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I Forge Iron

Removing Rust Questions


Pr3ssure

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So I just got a Champion firepot and tuyere, both covered in rust. I wire brushed the firepot and got the nice patina to show, although I'm wondering how to get the rust out of the inside of the tuyere and off the clinker breaker. I know you can soak it in some things like vinegar or other acidic things but I was looking for a good way to get it without risk of damage.

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Alright, I didn’t think it would cause an issue just would like to get it cleaned up, I’ll do the outside with my grinder and wire wheel and I’ll get a bottle brush, didn’t think about that. 

Also the bolts that are in the firepot are rusted or welded to the inside of the pot. I’ve got it cleared from the bottom and am using PB blaster to try and get through some of it. Might have to drill them out eventually if they break. 

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Greetings Pr3ssure,                       

                 I looked at your post for your fire pot and I don’t think the bolts will have to be removed for reassembly .. If you are still worried about the rust I will pass on to you what I have done in the past on many rusty pieces of equipment ... Get some Rustolem barbecue paint in the quart brush on style. .. It will apply over rusted parts and is heat resistant .. You will find that it will last many years .. I hope this helps . 

Forge on and make beautiful things 

Jim

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  • 5 months later...

In case you ever look back on this topic, you can recover the iron that has rusted on the surface of any iron-based tool by putting it into a container with a baking soda solution in water in it, having first cleaned the part or tool with acetone to remove all oils or grease.  Then hook the part up to your small auto battery charger set to about 2 amps.  Positive hooks up to a steel framing nail hung over the inside edge of the container and suspended by a single strand of bare copper house wire.  Negative hooks up to the rusty part.  Turn on the battery charger and observe.  The bubbles rising off the part surface are 'some' of the hydrogen, taken from the water;  The metal strip releases oxygen, also taken from the water.  The baking soda just makes the water more conductive.  Some of the hydrogen taken from the water grabs the oxygen in the rust, and makes water, which goes back into the solution.  The oxygen in the rust is removed, leaving much of the iron in the original part.  Doing this in the open air means that no hydrogen will remain close by.

The process is called electrolysis, and has many practical variants, metal plating, for one.

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