Found this video to be interesting. Sitting here with some rusty screws sitting in something that is working really well at about $26 for a concentrate that makes 5 gallons. I was wondering how others may compare in price and came upon this video. Seeing this, I think I have a winner!

 

Good video lite vette. I have a Harbor Freight rock tumbler that I use to clean crud off of coins I find metal detecting. I use aquarium rock from Walmart. I put rusty hardware in the drum with evaporust and run it for a few hours and the bolts, nuts and washers come out super clean

 

I want me one of those tumblers! Good idea about the aquarium rock! I was wondering (until I can get a tumbler) for maybe stuff that will fit, if I could put some of my glass bead blasting media and rust remover into a large Mason jar and shake it a bunch... Just thinking!

 

Thanks for sharing, very informative.

Adding to your OP. I use both Rust-Oleum Rust Dissolver and Evapo-Rust in gallon jugs to do 24-hour soaks on bigger parts like upper and lower A-arms, control arms, spindles, dust backing shields, etc.. I also use this same product for bolts, nuts, washers, and smal rusted, greasy, crud covered small parts too. These both work better if you can get the heavy grease, oil, and grim off the parts before you start the 24-hour soak. The price per gallon is similar.

In my limited experience, the Rust-Oleum Rust Remover works better than the Evapo-Rust product. Rust-Oleum Rust Remover also does a better job of cleaning the dissolved salts and residual parkerizing solutions off the interior and exterior of my stainless steel pots. Just pour a couple of tablespoons full of the Rust-Oleum Rust Remover into blue shop towels and wipe clean. Rust-Oleum Rust Dissolver works very well to clean up parkerizing pots too.


I have both of these products locally from Ace Hardware stores in gallon jugs. I believe Home Depot and Lowes carry it too.

 

Im 74, but don’t think if I were still young I could shake a jar that much😂. Can’t put large parts in the HF tumbler but it’s cheap and does a very good job.

 

I was wondering just how much shaking it might take. Poor mans tumbler!

 

Heres a pic of power steering pump hardware after two hours in the tumbler with evaporust:

 

I think POR15 is the sleeper of the test. It's the least expensive and did almost as well as the top remover in his testing. If shopping that's the one I'd get.

 

That’s tight work sphil! What did you do to that stuff after? Blueing? Plating? Soak in something? I’ve been studying making plating solutions for a bit, and just need to get one of those round tuits. I’m sure some nice stuff could be produced once I get a round tuit! They just seem so rare and elusive these days, between the economy and gubmint influence.

 

I’ve heard more people speak positively of it than anything else out there. I was really about to “bite the bullet” the other day and get some, then remembered something I had been given years back as a “salesman’s sample” when selling metal roofs and metal roofing restoration, It’s called “Rust Off Rust and Oxide Remover”. Looking at the online pricing, and how one bottle makes 5 gallons, I figured I may have stumbled on a budget conscious option. Heck, it was free, so what the hey. Last night, I brought it out only to find that the bottle had completely gelled up. Been sitting out there in my hot, Florida tool room for maybe 8 years. Not a drop would exit the bottle neck. I looked it up. Said add a little hot water. I heated up the faucet and let a few drops into the bottle. I then took a little clear plastic shot style cup and poured in just enough to cover some brown instrument cluster screws. Mind you this was mostly water, as this stuff is as gelled up and concentrated as it gets. Immediately upon dropping the screws in, the little bit of liquid in there started browning and the liquid started bubbling/ fizzing up. Being my first rodeo, I must have made 5 videos with my cell phone, showing side shots of that little container and those little screws effervescing. I was captivated. That was late last night. I put a cap on the little cup and before bed it popped off, all disconformed. I laid the cap back on loose and went to bed. I got up around 5 am, checked on it and found the screws had been stripped of rust, were clean and had a black, parkerized like finish. At the price per bottle, if 5 gallons really can be made from that bottle, I think the $ amount per oz or gallon may be hard to beat. Thinking I may have stumbled onto something, so wanted to share that too. .

 

Check this guy's formula:

 

This has been a really informative thread. Thank you litevette for starting it.

Thank you carriljc for the additional video link. I'm definately going to try the distilled water - citric acid - baking soda - dawn dishwashing liquid formula the next time I do some larger steel or cast iron soak parts, like lower A-arms.

I'm curious. Has anyone used that formula in the post #11 video to remove rust? Any tips or tricks you care to share?

 

That fellow did a great job of demonstrating the performance of his concoction.... it's so cheap that you can mix some up and use it on any little part you want...then just toss it. Seems to perform better than all the products sold over the counter...... so why not?

 

Don't forget "electrolysis" for large parts. Works well and is extremely inexpensive to make up gallons and gallons of the solution.

 

Mainly just cleaning the parts before reinstallation. I have some Purple Power degreaser that I will try next time to see how the hardware turns out.

 

Yes! I’ve been watching some vids on that, as well as stripping chrome that way.

 

Stripping chrome is a whole'nuther ballgame. Just to clarify, the baking soda electrolysis I've done won't harm chrome.

 

10-4, yes, the stripping is done with electrolysis, just not with baking soda. Only an electrolyte solution, if I recall correctly.

 

Guy totally lost me with is Evaporust review. That nail he used was SEVERELY rusted and could have been handled by Evaporust but the black color of the Evaporust showed that it was used up and was not enough product for that job. I have a lot of experience with Evaporust and not saying it is best...but is better rhan #6 in the test considering overall factors. Also, contrary to his point Evaporust CAN remove plating. And Krud Kutter at #3 at over $100 a gallon?? Gels? skip them all. have tried three of those and they were not very good at all. POR15 does look a bit interesting. As does the Ultimate homemade solution in that vid. Thanks for sharing both vids.

 

This is a current thread, so I will just join.

I took down my differential on my 1969. The crossmember is rusted. The outside isn’t an issue. I can wire brush it to get dirt off and then cover with evapo-rust or rustoleum. The issue is the inside.

To get inside I have to pour a product through the holes in the middle of the crossmember and let it sit. The thin homemade liquids in the video will probably not work. My assumption is a need a jelly or viscous product.

What product do you use?

an it be poured in and run down the inside to cover it?

Will flushing with a lot of water be sufficient to remove it?