, but lots of hard to access crevices. The pic below is what I wish it looked like.

111400025.jpg
 
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8man

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Use different style and sizes of wire wheels. I have an angle grinder, die grinder (straight and angle) and got most every nook and cranny with different cupped and straight wire wheels. Messy, labor intensive, but budget minded.
 
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pendragon1998

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I don't think a computer psu would provide enough juice, nor would it be easy to submerge something so big. A psu works great on smaller parts. I say locate a blaster, maybe pay a guy in a shop to hit it for you over lunch hour?
 
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Mr.N

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Mpls, MN
pendragon1998 said:
I don't think a computer psu would provide enough juice, nor would it be easy to submerge something so big. A psu works great on smaller parts. I say locate a blaster, maybe pay a guy in a shop to hit it for you over lunch hour?
Click to expand...
Well I burnt through 6 different battery chargers befor moving to a computer power supply. It's outlast the longest lasting battery charger I've had.
You should be able find one free or way cheap on an old computer

Google it

Similar size part done with computer power supply: http://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/electrolysis-rust-removal-via-computer-power-supply.276034/


.
 
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LumpyMusic

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A Campbell-Hausfeld siphon style blast gun is $12.
A bag of coal slag media is $9.
Add some kind of eye/face protection for, I don't know, another $20?

If you have a compressor already you're blastin'. Even a small, 5 gal HF compressor will do it, just requires a little wait time before refills of the air tank.


Sgt Lumpy
 
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bartz32tt

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LumpyMusic said:
A Campbell-Hausfeld siphon style blast gun is $12.
A bag of coal slag media is $9.
Add some kind of eye/face protection for, I don't know, another $20?

If you have a compressor already you're blastin'. Even a small, 5 gal HF compressor will do it, just requires a little wait time before refills of the air tank.


Sgt Lumpy
Click to expand...

I would stay away from coal slag and sand to avoid respiratory problems. I use glass beads or aluminum oxide and always wear a respirator.
 
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drivesitfar

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Polex: i think i asked almost every question there was to ask on this thread on Electrolysis.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=237752&highlight=homemade+electrolysis

it's cheap and easy and maybe the best way to remove rust. for bigger items I've seen guys using huge plastic barrels and kiddie pools. an old battery charger should work fine and I've heard the power supply for an old computer works too.

you'll need to take a rag soaked in Simple green to get the grease off first or the electrolysis won't work as well.

good luck
 
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EdT

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How wonderful are you trying to make this front end? There's probably no need to get every bit of rust and old paint off to do a very serviceable resto. If you don't have a pressure washer, I'd suggest the first step would be to take it to a DIY car wash and blast as much crud off it as you can. Then you can get a better idea of what you really have to work with. I would then disassemble it as much as you need to to accomplish your goal, whatever that is. the smaller individual parts will be easier to deal with. You can then clean them up one at a time using any of the methods suggested above. I don't imagine VW parts are as cheap as they used to be, but before you spend days cleaning up the old brake drums, it might be worth seeing how much new ones are. there's a fair chance you'll need new ones anyway. I've had good luck with Evapo Rust and electrolysis. They are both fairly slow processes, but they work well. Either would be tough slogs on the main beam structure, but should work OK on the other parts. By the time you're through saving money cleaning this up, the sand blasting may look like a bargain.
 
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mrolds88

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First you need to get rid of the grease buildup and road grime. Engine degreaser or oven cleaner (providing there is no aluminum there). Then pressure wash. Next step is decided by what you have available. Wire brushes get a lot of rust off but not all. If you have a compressor, then a small sand blaster will work for you. If you want to do electrolysis get a cheapy wading pool, a box of Arm & Hammer washing soda, some scrap steel parts and copper wire for your ground and a DC power supply.
 
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clubairth

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Oven cleaner is great for carbon but does not touch grease. So first degrease it the best you can. Then use oven cleaner for the remaining tough baked on carbon.

Get the real oven cleaner too. Not the fume free junk!

It must contain Sodium Hydroxide (Lye) to work properly. I use the house brand from Walmart and it works great!
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polexican23

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planned on breaking out the pressure washer, as I was moving the mower in the shed I got zapped in the hand by 3 wasps. Hand swelled up pretty quick and looked aweful.

Clean up will have to resume next weekend.
Thanks guys for all your opinions, tips and tricks.
I will look for this:: A Campbell-Hausfeld siphon style blast gun is $12....to hit the smaller parts that may need a little more attention.

As I don't need show quality, but the front beam is pretty exposed on my dune buggy, so it will have to be a little better than it just enough.
 
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ilovevocs

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If you don't have a pressure washer I would get a few gallons of kerosene and some red scotch bright pads. Wear gloves. This helps to remove the gunk and at the same time when your scrubbing your adding a mechanical tooth for paint prep.

I do a final clean with a wax and grease remover, hit it with a fresh scotch bright pad, and then again with wax and grease remover, mask then prime / paint. You could smooth some of the casting marks / rust with a red scotch bright on a die grinder.
 
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mg283680

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If you have a feed store nearby and can get molasses, put gallons in a big trash can and fill w/ water. Soak the part. Have to do that front end half at a time.
 
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LumpyMusic

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mg283680 said:
If you have a feed store nearby and can get molasses, put gallons in a big trash can and fill w/ water. Soak the part. Have to do that front end half at a time.
Click to expand...

How would one dispose of the resulting water/molasses/rust gunk mixture?

Maybe pour it on the neighbors' cars that park in front of the house in that other thread?


Sgt Lumpy
 
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trentonmakes

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LumpyMusic said:
How would one dispose of the resulting water/molasses/rust gunk mixture?

Maybe pour it on the neighbors' cars that park in front of the house in that other thread?


Sgt Lumpy
Click to expand...
Lol
Just read that thread!

POR15
Powerwash to get clean, get as much rust removed as you can, paint over it with por15.

If it's exposed to sunlight go over it with a paint as the por15 will fade over time exposed to UV.

Sent from my LG-D801 using Tapatalk
 
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VDubJoe

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I use molasses all the time. Works great but takes a few days. It will remove all the rust.
I have a 45 gallon olive barrel full. One gallon to 7 gal. of water. I get it at tractor supply 7 bucks a gallon. Lasts quite a while.
Blasting with a canister gun will take forever.
 
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