Have a coke

[david12171951]

Ok speaking of rust. I have seven 4 x 4 11 gauge metal post that have rusted mildly. They are vertical and stand about 12 foot tall and can access all 4 sides safely. Now how can i remove the rust with out me climbing a ladder. Being partially disabled is the reason for no climbing. I would like to do it with chemicals or such. Do have fresh water available, also can borrow a high presure washer if I just have too. ( hate to borrow tools!!!) Help please, yes it is hotter then Hades here in South East Texas also. Thanks David.

 

[irvingj]

Have you considered some of the paint-on coatings such as "Naval Jelly"?

They're supposed to take any FeO2 and chemically change it into a permanent non-rusting coating. I tried it once on a large, old, rusted framing square, and it seemed to work well. Numbers were even still clearly legible.

All that's required is to remove any loose scale/surface rust beforehand; a thin coating of rust left intact is actually desirable.

A ladder may still be necessary... but it's an easy application that a "volunteer" could handle....

 

[Bird]

It's been about 30 years since I used any naval jelly, but it worked well. I found an old rusty 10 gallon milk can half buried in the mud on a cousin's property. He didn't want it, so I used naval jelly, then painted inside and out and made an umbrella stand of it. When I retired and we went to full time RVing, my wife gave it to her best friend who lived 2 doors south of us. She still has it just inside her front door.

 

[irvingj]

...And remember, that's NAVAL Jelly, not NAVEL jelly!!:laughing::laughing:

Oops. Couldn't resist!

Can you tell school's started and I'm swarmed with middle schoolers all day?:laughing:

 

[txdon]

Another use for Coke is on tires. We used to use it on inspection day at the fire station on the fire trucks. It made the tires black and shinny like Armorall does.

 

[Short Game]

I'm picturing Tony Stewart putting Coke on his tires and drinking his Armorall.

 

[Mace Canute]

Coke cancels battery acid too, just in case you have one to blow up. It can stop acid from eating your clothes and shoes..

Coca Cola is acidic. It would have to be a base to neutralize Sulfuric acid. If anything, it's diluting the battery acid but in a pinch, diluting it with anything that isn't in itself harmful is much much better than leaving it full strength.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

Coca Cola is acidic. It would have to be a base to neutralize Sulfuric acid. If anything, it's diluting the battery acid but in a pinch, diluting it with anything that isn't in itself harmful is much much better than leaving it full strength.

You have to get pretty deep into chemistry to get that an acid is relative to what environment it's in. Some weak acids will actually neutralize other stronger acids. How a complex acid behaves isn't dependant on what a litmus paper tells you. I think one of the the acids that is in Coke is actually carbonic acid. It's the acid equivalent to carbonate which is the active component in sodium carbonate, otherwise known as baking soda.

Coke will likey neutralize an alkaline as well as an acid.

 

[bindian]

You have to get pretty deep into chemistry to get that an acid is relative to what environment it's in. Some weak acids will actually neutralize other stronger acids. How a complex acid behaves isn't dependant on what a litmus paper tells you. I think one of the the acids that is in Coke is actually carbonic acid. It's the acid equivalent to carbonate which is the active component in sodium carbonate, otherwise known as baking soda.

Coke will likey neutralize an alkaline as well as an acid.

That is why I like to use Coke over baking soda on my battery terminals. The coke can seep in between the post and terminal and neutralize corrosion. Then rinse away the coke with water.
hugs, Brandi

 

[david12171951]

Now I thought of the naval Jelly but for 7 24ft. posts like I have it would take a 5 gallon bucket of it probably, well 2 or 3 gallons. This would be kind of cost prohibative. Some one mentioned a solution of Muratic acid and using cheap 4 inch paint rollers to apply, then wait and rinse thouroughly. The use same type rollers to paint post. Just still did notknow ration of water to acid. Any thoughts along this line?? Dave. P.S> do understand that coplete slicker suit would be needed with full face shield and so n about the safety stuff involved.