Hi all. I picked up a very old leg vise, in great condition, the screw is perfect just needs cleaned up and a spring put in.

I need to get the rust off, it’s very very rusted. I already ran a wire wheel over the whole thing, still deep rust.  I could use advice on rust removal, I have two ideas but am open to others.

1. Sand blasting

2. Electrolysis

Sand blasting seems the easier, but not sure if it could damage things though. Electrolysis could work, but I’d have to find a big xxx plastic tub to fit the entire vise.

Also any thoughts on painting or sealing after it’s cleaned would be great.

Thanks!

Tony

 

Edited April 27, 20215 yr by Mod30
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 colafran ......Do they have 55gal. drums in California ?    Just sayin'           Life is Good            Dave

You gave me a good idea, I could get a really large plastic trash can, run some steel plates on both sides of the vise, that would work using electrolysis.

Thanks man!

Take it apart before cleaning each part individually!

 Sweet...just keep in mind electrolysis is a pretty much line of sight action. And, surface area of your sacrificial electrodes to part determines duration and how often the  sacrificial will need cleaned.                Life is Good            Dave 

OSPHO might be another option.  Phosphoric Acid solution that turns Iron Oxide (rust) into Iron Phosphate, which can act as a protective coating.  You do need to get it all the way down so surface rust though.  I know the stuff works and is cheap on lawn furniture and a bunch of other applications, and a gallon of the stuff is cheap and goes a long way.  anyone else know how it would hold up in this application?

I would go for electrolysis. Well I restored a German wrought iron blacksmith vise using electrolysis. Take a look at my videos on Youtube. Electrolysis allows you to get a nice finish on metal surface.

I did not have a long enough tub for the leg/fixed arm, so I built a wood frame, and used 4 layers of plastic sheet to improvise a tub. It worked perfectly.