[TheForge] finish problem

[Bruce Freeman]

I just went back and looked at Clyde's formula, and want to suggest a
possible modification:

Clyde's formula:
1 pt. peroxide
1 cup 5% vinegar
1/4 cup salt.

The non-chemist might not realize that combining vinegar and salt
effectively produces a dilute, but persistent, solution of muriatic
acid (=hydrochloric acid).  The organic acid will maintain the pH much
better than would a muriatic acid solution of the same (initial) pH.
Hence, vinegar + salt is a good, safe way to use muriatic acid with
little hazard.

If this is ALL the salt is doing, then I believe 1/4 cup to be much
more salt than necessary.  So if the salt causes any problems, try
using less -  like maybe a  teaspoonful.

Note, however, that salt is corrosive in its own right, so this
modification may not behave the same as Clyde's formula.

> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Peter Fels & Phoebe Palmer" <artgawk at thegrid.net>
> To: "Blacksmithing List Sponsored by ABANA" <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Tuesday, March 30, 2010 6:26 PM
> Subject: Re: [TheForge] finish problem
>
>
> I'll offer a rust testimonial here...I used Clyde's formula and it
> worked as well as his work is great.. That is to say, very.
>
> Clyde wrote:
>> I rust a lot of sculptures, some tiny, some 25 feet tall. I sold over 950
>> last year plus many that I kept for my sculpture park, gave to schools
>> etc.
>> All are rusted so I need to rust a lot of stuff fast to keep up.
>>
>>
>>
>> Peroxide alone is not good rust maker. A mixer of a pint of peroxide, a ¼
>> cup of salt and a cup of 5% acid vinegar is a good start. If the iron is
>> prepared right and the weather is warm and damp I can have a pretty
>> passable
>> rust in an hour. Overnight it looks great.
>>
>>
>>
>> You have to get the mill scale, dirt, paint, etc off. I use sandblasting
>> or
>> tumbling or a 10% solution of muriatic acid to get down to the bare metal.
>>
>>
>>
>> After spraying on the mixture I rinse the piece off with a hose, sometimes
>> after an hour, sometimes the next morning. It depends on the moisture in
>> the
>> air and temperature and the effect you want.
>>
>>
>>
>> Clyde Wynia
>>
>> http://jurustic.com
>>
>> http://flickr.com/photos/jurustic
>>
>
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-- 
Bruce
NJ