Best way to clean and sort used bolts.

[ceylonfj40nut]

I have a dilemma. I have 5gal of used Toyota bolts. I need to clean and sort them. This thread may help others as well if they need to do the same. Can you all tell me any special concoctions you have used to degrease and remove rust from the bolts.

I have heard the following as options.

Evaporust for 2 hours, rinse, dry, fluid film

Diesel/ATF then degreaser, rinse, fluid film

Sand blast/ coat with oil

Electrolysis (vinegar/ salt plus battery)/ rinse/ dry/ coat with oil

I am trying to do some of this in bulk batches.

@Cowboy45 and @SipLife my sons may get involved in a science experiment. Might want to try a couple of approaches and report back.

Please share what has worked for you. Pics would help. Same with recipe.

Thanks!

 

[Jdc1]

A valid option is to drag the entire bucket to the nearest plater, leave it with them for a few days and come back to a bucket of clean plated hardware. I’ve spent time with vinegar, evapo rust or sand blasting and then have to figure out how to protect them from corrosion. My plater doesn’t worry about grease/grime or rust and can do cad, or zinc. For a show rig, you might want to wire wheel prior.

 

[John McVicker]

Here’s what I’ve used for years on buckets of bolts. And it works great. It’s a homemade recipe called ED’S RED.

I will list the recipe but you should also look it up on line. Been around for many years, 1st used as a gun bore cleaner...works great for that also. It goes after rust big time so I and others use it as a penetrating liquid for frozen bolts...works as good as Kroil but at a fraction of the cost.

I put the mixture in a spray bottle, lay the bolts out on a table, spray them good, put them in a bucket and spray them good again. Spray is usually good enough, but if they are really bad, put them in a jar and pour enough in to allow them to soak.

Leave them in the spray or soak for 24-72 hours, then I take each bolt out, one by one put them in Vice Grips, and take them to the wire wheel. Then put them in individual drawers by size, give them a light spray and they will be perfect next month, or next year.

Sounds like a lot of work, it’s not really tho and the end result is you have a bunch of good metric bolts for your projects.

RECIPE: all equal parts, I usually use 8 oz of each ingredient which give you a quart of the best stuff you can find. It works...and it’s cheap.
A) DEXRON 11 ATF
B) KEROSENE
C) MINERAL SPIRTS
D) ACETONE

 

[Dizzy]

I use artichoke jars, or a wide-mouth mason jar filled with gasoline, capped tight. I put a few fasteners in the jar, then come back a day later. I fish them out with pliers. I might wire brush the last little bits off. This works great for bicycle ball bearings that are in a cage and the cage is stuffed with grease that can't be reached with practically any tool.

When the gasoline gets gritty I run it thru a pour-over coffee filter set-up, and use it again. The entire process is done outside. I burn all the paper rags associated with the project. If gasoline doesn't get them perfect, I follow the gasoline with brake parts cleaner. At this point in my life, if I don't smell like I've been rebuilding a carb then the day has probably been wasted.

I'm careful to note where the original fasteners came from. Every fastener was selected for the job at hand in regard to stretch, strength, and fatigue resistance.

 

[reddingcruiser]

Another option, for those dealing with a plating company that does have issues with rust and grime is an engine shop that has an abrasive media tumbler. You just throw everything in, run it and take is out a few hours later. FWIW, the plating looks considerably better on hardware that had been through a tumbler

 

[Dagha Boy]

Nice. I'll be watching closely.

I am about 3 hrs from the nearest plater and have had very bad luck with quality. So for me and many other guys around doing bikes etc there is no other option but DIY. I have been planning a cleaning and plating set up for myself for when (hopefully next year) I build a proper workshop. I've looked at various ideas for tumblers to clean parts. Two designs interest me. I to use a 5gal bucket with a small variable speed motor to rotate it on its side. Many design ideas on the web. And a larger 50gal vibrating cleaner out of an old hot water tank and variable speed motor. Also looking at building a "vapor blaster" using an old sandblasting cabinet.

And then of course a small plating set up which seems to be the easiest to put together off the shelf.

I used electrolysis to clean a lot of parts towards the end of my build and it worked very well for me.

 

[Dagha Boy]

Ja. The tumbler gives a good shiny finish and its all in the prep. I use a slow cooker with a detergent degreasing solution for mucky stuff. Works well. Best of all it requires no work from me.

 

[kevos37]

If they have alot of grease, get your favorite solvent and fill a empty plastic peanut butter jar with it. Add a few bolts screw the lid on and give it a shake. Cleans them up in no time. Chucking up the bolts in a battery drill helps to quickly clean them on a bench grinder equipped with a brass wire wheel

 

[ToyotaMatt]

A valid option is to drag the entire bucket to the nearest plater, leave it with them for a few days and come back to a bucket of clean plated hardware. I’ve spent time with vinegar, evapo rust or sand blasting and then have to figure out how to protect them from corrosion. My plater doesn’t worry about grease/grime or rust and can do cad, or zinc. For a show rig, you might want to wire wheel prior.

Here’s what I’ve used for years on buckets of bolts. And it works great. It’s a homemade recipe called ED’S RED.

I will list the recipe but you should also look it up on line. Been around for many years, 1st used as a gun bore cleaner...works great for that also. It goes after rust big time so I and others use it as a penetrating liquid for frozen bolts...works as good as Kroil but at a fraction of the cost.

