Greenbeast Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 While making a few items recently i was left with some inaccessible areas covered in scale. How do others deal with cleaning these up? I'm currently cleaning everything up with a cup wire brush, do others do this for everything? I'm starting to worry i'm getting excessive scale. perhaps i'm not wire brushing enough while working? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CurlyGeorge Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 Try building a deeper fire and don't use quite as much air when heating. Unburned oxygen is causing the excess scale. Also, some of the guys have said that soaking the part in vinegar will loosen up the scale in unaccessible areas. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenbeast Posted September 12, 2011 Author Share Posted September 12, 2011 I've got a gas forge, i have suffered with an oxidising flame destroying delicate parts and am learning to overcome that with my choke, so i might have more work ahead of me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 If you pickle, you have to neutralize and wash before oiling (and it leaves a great gray finish suitable) I like dilute ammonia for neutralization, about 1/4 cup per gallon. Ammonia based window cleaner works good too, and is in a handy spray bottle already. I then wash with dish soap and water with a stiff nylon brush. Use with adequate ventilation. After the ammonia and dish soap you have about an hour before surface rust sets in if you want to paint. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 I soak in household vinegar and then wash under running water scrubbing with a wire brush to remove the scale sludge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old N Rusty Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 Pickle juice seems to work well, I wonder if my love for dill pickles de-scales ME? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 I failed to mention I use common household distilled white vinegar for my pickle. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Einhorn Posted September 13, 2011 Share Posted September 13, 2011 Try building a deeper fire and don't use quite as much air when heating. Unburned oxygen is causing the excess scale. Also, some of the guys have said that soaking the part in vinegar will loosen up the scale in unaccessible areas. CurlyGeorge makes a very good point. If you are using a coal fire, making the fire deep enough can create a neutral area where there is less creation of scale. And as they have also said soaking in diluted vinegar will loosen any scale left in hard to reach spots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francis Trez Cole Posted September 15, 2011 Share Posted September 15, 2011 something like this might help http://www.harborfreight.com/compact-air-needle-scaler-96997.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aljeter Posted September 15, 2011 Share Posted September 15, 2011 something like this might help http://www.harborfre...aler-96997.html If you get something like this you will have to be carefull. It can and will damage the metal you are trying to get the scale off of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenbeast Posted September 15, 2011 Author Share Posted September 15, 2011 yeah i was wondering about sandblasting but that's probably too abrasive as well? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattBower Posted September 15, 2011 Share Posted September 15, 2011 Lately I've been using ferric chloride because it's faster than vinegar (about a five minute soak usually does it), and seems to be more thorough. It's not as safe as vinegar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teenylittlemetalguy Posted September 15, 2011 Share Posted September 15, 2011 Not sure if this is appropriate for your application but sandblasting with baking soda leaves a soft finish, great for paint removal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted September 16, 2011 Share Posted September 16, 2011 A couple items: First, get your burner(s) adjusted, a gas forge should never form scale in the chamber. Let me know what you have and I'll do what I can to help. Any steel at heat will scale in open air, heat and oxy make scale. I really like phosphoric acid to convert rust and black oxides back into clean steel. I have a jug of lab grade phosphoric acid in the locker but it gives me the willies when I get it out, it's sort of DANGEROUS, especially on a concrete floor. My old time favorite was Naval Jelly mixed with just enough clean water to make it more fluid to get in those lil' ol' crannies. Now however CLR is my favorite. The secret ingredient in all is phosphoric acid but you don't need 99.97%, Naval Jelly is around 30% and I don't know what CLR is but it's already thin and works really well. Especially if you hook the work to the + terminal of your trickle charger with the - terminal hooked to a piece of SS scrap in the bucket. Frosty the Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HWooldridge Posted September 16, 2011 Share Posted September 16, 2011 I always sandblast with #4 sand mixed 50/50 with "sugar sand" - which is essentially dust. Of course, this breaks down a bit while in use inside the blast cabinet but it will remove all scale if the sand can reach it. If you want a more polished finish, wire brush the piece (powered) after blasting to burnish it. You can then cold blue it for a rich black finish that can be easily high-lighted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenbeast Posted September 16, 2011 Author Share Posted September 16, 2011 Thanks all, plenty to think about! I've got decent quantities of vinegar already so i'll be testing that out first. Frosty, yeah as i said i've had issue with an oxidising flame burning through small parts, at least until i built a choke to get better air control. i guess i need to tweak a little more to get a richer atmosphere inside the forge? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ten Hammers Posted September 16, 2011 Share Posted September 16, 2011 Butcher block brushes work well as do common steel wire brushes. Depending on the need, 30% muriatic will remove all the scale. Yes it is nasty. Yes it needs to be secure in a 5 gallon bucket with a good lid. Water wash afterwards with some scotchbrite to scrub it off. Blow dry with compressed air and wipe with dry towels as you blow it off. Yes, vinegar works exceptionally well, just slower but it can be heated in the microwave for small issues. Needlescalers work for some issues as do chipping hammers, hot files and air chisels. Needlescalers by design work exceptionally well for between pass peening and cleaning (even with pulse) on occasion and of course with stick. AS always if you gonna play with the big toys, be careful. The local EMS and Fire have no real need for skill building events at your shop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted September 16, 2011 Share Posted September 16, 2011 Thanks all, plenty to think about! I've got decent quantities of vinegar already so i'll be testing that out first. Frosty, yeah as i said i've had issue with an oxidising flame burning through small parts, at least until i built a choke to get better air control. i guess i need to tweak a little more to get a richer atmosphere inside the forge? What kind of burner is it? If it's a gun (blower driven) raising the regulator pressure a gradually will do it. If it's naturally aspirated enlarging the jet gradually works. To enlarge the jet I find torch cleaning files work best, start with one size larger than will fit the existing orifice. AFTER using the one that fits to clean the jet, sometimes a little junk will partially block the gas flow. Test the burner after each incremental enlargement, if it needs more run the same file through the orifice till there's no resistance at all and retest. Chokes work but I'm not a fan but that's mostly just me, they have their place, some forges are hard to light without choking. Frosty the Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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