Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Block (rusty)

Are you sick of rust removal? I certainly am. In fact I'm taking a bit of a break, and as everything is set up to make woodworking a bit on the tricky side just at the minute, I can't even do that instead. I could post pics of the ridiculous number of tools, but really, you must be sick of that too and might start throwing things. So, um... bear with me. Maybe come back in April if you're looking for woodworking. At the very least I'll have some handles to make...

Random factoid for you; W L Goodman's History of Woodworking Tools references André Roubo a mere three times - not one of them in the chapter on workbenches.

Well it amused me anyway.

2 comments:

  1. I don't know why W L Goodman is so obsessed with Roubo. :@)

    ReplyDelete
  2. So,
    about the rust removal...
    here's my two cents (pence):
    I had been reading about a rust removal product on different forums here in The Colonies (yeah, I'm a Yank) and kept coming across a product called "Evapo-Rust". I was intrigued because I hate naval jelly, and like you was a little intimidated by electrolysis. So I bought a quart and tried it out. It claims to remove rust by selective chelation binding the iron oxide (rust) in solution. The important parts of the claims are that it stops rust even in crevices and pits, and that it will not harm other non-iron parts which cannot be removed from the object being treated.
    I had an old backsaw plate which wasnt particularly valuable, but could still be used, and an old iron spanner both of which had difficult rust. I hate wire wheels and mineral spirits with 0000 steel wool wasn't cutting it. I put both items in the solution for a couple of hours, took them out and rinsed them with water and was amazed. The rust was completely gone, I didn't have to wear a haz-mat suit to use it and a few second with a scotch-brite pad and light oil left the tools in great shape. The only downside is that, if left in too long, the iron may take on a grey cast. I am going to experiment with different amounts of time in solution to see if I can mitigate the greying.

    Good luck with the tool rehab!

    Brent

    ReplyDelete

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