[TheForge] Chemical Questions ?

[Barking Crow]

Dave,

Although the electrolytic rust removal sounds like the best method to get
rid of your rust, you might want to try phosphoric acid as an easier or stop
gap method.  I'd scrub the panels laid horizontal with hot soapy water and a
light duty wire brush or heavy duty scrub brush to get off the loose rust
and chlorine and then paint on the green phosphoric acid like is sold at
Home Depot for about $13 a gallon and scub it around and let sit for and
hour or so and then rinse it off and dry the panels.  You can leave it
overnight and paint right over it if you plan to paint the panels.  The hour
or so method will impart a dull grey finish to the steel/iron which resists
rust rather well for awhile or is a good pre-primer in my experience.  I
pour the excess over my anvils, swage block, steel tables etc as most of my
stuff sits out in the weather, and it provides rust resistance.

Jeff Valentine

Barking Crow
http://www.barkingcrow.com
mail@barkingcrow.com