Re: [CR]Rust removal with Evaporust

(Example: Framebuilding:Tubing)

Date: Sat, 19 Aug 2006 12:18:42 -0700 (PDT)
From: Donald Gillies <gillies@cs.ubc.ca>
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Subject: Re: [CR]Rust removal with Evaporust

I am not the original person who posted about Evaporust, but I am an "early adopter".

I have been for the past week using Evaporust to remove rust from a painted frame. First, let me say that this is a 1977 frame with nearly perfect decals and paint, it just has pinhole rust all over the bike, sadly, i think perhaps the primer did work properly. The rust comes through the pinholes and then spreads out, to blotches anywhere from bb-sized to pea-sized blotches. This bike has a lot of rust, probably 200 separate blotches, but not even a pea-sized area where the paint is missing entirely.

1. I wrap a frame tube in plastic, making sure to tape it completely at both ends.

2. i put Evaporust into the plastic wrap, and seal it, soaking it for 24 hours - about 1/8" of an inch of liquid around the tube.

3. since the seam of the plastic is not completely closed, the next day most of the Evaporust is gone but it's only 1/4 to 1/2 cup that has been used.

4. i rub vigorously with nevr dull wadding (the frame enamel is very hard; the tube warms up) to remove as much rust as I can. The surface of the tube becomes smooth to the touch.

What happens is that this changes the bb/pea sized rust into "spider vein" or "broken capillary" look on the tube. The rust goes from orange blotches visible at 20 feet to spider veings visible at 10 feet. There are no visible changes to the paint. I then spray the tubes with Boeshield to prevent new rusting.

- Don Gillies
San Diego, CA