Acids, potions and Pills

[033614]

Have read with interest the thread on Muratic acid, presumably it dissolves aluminium but not steel. I thought I would share another couple of acids.
Boric acid solution is excellent at removing rust from steel. EDTA or ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid is great for removing the crud that builds up on the plates of lead acid batteries which prevents them from taking a charge. I've used it on several "dead" batteries from old tractors, I mix about 1 ounce with 1/4 pint of distilled water and put 10ccs in each cell (sorry about the mix of units but that's what I use), put the battery on charge for a couple of weeks. I've started using one of the desulfator electronic gadgets and the results are impressive, 3 out of 4 are now useable. Some people drain the acid completely, wash out with tap water, add a solution of EDTA and leave for 2 weeks, the swill out with distilled water, refill with new battery acid, apparently with good results. Now I'm asking for some more "good" acids, pills and potions you may know of. Specifically I want something to coat the bed and chuck of my lathe and Bridgeport to stop them rusting. Oil is fine for a while,though can be messy, but in my damp workshop water eventually finds it's way under/through the oil and rusts up the bed. The trouble is I don't use them very often and even covered over they still rust. Such stuff would also be useful for keeping milling cutters from rusting.

 

[Scooby074]

Coating a mill?

Either Boeshied (designed by boeing) or LPS 2 (light duty) or LPS3 (heavy duty long term)

Another option would be Fluid Film, but id recommend the others first.

Not sure about european availability on any of these products though

 

[Mike120]

I certainly agree with Boeshield T-9. If you can't find it anyplace else you can always get it on ebay.co.uk

 

[Egon]

Do a google on rust prevention and you may get some ideas on different ways.

I've used a dairy milk line cleaner that contains phosphoric acid to help in neutralizing rust. Could not find a local source of straight Phosphoric acid.

 

[Cami]

Hmmm...potions...Sorry, no acid ideas... I've heard of plenty, but have only tried a couple myself:

To halt rust, I used paste wax on saw tables.

ATF as a flushing oil for engines: Add a litre of ATF to the engine oil and run it easy for a couple hours before changing. It was suggested by a mechanic friend who said that the detergents in ATF are very effective and it'll clean out crud. I tried it on an old engine with a sticky governor and it did the trick.

Two thoughts about your problem: Can you heat your shop just enough to get it above the dew point? How about hanging a bathroom/infrared bulb over the machine when you're not using it? That would warm your chuck/ways a bit regardless of how cold your shop is.

 

[newbury]

Hmmm...potions...Sorry, no acid ideas... I've heard of plenty, but have only tried a couple myself:

To halt rust, I used paste wax on saw tables.

ATF as a flushing oil for engines: Add a litre of ATF to the engine oil and run it easy for a couple hours before changing. It was suggested by a mechanic friend who said that the detergents in ATF are very effective and it'll clean out crud. I tried it on an old engine with a sticky governor and it did the trick.

Two thoughts about your problem: Can you heat your shop just enough to get it above the dew point? How about hanging a bathroom/infrared bulb over the machine when you're not using it? That would warm your chuck/ways a bit regardless of how cold your shop is.

Remember to be REAL careful "cleaning out old engines". I've seen one, run for decades on non-detergent oil, which when cleaned out the pistons were loose as a goose because the buildup on the rings was gone.

 

[Wis Bang]

Have read with interest the thread on Muratic acid, presumably it dissolves aluminium but not steel. I thought I would share another couple of acids.

Muriatic acid is a diluted form of Hydrochloric acid. While it did eat the aluminum before it attacked the steel engine block, it will eat steel.

Hydrochloric is transported in rubber lined mild steel tank trailers -or- FRP [fiber reinforced plastic]. The entire interior of the trailer, including the plumbing and valves is lined to prevent the HCL from eating it's way thru. Small pinholes squirting acid usually told us that the tanker lining had failed; otherwise you find out when the tank breaks in half while going down the highway which has made the newer FRP trailers popular.

Actually Caustic Soda [sodium hydroxide] which is an alkyline base disolves aluminum without eating steel and would have been safer for the engine block except it could cause more severe skin burns compared to the Muriatic.

Hydrofluric acid = aluminum brightener

Phosphoric acid = active ingredient in Naval Jelly, it removes rust well; it is also an ingreedient in most soda pops...I guess it keeps your pipes from rusting.

Make sure you understand all the properties of any corrosive liquid you consider using; always use the recomended Personal Protective Equipment.