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Technical & Reference Section => Tech and Restoration => Topic started by: Moose on February 02, 2007, 12:29 AM

Title: Oxalic Acid?
Post by: Moose on February 02, 2007, 12:29 AM
Anyone use it? If so where are you getting it?

I've found some on the tinterweb, but it's £15 for 5Kg - will I need 5Kg?

Any advice welcome  :daumenhoch:
Title: Re: Oxalic Acid?
Post by: Trev on February 02, 2007, 12:33 AM
never heard of it, dunno what it is or what you do with it, but it seems a reasonable price and remember, you can never have too much oxalic acid...
Title: Re: Oxalic Acid?
Post by: Moose on February 02, 2007, 12:35 AM
You can use it to remove rust from chrome and apparently it's very good  :-\
Title: Re: Oxalic Acid?
Post by: kdw712 on February 02, 2007, 01:13 AM
have you checked out VBMX tech restro section Phil
theres long how to there and the results are spanking  :daumenhoch:


blagged some pics

(http://www.radbmx.co.uk/archive/albums/k232/biggdummy/B4.jpg)

(http://www.radbmx.co.uk/archive/albums/k232/biggdummy/After.jpg)

good stuff eh !
Title: Re: Oxalic Acid?
Post by: Moose on February 02, 2007, 01:25 AM
 :LolLolLolLol:  Those pictures are what made me start looking for some  :LolLolLolLol:

Look's like excellent results :daumenhoch:
Title: Re: Oxalic Acid?
Post by: kdw712 on February 02, 2007, 01:32 AM
well keep us posted then

those pics make me wish i hadn't brought new spokes for a few sets of wheels now
Title: Re: Oxalic Acid?
Post by: kdw712 on February 02, 2007, 01:37 AM
from the main VBMX thread by Ted Carl

Oxalic acid is typically marketed as a wood bleach in hardware stores.
It costs less than 10 bucks.
All you need to do is mix a few ounces of Oxalic acid in a large tub of water,
and soak the parts for 12-36 hours.
You simply wipe the parts free of the rust occasionally with a white (soft, non-abrasive) scotch-brite pad, and you are done.


seems very simple
my old oil drum may get the dye washed out and some of this dropped in  :)
Title: Re: Oxalic Acid?
Post by: Moose on February 02, 2007, 01:41 AM
OK, I'll order some tomorrow and try it out on that Motobencane I just bought  :daumenhoch:
Title: Re: Oxalic Acid?
Post by: kdw712 on February 02, 2007, 01:56 AM
you know it make sense  ;)
Title: Re: Oxalic Acid?
Post by: Dingobmxer on February 02, 2007, 06:50 AM
can we have before and after pics when you have done please  :daumenhoch:
 :) DINGO :)
Title: Re: Oxalic Acid?
Post by: gt0733 on February 02, 2007, 07:07 AM
when you go to your hardware shop ask for wood bleach. the active ingredient should be oxalic acid. i got a litre already mixed and dropped some headset bits in and a day or so later the surface rust had disappeared. alternatively you can gat a granulated form that you can mix at your own strength and in bigger volumes. the best part is you don't have to throw it out, you can store it for later use.

oh by the way, when using the granulated form add the acid to the water.....not the water to the acid. very important that.
Title: Re: Oxalic Acid?
Post by: dj_benice on February 02, 2007, 08:43 AM
yup tis good tackle I have used it quite a bit, if you use the search on here (topic subject only) there are a couple of threads, one has link to some very reasonably priced stuff from memory  :daumenhoch:
Title: Re: Oxalic Acid?
Post by: dordymush on February 02, 2007, 10:01 AM
is this stuff like caustic.
does it burn ya lol.
Title: Re: Oxalic Acid?
Post by: harris on February 02, 2007, 10:03 AM
i  could do with a drop of that kit   :)
Title: Re: Oxalic Acid?
Post by: theRuler on February 02, 2007, 10:05 AM
is this stuff like caustic.
does it burn ya lol.

i was just gonna say that
Title: Re: Oxalic Acid?
Post by: dj_benice on February 02, 2007, 11:05 AM
nup, i still wear black rubber gloves as found nothing on health and safety while using it but have dipped me hands in no burns or irritation  :daumenhoch:
Title: Re: Oxalic Acid?
Post by: harris on February 02, 2007, 11:06 AM
dj did you get i over in uk
Title: Re: Oxalic Acid?
Post by: Moose on February 02, 2007, 11:37 AM
is this stuff like caustic.
does it burn ya lol.

i was just gonna say that

It will burn you, although not a severe as Caustic. Here's a good MSDS

http://www.catalogue.fisher.co.uk/scripts/search.dll?ViewMSDS&SheetNumber=17361

Quote
nup, i still wear black rubber gloves as found nothing on health and safety while using it but have dipped me hands in no burns or irritation 


In that case you were using quite a dilute solution
Title: Re: Oxalic Acid?
Post by: Del on February 02, 2007, 12:45 PM
1kg will do about a bucket full, make sure the water is hot/warm otherwise the oxalic acid crystals will not disolve.

