[Jeff R]

Really simple question. What's the preferred method for cleaning grime and minor rust from old nuts and bolts?

[Jeff R]

Really simple question. What's the preferred method for cleaning grime and minor rust from old nuts and bolts?

[Frank R]

I use the wire wheel on my bench grinder.

[steveK]

Not a dumb question at all, probably one of the most labor intensive restoration jobs. Buy a rock tumbler put some sand it it...let it whirl a couple days. I then use the Easwood black anodizing system and sealer.

[Jeff R]

Thanks guys. I like both ideas. The wire wheel would be quicker, but I'm thinking the rock tumbler would be more thorough. I had one when I was a kid and I had a ball putting all sorts of stuff in it...rocks, marbles, coins, my little sister's Barbie heads.

[carcrazy]

muratic acid-cheap and effective

[68alpinebluegto]

After you clean them. You should phosphate them. It is very easy to do and it is correct for most sheet metal components. Many other fasteners were cad plated or zinc plated or even natural. Take the time to inspect and note the colors of the finishes while taking everything apart. It will pay off in the long run.

[engineer]

tumbler, no acid.

[lil64gto]

For bolts under the hood and frame, wire wheel them then take a propane torch and heat them till they get hot. Take the hot bolt or nut and quench them in oil. This will turn them back the black color that they had when the were made and the oil will keep them from rusting. I have done this and they have held their color for over a year and still look like I just did them

[ELKHORNAOG7]

another way to do this IS place your nuts and bolts in a small metal container ( TIN CAN WITH HOLES IN BOTTOM )AND PLACE THE CAN IN A PLASTIC BUCKET. HOOK UP THE NEG. CLIP FROM A BATTERY CHARGER TO THE CAN THEN TAKE THE POS. CLIP AND HOOK TO A PEACE OF METAL (STAINLESS STEEL WORKS BEST) AND PLACE THIS CLOSE TO THE CAN WITH THE IDEMS BEING CLEANED DON;T PUT THE POS CABLE UNDER WATER NEG. CAN BE UNDER WATER NEXT ADD ONE SPOON FULL OF WASHING SODA ( ARM & HAMMER)FOR EACH GAL OF WATER THIS SPEEDS UP CLEANING BUT YOU DON;T HAVE TO USE THIS THEN TURN ON THE CHARGER 4 AMP SETTING WORKS WELL THIS WILL WORK ON ENGINE BLOCKS ALSO AND ANYTHING THAT NEEDS TO BE CLEANED. ( p.s. IF YOU HOOK UP THE CABLES WRONG THIS WILL SPEED UP THE RUSTING BUT CAN BE CRECTED VERY EASY BY HOOKING THE CABLES BACK UP THE RIGHT WAY SO NOTHING GETS DAMAGED EVEN IF THIS MISTAKE IS MADE YOU WILL FIND THIS IN (HIGH PERFORMANCE PONTIAC MAGISINES) APRIL 2002

[Hammered]

I've cleaned EVERY bolt, nut & washer on my car. If you're plating, they need to be absolutely clean - even beyond removing the rust. If you're painting, it's not as critical.

A tumbler and some phosphoric acid is the best combination I've come up with. Phosphoric will not attack the good metal or convert the rust which is undesirable if you plate. Muriatic will embrittle grade 8 bolts and spring steel. I was able to break some otherwise nice looking bbell washers with my fingers after leaving them in muriatic too long!

If you're plating after that, I'd recommend bead blasting in addition. It's much less time consuming to tumble and then bead blast then it is to go straight to bead blasting.

John

[Ken K]

Just have them replated. You can get a 5 gallon bucket of nuts, bolts, latches and what ever else you can get into the bucket, zinc plated for $50.00. They clean the rust and grease off for you. They come back looking like brand new. You can get the phosphate look by using a $3.00 bottle of gun blue and a Q tip and then spraying it with light oil.

[Flowjoe]

I have had great luck using Eastwoods tumbler system whcih includes a polygon media for rust removal and a poklishing media (shoudl you be inclined). Slower, yes but really, really painless and very effective. I have also used their metal blackening system, which looks good at first but doesn't really hold up.

[carbking]

Glass bead, and send to electroplater.

Jon.

[Hammered]

Ken K: Are you talking about zinc? I don't know where you get your plating done, but I have more than a dozen to choose from and a bucket starts at $100. None will make guarantees about the finish unless they're nearly clean bare metal to start with.

A better alternative to plain black oxide is zinc black oxide or zinc black chromate. It's more expensive but will last much longer.

John

[Ken K]

The place I had the parts zinc plated is called Commercial Electro Plating in Fresno CA. The minimum charge is $50.00, the more you have plated, the cheaper it is. I think two five gallon buckets is $80.00. They dip the parts in acid first. Any parts that contain springs need the tension taken off the springs or the springs will break when they hit the acid. They don't charge extra if you want the gold tone done, the parts are just dipped in a dye after they are zinc plated. You can also ship them parts if you want them plated.

[mkturtle]

I send blast bolts using a glass jar and then Nickel plate them using electroless process. All you do is mix chemicals and boil the bolts in the solution. They look good and shiny and they don’t rust.

[Hammered]

Ken,

That's cheap! Especially if they yellow chromate for the same price. And I thought I lived in a plater's mecca?

J.

[firebird69racer]

check out these two sites. its what Bob Duffin was referring to. it looks pretty easy.
http://www.rowand.net/Shop/Tech/Electrolysis.htm
http://antique-engines.com/electrol.asp


Wade