Surface Rust Removal

[Ricko1966]

If you brush on a mixture of citrus acid and water.Keep it wet and keep rags with the same mixture over it the rust will dissolve.You can buy citric acid at the grocery store for canning..Now wipe it off wire brush it neutralize it.A quick sand and epoxy primer, and no more worries it's not treated rust it's gone rust.It will rust back up quick if you don't clean it and coat it.The stuff is amazing, not electrolysis good but unbelievably good.Electrolisis is like freaking magic, but not practical in this situation. N8ce thing about Epoxy Primer is its tough as nails, designed to go under body work and/or paint, and you only mix what you need to use.No 1\2 cans that you have to throw away.

 

[Dale A]

If your bed is "water tight" point the nose of the truck downward a little. Fill the bed with vinegar full strength, just enough to cover over the metal. Let it set over night. If you have any ground or weeds to kill save the vinegar. Depending on how badly its rusted you can leave it sit longer. Anyway, after the vinegar is gone wipe out or spray out the residue with garden hose and water. Touch up the surface with your wire wheel where needed. You should fine that the rust will be a whole lot easier to clean off. I have not done a whole pickup bed but have cleaned a lot of tools such as hand saws, old pipe wrenches, crescents and pliers. Vinegar by the gallon is very inexpensive. Use the etching primer as stated in an earlier thread.

 

[C10MixMaster]

Another rust remover is molasses. Takes 10 parts water to 1 part molasses. then you submerge you parts ,tools ,whatever is rusty in it and it will dissolve all the rust, take it out hose off the sludge and then you have grey clean steel. If you have a big enough tank you can even do fenders etc. Plus molasses is edible so no toxic. The biggest downside is it is slow as molasses figure on spending a month maybe more on really rusty stuff. Be sure to coat it right away or it will flash rust.

 

[RecklessWOT]

Get you some good old fashioned naval jelly. It dissolves rust, not just a converter. You will be left with shiny bare metal when you're done. It's good because it gets down into the pitted areas too. Brush it on, let it sit for like 10-20 min if I remember correctly, then hose it off with water. When you're done, simply prime (a rust primer is still a good idea just in case you didn't get it all) then paint with your choice of coating, and you're good to go. Great for surface rust, but will just burn holes through stuff if it's rusted all the way through (works similar to an acid bath from what I understand). Best thing out there IMO

https://www.amazon.com/Loctite-Naval-Dissolver-16-Fluid-553472/dp/B000C016OC
it's cheap too

 

[80BrownK10]

Project Farm on YouTube tested all the common rust removers. Check out that video.

 

[AuroraGirl]

Ahh, watching others be so passionate about products in bottles, cans, and jugs.

Reminds me and fluorescent/bright colored spray paints

 

[Scott91370]

Ok so I've got the rust pretty much cleaned up and 'converted'. Anybody have a primer they recommend? Was't sure if plain old gray was good enough, should I use a Rustoleum brand, something that would go in a paint gun. As stated before, doesn't need to be pretty since it is the floor/inside of the bed. I just want it to be pretty durable so it will get either POR15 with a drop in bed liner or roll in bed liner after the primer.

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions. I used the Ospho which has phosphoric acid as its main ingredient. I stripped it really well, cleaned it with alcohol then laid a cloth with Ospho on the area for about 20 minutes so it wouldn't just dry out. Let it dry for 48 hours and it looks really good. Now time to get something on it so it won't rust again.

 

[C10MixMaster]

Ok so I've got the rust pretty much cleaned up and 'converted'. Anybody have a primer they recommend? Was't sure if plain old gray was good enough, should I use a Rustoleum brand, something that would go in a paint gun. As stated before, doesn't need to be pretty since it is the floor/inside of the bed. I just want it to be pretty durable so it will get either POR15 with a drop in bed liner or roll in bed liner after the primer.

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions. I used the Ospho which has phosphoric acid as its main ingredient. I stripped it really well, cleaned it with alcohol then laid a cloth with Ospho on the area for about 20 minutes so it wouldn't just dry out. Let it dry for 48 hours and it looks really good. Now time to get something on it so it won't rust again.

I would use a 2 part epoxy primer sticks well and doesnt let moisture through. Regular sanding primer breaths and therefore will rust.

 

[highdesertrange]

I would use a primer with a high Zinc content. highdesertranger

 

[hoagster]

These have been my tools of choice. Spent 30 minutes so far on these 2 splash guards "didn't feel like spending $30 a piece for new ones". I'll hit them with "picklex" then prime and paint them. Using black diamond fine coal slag in that media blaster.

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[Scott91370]

How does that blaster do? I've been thinking of either one like that or one of the HF cabinets. They both have proc/cons.

 

[hoagster]

How does that blaster do? I've been thinking of either one like that or one of the HF cabinets. They both have proc/cons.

I don't have a compressor to keep up with a 40lb or a cabinet. I have a cabinet too and this hand held does better because you can see what you are doing! I keep media in a 5 gallon seal-able bucket It is good for small jobs. The cabinet is good for finer things using soda, which would take to long to remove what you saw on those splash shields. here's what I ended up with, not perfect but she's gonna be a daily driver when I get done and these will see a coat of under sealer before its all said and done.

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[Red Rex]

How do you get the air dry enough to prevent clogs with that hand held blaster?

 

[Scott91370]

Water separator at the out of the compressor and I suppose if it is humid enough you could put one at the gun as well.

It's been so humid here my impact and sander have locked up due to water in my compressor. I need to get a better water separator for mine.

 

[Red Rex]

Yes I have used 2, one at the compressor outlet and one at the tool end. Still does not work well

middle West Georgia humidity