I use the "purple stuff" grease killer to emulsify the oil on parts and it works pretty well - I think it came from Wally World too. They have a big jug with about three gallons in it. A good spray soak with it in an old plastic bucket is a quick "first shot" before beginning any of the other treatments.

After all of the magic tricks are done - here's a tip from a restoration guy I met .....next use "Birchwood Casey" Perma Blue - Liquid Gun Blue to put a controlled corrosion coating on the surface of the hardware. It is found next to the gun cleaning supplies at many sporting goods stores - little blue three Oz bottles are common. The active ingredient of the stuff is "Selenium Dioxide" - follow the directions please. It will turn your cleaned (washed, neutral rinsed, and dried) hardware a nice shade of Black. I put a bunch of dry small parts in a zip lock with just enough of the stuff to wet every surface. Shake it out onto an old newspaper to dry. You can paint over the finished surface - or oil it with motor oil.

 
 Steve Metzger       Tucson, Arizona

Actually Caustic Soda (sodium hydroxide) is an Alkali with a high pH, opposite an acid. Think Lye. But regardless, heed Moonshadow's warning and use proper safety protection. May want to refer to the MSDS for more info.

There was a discussion on The Ford Barn about rust removal using Molasses. Haven't tried it personally but quite a few said it works great and is environmentally safe...

I have used Evapo-Rust with good results. Evapo-Rust

"The Master Cylinder"

Enjoying life at the beach in SOCAL

fascinating thread

years ago i looked at ultrasonic cleaners. most were very small and used in the jewelery trade. bigger versions were just too expensive.

small ones used peiziolectric transducers and larger ones used magnetostrictive transducers (buzzy transformers) these may be added to existing tanks but you may have to have some sort of frequency control all beyond my capabilities. years ago there was an article in HR magazine with a carb using peiziolectric technology.

re caustic soda (oven cleaner) be careful how you mix it. now i am not sure which way is correct so do some research but i think you must add it to a bucket of water if you add water to the caustic it can get pretty violent.

for not too serious rusty parts i use phosphoric acid , its in Coca cola, sometimes sold as Metal Prep.

re molasses sounds real good but i have not been able to track it down over here. is it called "strap molasses"if so is it different to any other kind??

stuey

UK

Be extremely careful when mixing caustic soda. Mix it too fast will cause a violent, exothermic reaction.

"The Master Cylinder"

Enjoying life at the beach in SOCAL

Chuck, be REAL careful with the heat idea. You have no idea how much you're speeding up the reaction, and it could be too much. Master's correct about the not an acid part. A caustic is actually the opposite of an acid. Still burns you though. Remember your high school chemistry?

Frank/Rebop

Bristol, In ( by Elkhart) 

I'm pretty sure that I slept through Chemistry. Don't remember though. I was talking about heat with the solvent in the parts washer not with anything else. I know there are ultrasonic tanks out there big enough for car parts like in Jay Leno's garage (car palace). But they are very expensive. I am certainly no rocket scientest so that is why I've been looking for someone that can work out the details for adding ultrasonic to an existing tank. I would think if it could be done reasonably an adapter kit could be marketed to the home garage folks. Maybe even the regular garages. Chuck

Y's guys rule!
Looking for McCullouch VS57 brackets and parts. Also looking for 28 Chrysler series 72 parts. And early Hemi parts.

MoonShadow, 292 w/McCulloch, 28 Chrysler Roadster, 354 Hemi)
Manchester, New Hampshire

You reminded me of high school auto shop and the heavy duty "Parts Cleaner". Don't know what the solvent was in it but it was heated and got parts REAL clean. Thinking back they would never allow a bunch of teenagers these days anywhere near it.

Anyway, one of the guys put an aluminum head (Fiat I think) in it and left it in over the weekend. Destroyed the head. With all the craters eaten out of it there was know way you could mill the head enough to get it flat. Even all the valve seats fell out. Shop teacher was PO'd.

"The Master Cylinder"

Enjoying life at the beach in SOCAL

We did that with a VW engine case and a 50 gallon drum of ZEP (RIP EPA). We had it soaking during the afternoon but forgot to take it out before leaving. The next morning it had holes through the thin parts of the case. GREAT parts cleaner but real nasty stuff for the ecology. Chuck

Y's guys rule!
Looking for McCullouch VS57 brackets and parts. Also looking for 28 Chrysler series 72 parts. And early Hemi parts.

MoonShadow, 292 w/McCulloch, 28 Chrysler Roadster, 354 Hemi)
Manchester, New Hampshire

Rust removal can be SAFE and CHEAP and CLEAN. Do a youtube search of rust removal using electrolysis and watch a few videos. Just remember do not use stainless steel for the sacrificial anode as that will produce TOXIC FUMES.

This flat out works and gets behind panels and inside blocks and otherwise inaccessible parts. Check it out. Pete

Mark,I noted the same thing about CLR.

I have used the vibratory for years for small parts; key is the right media and everything dry and no grease or oil beforehand.
I prefer to de-rust electrolytically, especially for valuable or machined parts, but it can be kind of slow, needs monitoring and takes a good filtered DC power supply. Also you must do it outside as the process emits hydrogen, but it removes only "rust". Lots of references to this on the internet; I first used a article about this in the Model T club magazine circa 1990.
WLJ