[dataway]

Like most people I have a couple of drawers of GM hardware to go through if needed. I got tired of looking through a bunch of filthy rusty bolts and then having to fire up the bead blaster to clean them one at a time.

I had an old cylindrical rock tumbler on the shelf so I put in a handful of bolts, a cup or so of black beauty sand, cup or so of water and some degreaser. Closed it up and let it run for about two days or more.

Stuff doesn't come out perfect, not like you carefully glass beaded them one at a time, but removes 95% of the grease, rust and corrosion.

So every couple of days I grab a handful of bolts that are worth cleaning, flange head, special head markings, unusual designs ... stuff you can't buy off the shelf, throw them in, two days later throw in another batch. Way way quieter than a vibrator.

Slowly working my way through all the old hardware, at some point I may even sort them into sizes.

[72pontiac]

nice

[Shiny]

Good idea

[4dblnkldude]

Awesome idea! I just cleaned out a shed and there was a tool box full of Pontiac bolts, the guy was going to scrap them and I said wait just a minute!!

[ponchonlefty]

yeah, i soak them in vinegar then have to put them in a cleaner then light oil to keep them from rusting again. this looks like a good method. thanks for the knowledge.

[webfoot]

The parkerizing (black phosphate) process is pretty easy in the event you wanted to take it a step further. Bottle of chemical, outdoor stove with a pot and strainer and you can knock a bunch out quickly.

[Formulabruce]

The bolts won't hold parkerizing " all over"unless they are degreased and or a quick etc.

[dataway]

Yep I usually parkerize bolts before I use them, so often I have to glass bead them anyway. I originally was trying to devise something to glass bead them in volume. Some kind of rotating mechanism hooked up to a bead blaster that recircs the media ... but who's got the time to mess with something like that.

But a lot of engine bolts, and OEM painted bolts etc. won't need anything but a spray with brake cleaner after this process before they can be used or painted.

At the very least it prevents me from constantly wanting to throw them away because they are nasty. Strangely enough I expected these to rust immediately after doing this, so far I've been adding to the pile for two weeks and not a speck of surface rust forming on them. And I haven't put a drop of oil on them yet.

Soon I'm going to pick the most unusual of them and post pictures for identification, kind of like a Hardware Jeopardy