Vinegar to remove rust? Old guys rule!

This is a great tip... just shows - you got to explore the posts here!

Thanks!

Later,

Mike

 

I had my windshield frame soaking for almost a week. I seems to be working as there are afew 3/4" size spots on 1 of the pieces that is down to bare metal now. I just need to find a better tank to soak these in longer.

Do you guys think this process will break thru the rust that is sticking the hinge together?

 

Ok!!!!!!!!!! ..... I got the same oil pan issue but it's a steel pan that's been chromed. Chrome is good but the inside pan is rusty. If I dip the whole pan, well the vinegar eat the chrome? I can always fill the inside of the pan.

 

you can also use vinegar to condition metal after soda blasting.

 

To make a cheap, large, temporary "tank" for something like a windsheild frame, take 4 chunks of 2x4 lumber, put them on edge and make a rectangle with them, then just lay in some poly plastic from a roll, set your part on the poly and pour the vinegar in until it immerses the part.
If you need a deeper tank, use 2x8s, or a plywood box or whatever. As long as you line your creation with poly, you've got yourself a tank.
If you wanted to do a fender, you could build a box roughly the same shape to minimize the amount of liquid needed.
This idea also works for a cheap electrolysis tank, you just need to mix up washing soda electrolyte and use a battery charger, instead of vinegar.

 

If you have a wholesale food supplier in your area, cases of vinegar 4/1gal, are usually available for less that 1.00 per gallon.

 

I want to soak the grill from my Cadillac, that appears to me some form of pot metal or aluminum. Is vinegar safe? Or is there a better solution?

 

Vineger is also wonderful for disintegrating Holley 94 carbs... Don't ask me how I know...

 

DO NOT soak ALUMINUM parts!!!!! It will disintegrate them!!!

 

What can I use? I tried soaking it in something that said it was aluminum safe, and apparently it wasn't....it looks worse than it started. Apparently it oxidized it. I soaked it in PB blaster and that helped some, and stopped the oxidization. Is molasses safe? What would be safe? The grill is solid but just has surface rust

 

I've been on well water for the past 36 years and use vinegar extensively to remove mineral deposits that build-up in hot water heaters, humidifiers and their heating elements. I just came in from doing both.

 

The vinegar works well on rust removal. Just be very careful with the home made tanks or containers you may fabricate to do larger parts. Mine leaked a little over a few days. The vinegar will eat the top smooth layer off of a nice new smooth concrete floor!
I bet you know how I know.

 

For a tank you could always go to walmart and get a plastic kids pool, thats what i plan to use.

 

I have been told that you have to neutralize once you remove it from the Vinegar..? Using a mix of water and baking soda would neutralize the acidic effect correct?

I am just curious if this just an extra step I have doing.

 

x2

 

Ive used vinegar to remove rust from old motorcycle/ATC tanks before with good results.

I just bought a large plastic storage container from Walmart, along with 10 gallons of vinegar. Im going to try soaking a 67 SBC 327 crank for a few weeks to see how it comes out. The crank has been sitting on the floor of a car in the woods for over 20 years with all the windows broken out. It cleaned up good in a small spot I tried with a wire brush, should come out nice I hope.

 

I just built a 4' square tank out of scrap OSB and 2x4's I had leftover from another project. I lined it with an old pond liner that was lining a pond in my backyard (wife was not pleased). I've got 20 gallons of molasses that I'm gonna dilute 9:1 with water and soak all my roadster body panels in it.

 

pine-sol works miracles on aluminum let it soak for about 4 days or so then scrub with a brush and hose it off i bought 6 big bottles and mixed them with 3 bottles of water
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the vinegar bath surprised me i soaked some rusty shetmetal parts in it and wow cant believe the difference

 

I put my 51 Ford hood latch that was crusty rusted in red wine vinegar (don't tell Ladyshifter) for two days. Washed it off with water, wire wheeled it and sweet. Paint and done.

 

Update on this, the vinegar cleaned the crank up very nice. However, there is corrosion on some of the journals so Im not sure if Ill be able to use it yet. But it looks new otherwise!

 

Just found this site because this thread turned up in a search.

I'm soaking a 1965 289 4v manifold in vinegar right now. It has been in 24 hours, and I took it out tonight to brush off the red film. This is my first time using vinegar to strip rust. This manifold was under a few feet of snow half-burried in the frozen mud beside a feedlot on a Wisconsin farm, and it has probably been there 20+ years.

I was shocked how clean it was after 24 hours -- especially all of the mating surfaces. I put it back in for another 24 hours to try to get the rest of the manifold clean for painting.

I'm using straight vinegar (5% -- food grade), but I've read some people who say you should use 50-65% vinegar/water solution. I've also read some people who say you should never soak cast for more than a few hours. I'm not too concerned -- the manifold was free (along with a Holley 8150) and there is another one still out there under the snow. I figure that I'll have the surfaces machined, so I'm not too concerned about pitting. If it eats enough metal way it will flow better, right?

I'll try to get some "after" pictures (didn't take pictures before).

BTW... it fit perfectly in a cheap clear Sterlite tub from Walmart -- the lid keeps the smell down.

Untame

 

Aluminum doesn't rust... It's probably a plated pot metal... I wouldn't leave it in for too long....

Is there any plating left...???

 

now i have to find space in the garage for another jug of liquid and buckets to soak parts in, i'm gonna need more shelves, thanks H.A.M.B

 

As I lay in bed last night I was thinking about a tarp held up at the corners and my '30 ford frame...

Untame

 

I was thinking of the Walmart kids pool with a tarp over it for bigger metal parts too!

Cool.

Red Ram Hemi

 

Damn, just brought my to front fenders and hood to the sandblaster with the risc that they will be waved!!
I have experimented with soda and a battery charger before (little parts)but never tryed vinegar...
cool!!!!

 

Anyone know if this will work on a Model A radiator? How does it affect brass?

 

I'm Italian so its obvious I'll never rust to death...

 

Damn, i'm gonna use this trick when I de-rust-ofy my 46