Oxalic Acid or Vinegar !

[CustardLips]

Hiya Fella's,
                  Got a few parts need de-rusting and i'd like some opinions on which is the best method to use, Oxalic Acid or Vinegar or other method's.
And a few tips on how long to soak them, ratio's of water to oxalic/vinegar and anything else i need to know !
                                                                                                                                                                            Cheers Chaps.   

[BENDYCAT ELEVENTEEN]

what are the parts ? different materials work in different ways and need longer or a quick go

[oldschoolace]

Always citric acid powder for me. Its harmless to you and decals and works great! 

[CustardLips]

Bendy,
         Forks, bars, chain, headset, spider, chainwheel ( not alloy, steel of some sort ), chainwheel nuts, seatpost, stem bolts and seat guts.
It's all nothing too serious just needs tiding up a little.

[hotdog]

Always citric acid powder for me. Its harmless to you and decals and works great! 

+1

[CustardLips]

Hotdog/Oldschoolace,
                                 How much do i use, how long do i leave it for and is it easy to get your hands on it ?
                                                                                                                                                                   Cheers

[BENDYCAT ELEVENTEEN]

I have found chrome items are fine - the rust will turn a grey greenish powder and need washing off

but if a item has loose chrome or open metal it will need shorter time in as it affects the metal and turns it all greenish and it will need a polish to get off

time in can be a hour to 6 hours - any more and it tends to mess it up a bit and go past what you need

amount ? I have a plastic tray about 12"x45" and 3" deep - kids and pets out the way of it all - gloves on - i just use about 2-3 table spoons of AO after i have put hot water in - stir and then add parts - always wash parts after in hot soapy water - dispose of the solution in a safe and clean way

but amount of water to solution and volume of tub used can very - it's all try and try again and again this is just my way - wait for others to say how they do it and then put it all together and see what you come up with 


If some parts don't come up as you want - then it maybe that you will have to turn to a polishing mop on a bench grinder or hand polishing

on clean up old parts you will have to try more than one method - so methods work well - some will only do certain parts and some can mess up what you want clean and nice - measure twice and cut once - soft before hard - and test first 

cheers B 

[CustardLips]

Nice One mate, I got a general idea. I suppose it's trial and error to some extent. Just need to find somewhere local to get some Oxalic/Citric acid.
Thanks for your time, your effort and your patience.   

[Clean]

Nice One mate, I got a general idea. I suppose it's trial and error to some extent. Just need to find somewhere local to get some Oxalic/Citric acid.
Thanks for your time, your effort and your patience.   

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/500g-Oxalic-acid-great-cleaner-rust-remover-/140426948733?pt=UK_BOI_Medical_Lab_Equipment_Lab_Supplies_ET&hash=item20b219307d#ht_2545wt_1163

 

[CustardLips]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/500g-Oxalic-acid-great-cleaner-rust-remover-/140426948733?pt=UK_BOI_Medical_Lab_Equipment_Lab_Supplies_ET&hash=item20b219307d#ht_2545wt_1163

 
[/quote]


Clean by name Clean by nature ! Top Man !   

[Clean]

I bought some Oxalic from those people; turned up fast, and very cheap. 

Just be careful with it as it is a little vicious! I may sound a little dull, but respect the risks and get your gloves and goggles on. 

Weaker mix and longer soaking is the way to go! 

[BENDYCAT ELEVENTEEN]

That's too true 

it's like takeing anno off of DX pedals and finding out that leaving it too long eats the alloy 

with AO you can try again if it doesn't quite work as well as you hoped the first time

slowly slowy catchy monkey 

[CustardLips]

Cheers Clean. Just purchased a bag of it, £3.70 with postage. 

[Clean]

Cheers Clean. Just purchased a bag of it, £3.70 with postage. 

 

[oldschoolace]

Sorry fella, been busy messing with bikes 

For future reference if you do want citric acid its easy enough to find it on ebay and for smaller quantities your local brewery supplies or wilkinsons home stores will do it.

I usually use around a ten to one ratio with water, weaker ratios are fine, they just work slower 

[CustardLips]

Sorry fella, been busy messing with bikes 

For future reference if you do want citric acid its easy enough to find it on ebay and for smaller quantities your local brewery supplies or wilkinsons home stores will do it.

I usually use around a ten to one ratio with water, weaker ratios are fine, they just work slower 

Cheers Pal much obliged !

[Rodgy1970]

Oxalic Acid will not won't harm the metal only the rust, I've left parts in it for over a week with no problems

I've used 50g OA powder per litre of water and it's worked well.