Electronic rust removal

[toallmy]

I have volunteered to help a older gentleman get several older guns cleaned up and serviceable again or at least stop the damage from worsening , after years of being neglected , not mistreated . The barrels on the out side are severely rusted from being handled years ago , and have not seen a oil rag for many years . The rust is quite thick and there is pitting , so the oil and steal wool will not get it all out and will completely remove what blue is left . Several are older pump and break actions so removing the barrel would be easy . I have been researching and think this may be a way to possibly do this without ruining what finish is left . The way I understand this is - it can be done with a battery charger , washing soda and old rebar in a water tank , that seams way to ease . So does it really work ? I have plenty of rusty old junk I can try it out on before attempts on important stuff . And I usually destroy a battery charger every year around salt water so I don't mind to much . If anyone can point me in the right direction it would be appreciated .

[Fishoot]

Here is a link to rust removal by electrolysis: http://antique-engines.com/electrol.asp
This method works very well. There is lots of stuff on youtube also. I made mine with a 5 gallon bucket. I used pvc with 1/2" risers made into a square arrangement with 90 degree L's at the corners so it fit the bottom of the bucket. Use clean rebar, it works better. I wire brush the rust off the rebar after 24 hours to make it work better. Clean rods seem to work better. However, it removes all rust, including bluing.

[seppos]

I found an old axe blade from the forrest with my metal detector. It must have been dropped there as almost brand new. I used diluted battery acid and car battery recharger and it worked grate. My plan was to make first axe to my son from it.. Model dates back before the second world war.
Must have been in the ground since then..
I will post a pic later on about the axe.

S

[toallmy]

Ahhh removes all rust including bluing -from yesterday to today that had slipped my mind , this will be a problem , although I am going to try it on some scrap any way it could be very useful around the shop . Well I have always wanted to try bluing but the chemical mix and heating tanks have stopped me , I may sacrifice a old shotgun I had picked up years ago with the thought of trying my hand at bluing . This could get complicated . Well I better get some penetrating oil on all of them as soon as possible to slow the damage already occurring .

[imashooter2]

It really works. I've used it many times. Blueing will be completely removed, but it sounds like the guns need to be refinished anyway.

[imashooter2]

http://schoepp.hylands.net/electrolyticrust.html

A quick and easy set up I have used several times:





Results:

[dragon813gt]

The bluing is going to be removed regardless because it is rust. Evaporust works very well and neutralizes the rust in the process. I know this is about electrolysis. But going to the auto parts store to purchase Evaporust is quicker and easier.

[Bob in St. Louis]

I work with a couple fellas who are avid collectors of cast iron cookware. On a regular basis, they toss some of the nastiest looking cast iron in the "E-Tank" for a couple days and come out looking brand new. They did one of my skillets for me and it was perfect. Just remember to treat it ASAP, otherwise it'll start rusting almost immediately.

[toallmy]

I did some reading yesterday afternoon and came up with kroil , balisto , and evaporated-rust , but I would like to get the deep pitted rust completely out and put a end to further damage . I have never had problem that a little scrubbing with a oil rag wouldn't clean up , but this is getting in to the out side , of the barrels to deep to scrub out with a scrubbing pad and oil . All the actions are not bad and easily cleaned up but the last foot or so of the barrels are pretty rusty . It looks as if they were picked up by the barrel and moved around over the years and never got the oil rag wipe down . My bluing experience is almost non existent in my youth as a school project I striped a little bolt action Winchester 22 and with a cold bluing kit refinished it , and a couple years ago again with cold blue refinished a Remington model 58 . So you see I have no hot bluing experience . So the truth of the matter is any method that removes the rust removes the bluing as well . This could get more complicated , or turn into a learning experience . As I mentioned earlier I have always wanted to do some hot bluing .

[Artful]

Now for something completely different

[Bob in St. Louis]

I talked to the wife about buying one of those, but she doesn't feel it's worth the price.

[toallmy]

Artful I could see where that could come in very handy . I work around salt water and rust on machinery is the unnecessary death of a lot of equipment .

[Moleman-]

I've used this process on a lot of the parts off of my wifes 1966 IHC pickup. It works wonders with very little effort. Big parts are no problem as long as they can be submerged or kept covered in liquid like from a pond pump. I mostly use a manual type battery charger, but have also used small power supplies like cell phone chargers and batteries. I like that it cleans to the bottom of the pits and doesn't effect undamaged steel like acids can. I use washing soda and water, and as others have said you have to "oil" (wd40) the parts right away or you'll get flash rusting once you take them out. I also have used Evaporust, works well for small parts but can get expensive for larger parts.

[seppos]

Heh.. yes oil is important
Evidently i forget it when I cleaned the axe blade last summer.

Still.. it is minor compared to the original rust developed during about 80 years in the ground.

S

[calaloo]

toallmy

Check out rust blueing. Fairly easy to do with minimal equipment and investment.

[toallmy]

I have always had a fear of exploding hot blue tanks , that is the part that has stopped me in the past . But the rust blue seams to be much safer , and I have some time on my hands for the next couple months . First things first I am going to get as much rust as possible completely cleaned up and saturated with oil . There are a couple double barrels as well and I don't want to do anything with chemicals that could damage the guns .

[toallmy]

To stop further damage from occurring quickly , I am going to boil the barrels in water , and then oil and buff to convert red to black rust . I thank everyone for the informative help ,Sometimes I get lost in the archives for days . As far as electronic rust removal , I am definitely going to set up a 50 gal drum at the shop to do some spring cleaning . And rust blue is definitely going to be tried .

[imashooter2]

Make sure that drum is plastic. Steel will become an anode and have holes in it in short order.

[Jtarm]

Oil em up thoroughly after removing from the tank and drying. The steel will basically be in the white and rust again in short order.

[lightload]

You may need to hook the charger up to an old battery and then run your wires from the battery. Many chargers have a cut off feature which kicks in if the charger interprets that its connected being connected to "something" that has received a full charge.