Fender rust removal

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Wolfman
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Fender rust removal

Post by Wolfman »

I want to de rust these fenders before fitting. I have been looking into media blasting the inside and then protecting with some sort of paint, but cannot find anyone within my area to do it. I have used POR 15 metal prep with good results too but it is a big area too wire wheel off before doing it. Has anyone got any idea's what have you done? here is a picture to show my dilema. :-k
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Dave999
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Re: Fender rust removal

Post by Dave999 »

this might seem like madness but depends on how much time you have to experiment and get it right... the results can be great.

do you have access to a big none metal tank some rebar and a battery charger or school laboratory power supply (adjustable)?

kids paddling pool springs to mind and an industrial sized sack of washing soda.

suggest you pump it out down the drain when done, otherwise it will kill the grass.

do this out doors and don't smoke, hydrogen gas can be a bit exciting when flames and sparks are around... think hindenberg. well think of the precaustions you would take when chareging a car battery...... that more like it.

electrolysis in a water/washing soda bath will bring most if not all of that off provided the surface isn't greasy.

you want your part lifted off the floor of the container and the part you want to de rust. submerged. you can do this is sections

the rust is removed faster in areas closest to the rebar so moving it around or building a ring around the item works best

https://www.familyhandyman.com/project/ ... ctrolysis/

the part is always connected to the negative with a jump lead or some such, and the positive is connected to the rebar, the steel or iron annode in the set up.

if you had to use a steel bath
make sure its not galvanised

+ to the bath
- to the wing
and make sure the wing does not touch the bath, stand the wing on plastic boxes so it doesn't touch the steel bath


the other option is:-

Phosphoric acid solution.
gloves and eyes...!!

but buying any chemical in quantity as a private individual can be a bit of a bind.... they think drugs, violent thug or terrorist. expect to have to prove you are who you say you are.....

https://www.azureliquidsolutions.co.uk/ ... rfaces-5l/

you could probably wash this on with the wing standing in a tray
use a hand held spray pump, like the one bathroom cleaner comes in.... keep wetting it down and scrrubbing with a brush
as i say gloves and eye protection needed, and potentially a pinny so you don't end up with extra holes down the front of your shirt.

its not HCL or h2SO4 bad... as in STRONG acid, but its still an acid (used in diluted form in Coke..!!! only the real thing)

pour the run off into a can and use it again to Bananarama! on.
keeping your work area wetted for 15 minutes should see results and your rust remover turning orange.

that way you don't need to buy enough for total submersion

used it on rusty bits of steering box and a load of nuts n bolts and worked well.

id suggest dogs cats wildlife and children should be kept out of the way away in both cases and ventilation is key...

other option is to mix in some polycell wallpaper paste and smear your acidc cocktail on as a gell, cover the wing in cling film once you have slimed it, and come back tomorrow and hose it off
might take more than one application becasue although polycell is a wetting agent the gloop doesn't migrate as well into all nooks and crannies.

oxaclic acid could be used instead of phosphoric if its cheaper, just takes abit longer


HCL (spirit of salts) is dangerouse, will take the rust off in minutes, expect white fumes. trouble is by the time you have neutralised it and washed the part down it has flash rusted before your eyes. and you get a problem linked to surface embrittlement so don't use on the bolts that hold anything vital on to the car.
best avoided... but sold in Robert Dyas, handy if nothing else will do.. gets oil/ blood stains off block paving and removes skin, really hurts if you get a hole in your glove, and makes holes in your jeans. Best used sparingly, watered down 50:50 to clean out rusty motor bike fuel tanks that you can then fill quickly with bicarb solution to the brim for a few days to neutralize, and then slosh round with motor/2 stroke oil. did it once it worked, probably won't do that again. the fumes were also pretty awful. and what do you do with it when your finished?? yes they aint going to take the waste at the local tip.


Dave
The Greater Knapweed near the Mugwort by the Buckthorn tree is dying
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Wolfman
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Re: Fender rust removal

Post by Wolfman »

I love the out of the box thinking you have Dave. I would love to try this If i can find a tank big enough. I do have oxacilic acid but That might be very slow as you say. :D I might try the Phosphoric acid solution I just need to find the right dilution to do the trick.
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Dave999
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Re: Fender rust removal

Post by Dave999 »

well phosphoric + polycell glue + food colouring.... so you can see where you intentionally smeared it and where you accidentally smeared it

is basically what you can buy from a well know supplier of rust removal stuff... :) :thumbright:

Dave
The Greater Knapweed near the Mugwort by the Buckthorn tree is dying
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Matt
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Re: Fender rust removal

Post by Matt »

John at MJK Blasting can blast and etch prime. Does lots of resto and race car stuff. helpful. Not expensive.


http://www.facebook.com/mjkblasting

RH6 0EB near Gatwick.
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Stu
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Re: Fender rust removal

Post by Stu »

Dave, I often imagine your workshop to look something like this… :lol: :D

Brilliant, though. :read2:
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24 hours in a day, 24 beers in a case. Coincidence? I think not…

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Pete
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Re: Fender rust removal

Post by Pete »

Well, they certainly look like my feet!
Pete Wiseman; Cambridge.

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Stu
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Re: Fender rust removal

Post by Stu »

:lol:
24 hours in a day, 24 beers in a case. Coincidence? I think not…

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Dave999
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Re: Fender rust removal

Post by Dave999 »

Stu wrote: Tue Jan 24, 23 12:19 pm Dave, I often imagine your workshop to look something like this… :lol: :D

Brilliant, though. :read2:
everything the same, apart from a decent light.... :)
The Greater Knapweed near the Mugwort by the Buckthorn tree is dying
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Wolfman
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Re: Fender rust removal

Post by Wolfman »

Dave999 wrote: Wed Jan 25, 23 1:25 pm
Stu wrote: Tue Jan 24, 23 12:19 pm Dave, I often imagine your workshop to look something like this… :lol: :D

Brilliant, though. :read2:
everything the same, apart from a decent light.... :)
I suspected as much :lol: anyway I will experiment(pardon the pun) with phosphoric acid for now and some Norton blaze strip disc which I have found pretty good too.
lemans-tom
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Re: Fender rust removal

Post by lemans-tom »

POR metal prep is mostly phosphoric acid as is Jenolite
Matt74
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Re: Fender rust removal

Post by Matt74 »

You've probably de-rusted these by now but I used to get phosphoric acid for free from work but I found it would foam up when rinsed off and also leave a chalky residue if left to dry.
Disposal could be a potential problem.

I switched to citric acid as it's cheap, safer as far as I know and makes less mess although I haven't used it on anything as large as a fender. It can take several days if the rust is heavy!

I found some 3m conditioning pads on an angle grinder very good at removing rust without thinning the panel.
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