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Acid Dipping in Scotland


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Damn that’s spendy. I won’t be able to work out exactly how much I’ll need until I build I build a box just bigger than the block and line it with something suitable.

I imagine it will take a good deal more than 25 litres though, so I’d be cheaper driving somewhere and having it done.. Hmmm

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Phosphoric acid is pretty weak by all account, and afterwards you can fertilise the garden with it. 

https://www.ecochem.co.nz/phosphoric-acid-85/#:~:text=Rust Removal%3A Use Phosphoric Acid,for days with periodic agitation.

This says 5:1, but is talking about treating for only 5-20 mins, if you are planning to soak for days then a weaker mixture will be fine. 

The nice thing about this and citric acid is it won't eat the iron, just the rust. 

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On 7/8/2024 at 9:46 PM, need4speed said:

How about an old wheeliebin? Would that withstand the phosphoric?

The big blue barrels or IBC conatiners would be my starting point, those are chaep & easy to find and are used to deliver almost everything from orange juice to industrial chemicals, reckon they'd easily hold a dilute solution of acid for a few days (given how acidic orange juice is phosphoric acid is probably a walk in the park!).

I've been considering similar to use as an electrolysis bath for cleaning & plating big lumps but haven't had the time to get past the vapour stage.

I've used APC Pure for various chemicals, they are (or were) on eBay and have an online shop. You might find car / truck paint suppliers would keep phosphoric acid as a consumable.

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IBCs aren't as cheap as they used to be. We used to be able to get them for free, then they started out at £30/IBC and now (down here at least) you struggle to find a reliable source for anything less than £60/IBC. Still reasonable value for what they are though.

A mate of mine in Guildford started building one out of an IBC but got distracted by numerous other projects.

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You can use caustic powder to remove the paint if any (acid wont do well on the painted areas). I use Hydrochloric acid very regularly to remove mill scale from steel for GTAW (TIG) welding. I can tell you, bare steel rusts immediately. It wont be visible in the first 12-24hrs but its started, I can usually start to see it at +24hrs. My process is to remove the dipped part, thoroughly rinse under running water and a good hand rubbing, Immediately dry with a towel, then immediately dry properly with a heat gun. I also try and hold the part with a glove or such. Finger prints are the first place to corrode.

My limited understanding of neutralising the acid with baking soda etc, is that you then have to neutralise that with water. So I figure a good rinse (not just dip in a bucket) with water is going to do the job. All my bits get sanded with a DA and if overlapping are primed with zinc rich paint. 

Phosphoric acid is essentially what rust converter is. According to the LR WSM, chassis where treated with Zinc Phosphate then painted (cant have been much zinc lol)

Good luck, and let us know how you go.

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8 hours ago, need4speed said:

I’ve dropped block off to Agra Engineering in Dundee.

They have a large ultrasonic tank which will derust/clean it before carrying out the machine work

I'm clearly too late, but Henderson Metal Cleaning in Edinburgh have a dip tank. Just on the left as you go in the door. Not sure if it would fit an engine block though...

http://www.hendersonsmetalcleaning.co.uk

 

It's a small but very friendly place. They've stripped and powder coated a lot of the parts on my landy.

 

 

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Here’s the “before” pic as I dropped it off…. Nasty. In saying that, although it looks horrible the bores are actually fantastic. Never bored and absolutely no wear ridge whatsoever

IMG_1266.thumb.jpeg.73f53e8c918c205325b2bf1cc9a0634d.jpeg

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