Technical Can I soak chrome on vinegar??

Oxalic acid example, not car parts but you get the idea. I use 3 tablespoons per 5 gallons. You will see yellow reaction at the rust points, wipe this off. If you dont see yellow reaction on the rust after 4-6 hours, add another tablespoon of oxalic acid. Total treatment should be 12-24 hours. Checking progress every couple of hours to wipe the parts down. Clean the parts before you put them in the solution.

This is the most cost effective way to go. A tub ofor oxalic acid is less than $10 and will make a lot of derusting solution.



This is $9 amazon prime, also the brand that most ace hardware's carry.


Build a plywood box and line it with plastic for Bumpers, once I have solution going, I throw all kinds of stuff in.

 

Thanks man!....we got a feed store nearby....I'll try a small bit of the cattle molasses, and stay away from the 'kitchen' stuff....appreciate the heads up!

 

I was in a privet junk yard several years ago. There was a 50s Buick sitting near a tree with the front bumper and grill gleaming in the sunshine. The rest of the car was pretty much non-existent, the grill & bumper looked very out of place. I went to investigate and discovered that the chrome was indeed very nice, but there was very little metal behind it. It really was just the foil thin chrome plating that still existed!

I bring this story up because I am reading about guys wanting to remove the rust on the back side of the chrome parts and I feel that I have to warn you. That acidic dip your considering may very well remove all the rust from the back side of your chrome, but there may not be any metal left afterwards! I believe a lite surface rust on solid metal will probably survive an acid dip, but if the condition of the metal is thick covered rusty, or pitted, I'd use extreme caution with any acidic dip. Gene

 

That's the stuff that the 3M rubbing compound will remove in just a couple minutes of rubbing. No need for long chemical treatments.

 

I don't know the actual condition of the grill but long before anyone ever tried all chemical soaks and compounds, we used to use SOS pads to clean up old chrome. it won't take pits away but I have saved many a bumper and or chrome wheel with them.

works on white walls too.

 

I check the bucket this morning . So far so good . Been 10 hours and chrome looks ok and rust starting to come off. I post pics later I'm at work.


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When you're done, please come back and post the results. I'd like to see how those come out compared to mine.

 

Just paint the rust with OSPHO

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That wood bleach post sure looks good. I have never heard of that and the label makes it sound like you would only use it on wood.

 

Exactly why we should have paid attention in chemistry class!!!!!!!!

 

You are being quite humble when you say we. Following your posts it is quite evident that you paid more attention than many of us. The older I get, I realize I should have paid attention in a lot of classes !!!!

 

Don't forget to thoroughly neutralize the inner diameter or backside of the parts.
Baking soda and water will neutralize. Paint or oil coat inside tubes to protect.

 

You can but it taste better with balsamic! Hay someone had too.

 

I've used a vinegar soak on bare metal parts & old tools with great success. Never tried it on chrome pieces.
I have a few old bicycles to restore, that the rims need attention. Gotta say the wood bleach trick looks pretty impressive. Thanks for the tip, Indylips!

 

The rechromed, and beautiful, grill on my '51 Pontiac is rusting out behind the chrome. The curved left end on the lower bar had been leaded in, then plated. Now, who knows how long after the repeating (done by a previous owner), the chrome is blistering off the rusted, flaking steel grill. Bummer.

 

Good thread!

 

Update. I'm away from home. Its been 7 days since I left the pieces soaking in . I be home tonite . I hope they ok lol.


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Oh-Oh.

 

Let us know how it came out.

 

So this is how they look after couple days soak in . Not really clean but somewhat out. Maybe need to be there longer? I wipe them and use the wire brush . I kinda expected more clean than this. Lol


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I'll stick with "Evaporust". Your results look similar to mine when I tried vinegar. I think maybe we are using the wrong kind after seeing the results some others have achieved.

 

I try to find high acid content vinegar and soak it straight.
Some is very low acid content and doesn't work as well straight.
Low acid and then 25/75 water isn't much concentration.
Grazing it with a brush every couple hours really helps too.

Evaporust is good stuff, but it ain't cheap

 

Evapo rust here..
I've even clear coated some really rusty chrome motorcycle parts afterwards and they still look great.

Even Coca-Cola will eat potmetal from behind the chrome in short order.

 

My experience makes me wonder if the brand-name stuff might have a little more kick than the Dollar Store, etc, bargain stuff. Gonna have to check the labels for content next time. Good point Vick.

 

Well this what i used . Bought it at target. I use 2 gallons on a 5 gallon bucket and I fill the whole bucket with water. So I was 2 gallons vinegar and 3 gallons of water.


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I have used the phosphoric prep and etch from Home Depot. Around $16.00 a gallon full strength.Can be diluted but wanted something that worked quicker.It took all of the surface rust off the outside and inside on my radiator shroud on my 28 in a couple of days.I kept an eye on it the first few hours and didn't notice anything melting that I didn't want to save.It wont restore the pits or the areas the chrome has pealed off but I was pretty happy with the way it turned out.considering the shape it was in.Like the previous poster said don't use it on die cast as it will be gone pretty quick,found out this the hard way..If I get some time I will post an after picture.

 

Well i got some other pieces that are in bad shape . I try the bleach wood. And see if it works better. I post before and after pics. The vinegar test was too stinky at night it smell like those pork feet from the jar everywhere.


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That's Less than 2% acidity.
5% is kind of ok, 6 is noticeably better but 7% works good.
Yeah it stinks!

If you really want to tear some rusty shit up
Cut this 1:1 and you'll have 15%

 

Said it before, order some citric acid online. Stuff works great and doesnt stink to high hell or burn your hands. Soak rusty stuff overnight, the rust just brushes right off.

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Looks like most of this stuff is done in larger batches, what do you guys do for disposal?