removing galvanized coating

[EWCTool]

We had a wagon that has dumped its last load. Turns out someone threw a large piece of firewood into the wagon and it busted a hole right through the bottom of the wagon. The wagon has seen better days and was beyond repair. Before I let my parents throw it away, I took it apart to save any usable metal from the wagon. I did not get much but I was able to save the axle that is a solid 5/8th inch bar of. The only problem is that it is galvanized.

In chemistry class my teacher showed us how certain toilet bowl cleaners are acidic or basic enough to dissolve some metals, like aluminum. Would this be the same case when it comes to zinc, or should I just grind it off?

[pkrankow]

Vinegar is relatively safe. You do get hydrogen off the reaction of any acid/zinc combination.

Grinding still requires PPE but the air born dust is not as much a hazard as the fumes, a good mask takes care of that.

Phil

[Nakedanvil - Grant Sarver]

I don't know about toilet bowl cleaner, but many drain cleaners are lye/sodium hydroxide. That'll take off zinc pretty fast.

[Ranger604]

I vote vinegar. I manage a park with a historical village. My current building under construction is a jail. I built my bunks last week and intend to hang the outside edge by chain. No old chain though. Bought new, bright, shiney, zinc coated. Was going to throw it in the coal forge but it was so flipping hot (let alone the fumes). Plan B kicked in. 99% food grade vinager (use it at my park's pool for cleaning hard water deposits). Covered the chain at 3p in the vinager. At 6am, the vinager was black and the chain was grey. Rinsed it off and in 10 minutes it was rusting. Quick coating of flat black and my bunks were done. Where did I learn of vinager...here.