Using citric acid to remove rust vs Evaporust

DavidR8 said:
For that I’d get a maroon Scotchbrite belt for a 3x21 belt sander.
It would make quick work of it.
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I'd prefer to use something gentler, even though a Scotch Brite pad is pretty gentle. The Evaporust works really well; you just soak it, then lightly scrub off the residue and rinse it. I just want to find something cheaper for big items. Seem the CA is a way to go, but I'm not sure how bad it etches the metal. People talk about leaving parts in the CA for 22 hours. I just need to get to Target and get a small bottle of CS and try it on some smaller parts.
 
ARC-170 said:
Citric acid is $3.50 for for 7.5 oz at Target (not exactly a small, local company, I realize...). That's about 45 teaspoons. I was told to mix about 1 tsp per gallon, so I'd get 45 gallons, which is about $0.08 per gallon.
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15 table spoons in 7.5 ounces. So I'd get 15 gallons of solution from a 7.5 oz bottle. That's about a quarter (25 cents) a gallon.
 
mikey said:
I used WD-40 and the Maroon Scotchbrite and it took the rust off easily, no kidding.
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I have more oddball penetrants laying around than WD-40. They need used for something, they don't work well as penetrants.
 
Jonno_G said:
I've used citric acid plenty of times, and it does a great job. It's dirt cheap too, which helps.

I don't know how it goes with a finely finished surface such as the post of a drill press though, as I haven't tried anything quite like that yet.

I've always used it at much higher concentrations than one teaspoon per gallon of water though. More like one tablespoon per gallon, or even stronger.

I've also left stuff in there for several days at a time, too, with no significant ill effects.

Cheers,... Jon.

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See post #23. I made a correction. I think a TABLE spoon was what I was told, not a TEA spoon.

I wouldn't say the drill press column is "finely polished", but it certainly is smooth. I'll have to try the CA on something and see if it etches the metal.
 
ARC-170 said:
... I think a TABLE spoon was what I was told, not a TEA spoon...
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Yep, that sounds more likely.

I don't even bother to measure, I just fill my tub to cover whatever parts I'm cleaning, plus a bit to account for evaporation, then I scoop a big handful, or 'whatever scooping device I have to hand'-full and mix it into the water in the tub. Sometimes it could be as strong as 1/4 cup to the gallon, and I haven't seen any negative effects so far. (Touch wood.)

Sometime soon I'm going to experiment with agitation of the solution to see if it makes it work any faster.

Cheers,... Jon.



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Tractor Supply sells Evaporust for $22/gallon. Walmart shows a 3.5 gallon pail for $57.

I have a 4 gallons that I've been using for several years....still works great. I just let it settle after use and carefully pour it back into the jugs, stopping before the nasty stuff. I've probably "lost" a quart doing that over time.
 
With the Evaporust, I Pre-clean the part (remove oils grease and loose junk) and find that warmer temperatures seem helpful. It is great stuff. Depending on the part, I might follow up with phosphoric acid, particularly if it's going to be painted.
 
Try the works toilet cleaner. Apply to metal. Let soak, Steel wool or scotch bright. Rinse and apply again if necessary. Use it outside and do not breath it. Al.
 
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