Evapo-rust

[olyinaz]

Several of us here have lauded this product before, but I wanted to show you what it can do on something I just happened to be working on today. I purchased a floor model drill press off of Craigslist (always wanted one and now I have a place to put one, so...) that came with a press vice (good news) that was rusted solid in place on the press table (bad news). The bolts broke free easily and I banged it off the table where it left behind a pile of crumbly rust. The unit was rusted solid shut and every single surface that you can see that was not blue powder coated (excepting the side tilt plates which are aluminum) was coated with solid red or brown rust. The bottom was so thick with it that the unit would not sit plum flat and the vise jaws were rough and thick with it as well. Every bolt and washer, the crank, you get the picture - it was a mess and a wire brush or wire wheel was going to be a dirty PITA and leave behind a rough layer of burnished brown patina to boot.

So I washed it down with degreaser and after it dried off I dropped it in a 5 gallon bucket that I then filled Evapo-rust over the top of the unit. I let it sit for several hours and then I broke it down and left the parts in the bucket overnight. The result is what you see here. All I did was take it out of the bucket, brush off the parts under rinse water, set it outside to dry (blast items dry with an air hose if you live somewhere humid), and reassembled/oiled it. I've done this with many other items in the past. For example, I got some Romanian milsurp magazines that were rusted solidly immobile that I overnighted in this stuff, disassembled and brushed out with rinse water, and I use them today in my PSL rifle without issue. I kid you not, even pitted and looking like complete ¢rap they work just fine.

The great thing about Evapo-rust is that it does not involve acids etc. that will harm the good steel or iron. You can leave it in the solution overnight and it will not rust or corrode the good bits after it works on the oxides - it's only interested in the oxides and it prevents rust while something is immersed in it.

Joe, you'd asked about sewing machine parts a while back. Frankly, this stuff would be the cat's meow for de-rusting old sewing machines. An old rusty action? Yeah, been there - done that.



YMMV but I really like this stuff! If you find out that it's highly toxic and makes yer swingers shrivel up and your manhood fall off PLEASE DON'T TELL ME!! It's too late - I'd rather not know what fate awaits me.

[AJMD429]

Where to you get that stuff...?

[Mescalero]

Oly,
Is that a granite surface plate?

[olyinaz]

Where to you get that stuff...?

Some auto parts stores carry it, but I've resorted to Amazon or eBay to get it mail order. My local Ace Hardware man said he'd stock it after seeing my results.

[olyinaz]

Oly,
Is that a granite surface plate?

That's my countertop! Obviously the wife was not around.

[765x53]

Where to you get that stuff...?

I got mine at Harbor Freight.

[KWK]

I found it at the local AutoZone. It cleaned up some rusty hinges nicely.

[guido4198]

Both Auto-Zone and Advanced Auto Parts carry it here in Sea-Bass, FL.
Based on this thread...I got some of this product and tried it on a VERY rusty shotgun bbl that had been given to me from a junk metal bucket, stored outside, behind Old West Guns in Kearney, NE. If I hadn't seen it work with my own eyes..I wouldn't have believed the results of just a few hours soaking.

[FWiedner]

Both Auto-Zone and Advanced Auto Parts carry it here in Sea-Bass, FL.
Based on this thread...I got some of this product and tried it on a VERY rusty shotgun bbl that had been given to me from a junk metal bucket, stored outside, behind Old West Guns in Kearney, NE. If I hadn't seen it work with my own eyes..I wouldn't have believed the results of just a few hours soaking.

I'd kinda like to see your results.

[92&94]

Sounds like a great way to strip bluing before refinishing too.

[guido4198]

FWiedner...Here ya go. Unfortunately, I was in too big of a hurry to snap any before pics, but imagine a steel shotgun bbl stored outside in the weather, an overall bright ORANGE in color.




Pretty much takes it down to bare metal. Now some polishing and a little cold blue and my new 19" bbl is ready to go on my Rem. M-11.

[Gregor]

Over in the shop smith forum they like Evapo- Rust also. A member soaked a drill chuck that looked like it was retrieved from the bottom of the ocean, it cleaned up as new. It does seem to etch the metal into to a matte gray color. Good Stuff.

[Sixgun]

As I'm always restoring one thing or another, I need to invest in that stuff. Just read up on it and it says is eco-friendly and can actually pour it down the drain after its "all used up", as it can be used over and over until it turns black. I go through a lot of PB Blaster.