I put about 750g into a gorilla bucket with about 8litres of hot water and it did my GT bars in less than 2-3hours.. just use an old tooth brush and the rust comes straight off.
Title: Re: Oxalic Acid?
Post by: dj_benice on February 02, 2007, 12:48 PM
just the recommended one  :daumenhoch:  got it from the states :(  I have used a kilo bag of crystals to do a couple of f/f's, bars and some cranks in a plasterers bath.  I used the quantitys advised on vintage which assumes the bits will be allowed to stand for 8 hours plus, 1kilo to a bucket seems a bit excessive or maybe I am just tight  :LolLolLolLol:
Title: Re: Oxalic Acid?
Post by: Wayne Ryder on February 02, 2007, 01:17 PM
The thread on VBMX is pretty long now and there's some impressive results. How quickly the rust comes back again isn't mentioned, or how to stop it from doing so. The metal or chrome should be no more or less prone to rust than before in theory, but is it in reality?
There's some rust on my Basher frame that looks like more of a spot-job than a full dip, so I'm wondering if I could do something I saw on some rennovation TV show a few years back.
The presenter covered an old table leg in paint stripper, then put cotton-wool wadding & clingfilm over the top so it couldn't evaporate & the paint/varnish couldn't dry. Left it overnight, and peeled the lot of in more or less one piece. Miraculous.
Assuming I can get wood bleach, anyone think this'd work similarly on a frame?
Title: Re: Oxalic Acid?
Post by: double chevron on February 02, 2007, 02:09 PM
Never tried for myself but definetely have to one of these days.
I asked a friend of mine who is in chemical research, he told me always to wear protection gear (gloves)
and to work outside (anyway don't breathe vapors too long as you don't feel anything
but this thing replaces the potassium in your metabolism and can cause I don't remember what... but dangerous  :crazy2:)
Title: Re: Oxalic Acid?
Post by: Del on February 02, 2007, 02:35 PM
1kilo to a bucket seems a bit excessive or maybe I am just tight  :LolLolLolLol:

Probably why mine only took 2-3hours to take the rust off!
Title: Re: Oxalic Acid?
Post by: davemac1974 on February 04, 2007, 07:37 PM
Is it right it doesn't touch decals too if you do the whole frame???
Title: Re: Oxalic Acid?
Post by: Zippy on February 04, 2007, 08:01 PM
I could use some of this stuff on some suntour spindles I've got. I'll try the local hardware store tomorrow.
Title: Re: Oxalic Acid?
Post by: Stodgy on February 05, 2007, 07:51 AM
Is it right it doesn't touch decals too if you do the whole frame???

Dave's got a point, anyone know?

 ???
Title: Re: Oxalic Acid?
Post by: dj_benice on February 05, 2007, 09:18 AM
yup it don't touch decals, anybody in the north west got owt rusty and I'll do a how to,goggles gloves and all ;o)
Title: Re: Oxalic Acid?
Post by: Coastvl on February 05, 2007, 09:26 AM
I used this goose frame as a river jumper into Salt water !!! It was pretty bad. After a few days (3) it needed a little rub (who doesn't?) and it now blings. I dont have any pics but I'll get some.
Dont put aluminium parts or frames in this stuff. You'll end up with nothin!
(http://www.radbmx.co.uk/archive/albums/v108/coastvl/bike%20bits/2006-09-12004.jpg)
Title: Re: Oxalic Acid?
Post by: Stodgy on February 05, 2007, 09:27 AM
 :daumenhoch:
Title: Re: Oxalic Acid?
Post by: Zippy on February 05, 2007, 11:36 AM
When something rusts though doesn't the chrome pit badly?

Does this stuff stop the pitting as well?
Title: Re: Oxalic Acid?
Post by: Frosty on February 05, 2007, 03:55 PM
Zippy,

If it is badly pitted you'll still have the pits but less the rust. It is vital that post this treatment the frame is also rust proofed or at the very least wd 40'd to prevent the rust re-appearing very quickly especially in the inside of tubing etc.

Paul
Title: Re: Oxalic Acid?
Post by: davemac1974 on February 05, 2007, 04:51 PM
Am I right in thinking then that this is only an option if the frame is really bad, if it leaves it vulnerable?

My Cali frame has some rust patches, but isn't too bad. Am I better using a little Autosol, and a shed load of elbow grease?
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