I noticed one thing and that it appears that its not the thing to use on guns or gun parts as it evaporates bluing by the pics of guido4198's barrel. The color of the metal looks the same as it does after using Naval Jelly or phosphoric acid, (which is an ingredient of Naval jelly) that gray color.

I'd like to see what it does on deeply pitted metal as the only cure I've ever seen for that is a sand blaster.-------------------Sixgun

[olyinaz]

As I'm always restoring one thing or another, I need to invest in that stuff. Just read up on it and it says is eco-friendly and can actually pour it down the drain after its "all used up", as it can be used over and over until it turns black. I go through a lot of PB Blaster.

I noticed one thing and that it appears that its not the thing to use on guns or gun parts as it evaporates bluing by the pics of guido4198's barrel. The color of the metal looks the same as it does after using Naval Jelly or phosphoric acid, (which is an ingredient of Naval jelly) that gray color.

I'd like to see what it does on deeply pitted metal as the only cure I've ever seen for that is a sand blaster.-------------------Sixgun

It surely DOES take off blueing as most blueing is an oxide and that's what Evapo-Rust is after. And regarding pits it will dissolve the rust all the way into the pits down to bare metal, but you'll have to brush & rinse away the altered rust (think tooth brush) to get the pits cleared out.

I'm not sure if it "etches" iron and steel to that gray look or if that's actually a deposit placed on the metal in the process. What I've noticed is that it burnishes out very nicely with steel wool, but some of that gray color remains and it can be a nice look depending on the work in progress (think of a Ruger Super Redhawk in the gray finish). I've also noticed that parts soaked overnight in Evapo-Rust take to cold blue like a SPONGE if you just rinse them off in water and plunge into the cold blueing solution. I favor Brownell's Oxpho Blue for cold blue work, and I've had items come out nearly pitch black after Cleaning with Evapo-Rust and then dropping in the Oxpho. It's pretty amazing.

But at any rate, some top restorers swear by Evapo-Rust so give it a shot on your next rust bucket item - you may be amazed.

[Sixgun]

Thanks Oly. I have another question concerning the use of that product. You say you "soaked the parts in a bucket".

I am getting ready to restore a 1920's glider. These are outdoor "couches" that you sit on and they rock back and forth. Its in great shape with only medium rust in some spots and I was going to sandblast the rusty areas. I hate to sandblast big jobs as its a major operation suiting up etc, etc.

Do you think I could wipe this stuff on and let it sit or keep wiping it on every half hour or so and still get the same results as you did? It would be a little tough finding a bucket about 10 feet long and 4 feet deep. --------------------Sixgun

[olyinaz]

Thanks Oly. I have another question concerning the use of that product. You say you "soaked the parts in a bucket".

I am getting ready to restore a 1920's glider. These are outdoor "couches" that you sit on and they rock back and forth. Its in great shape with only medium rust in some spots and I was going to sandblast the rusty areas. I hate to sandblast big jobs as its a major operation suiting up etc, etc.

Do you think I could wipe this stuff on and let it sit or keep wiping it on every half hour or so and still get the same results as you did? It would be a little tough finding a bucket about 10 feet long and 4 feet deep. --------------------Sixgun

I honestly don't think it would work well or at all that way, it seems to need immersion to function properly. Would it be possible to disassemble the glider and bag the items, then pour the solution into the bag such that they are covered? Trying to think out of the box here...

[Sixgun]

Thanks Oly.......Ahhhhh........I'll just sandblast it. But I am going to get it for smaller jobs.------------6

[guido4198]

For items you can't immerse, you can try the following: cover the item with paper towels soaked in evapo-rust, then wrap tightly with plastic wrap to hold everything together, and prevent the solution from drying out overnight.

[Blaine]

Oly,
Is that a granite surface plate?

That's my countertop! Obviously the wife was not around.

You are one brave EsOhBee I would have melted a hole it it, with my luck....

[olyinaz]

Oly,
Is that a granite surface plate?

That's my countertop! Obviously the wife was not around.

You are one brave EsOhBee I would have melted a hole it it, with my luck....

It's a very nice counter. I shouldn't take it for granite.

[Blaine]

Oly,
Is that a granite surface plate?

That's my countertop! Obviously the wife was not around.

You are one brave EsOhBee I would have melted a hole it it, with my luck....

It's a very nice counter. I shouldn't take it for granite.

Basalt with a deadly weapon....