I put the mixture in a spray bottle, lay the bolts out on a table, spray them good, put them in a bucket and spray them good again. Spray is usually good enough, but if they are really bad, put them in a jar and pour enough in to allow them to soak.

Leave them in the spray or soak for 24-72 hours, then I take each bolt out, one by one put them in Vice Grips, and take them to the wire wheel. Then put them in individual drawers by size, give them a light spray and they will be perfect next month, or next year.

Sounds like a lot of work, it’s not really tho and the end result is you have a bunch of good metric bolts for your projects.

RECIPE: all equal parts, I usually use 8 oz of each ingredient which give you a quart of the best stuff you can find. It works...and it’s cheap.
A) DEXRON 11 ATF
B) KEROSENE
C) MINERAL SPIRTS
D) ACETONE

Another option, for those dealing with a plating company that does have issues with rust and grime is an engine shop that has an abrasive media tumbler. You just throw everything in, run it and take is out a few hours later. FWIW, the plating looks considerably better on hardware that had been through a tumbler

Nice. I'll be watching closely.

I am about 3 hrs from the nearest plater and have had very bad luck with quality. So for me and many other guys around doing bikes etc there is no other option but DIY. I have been planning a cleaning and plating set up for myself for when (hopefully next year) I build a proper workshop. I've looked at various ideas for tumblers to clean parts. Two designs interest me. I to use a 5gal bucket with a small variable speed motor to rotate it on its side. Many design ideas on the web. And a larger 50gal vibrating cleaner out of an old hot water tank and variable speed motor. Also looking at building a "vapor blaster" using an old sandblasting cabinet.

And then of course a small plating set up which seems to be the easiest to put together off the shelf.

I used electrolysis to clean a lot of parts towards the end of my build and it worked very well for me.

hello ,

i tagged this thread hard because i both recognize and know alot of you

from years her on MUD together , and the Wisdom and Experience that

folks like @kevos37 , @John McVicker @reddingcruiser and @Dizzy have

Brought To My Personal TEq Table ,




for the folks i don't know , they ALL have many of the same questions

i have about Plating and the Prep & Process etc .........



so whats up folks happy holiday's


my name is Matt for those whom we have not met etc .....

i Have only one Question :


I see everything under the sun being offered up here on MUD , From the

common average Vintage Toyota Related " Things " to the Most Obscure

off the wall , and indeed sometimes Off the hook Monkey Business i have

ever seen in my entire Life on TOYOTA Earth ..........



Except a Mail Order Type Yellow Zinc Plating Service ?


weather you prep and send clean parts only

or

you Pack a Box with The Most Fossilized Gear Oil and Sand / Mud encrusted

Crap you ever see in like 4 separately wrapped HOME DEPOT 6 MIL HUSKY

Contractor bags so the USPS won't flag your box for shipping

POISON & TOXIC WAIST like happened to me once ......


so ..........

does anyone know of such a person or small buisness thats works with

the little Guy Shops and handles smaller jibs , but indeed delivers

a TOP NOTCH SH#T end product result , ?


offers a decent turn around time , not in months but in single digit business

days leed time schedule ....

think about it 9 business days is and can be over 2 weeks if you follow me .


thank you in advance for any recommendations , and input on this topic



im talking results like this !

: note 3 separate stand alone shots , NOT all one image i simply cropped down

3 separate times ....

 

[ceylonfj40nut]

hello ,

i tagged this thread hard because i both recognize and know alot of you

from years her on MUD together , and the Wisdom and Experience that

folks like @kevos37 , @John McVicker @reddingcruiser and @Dizzy have

Brought To My Personal TEq Table ,




for the folks i don't know , they ALL have many of the same questions

i have about Plating and the Prep & Process etc .........



so whats up folks happy holiday's


my name is Matt for those whom we have not met etc .....

i Have only one Question :


I see everything under the sun being offered up here on MUD , From the

common average Vintage Toyota Related " Things " to the Most Obscure

off the wall , and indeed sometimes Off the hook Monkey Business i have

ever seen in my entire Life on TOYOTA Earth ..........



Except a Mail Order Type Yellow Zinc Plating Service ?


weather you prep and send clean parts only

or

you Pack a Box with The Most Fossilized Gear Oil and Sand / Mud encrusted

Crap you ever see in like 4 separately wrapped HOME DEPOT 6 MIL HUSKY

Contractor bags so the USPS won't flag your box for shipping

POISON & TOXIC WAIST like happened to me once ......


so ..........

does anyone know of such a person or small buisness thats works with

the little Guy Shops and handles smaller jibs , but indeed delivers

a TOP NOTCH SH#T end product result , ?


offers a decent turn around time , not in months but in single digit business

days leed time schedule ....

think about it 9 business days is and can be over 2 weeks if you follow me .


thank you in advance for any recommendations , and input on this topic



im talking results like this !

: note 3 separate stand alone shots , NOT all one image i simply cropped down

3 separate times ....



View attachment 2164834View attachment 2164835View attachment 2164836

Good Q Matt. Do you do your own plating? Your stuff always looks great.

 

[ceylonfj40nut]

Great replies thus far!!Awesome. I also modified the thread to add sorting ideas for OEM bolts. That’s the next challenge.

FSMs organize bolts many different ways (by strength, by wrench size and pitch, etc. What has worked well for you all?

I am leaning toward wrench size (8mm, 10mm, 12mm, etc) and thread pitch (1.0, 1.25, etc) for most. For specific applications (e.g. prop shaft bolts, lug nuts), labeling bins with the application purpose.

Ordinarily, this is a non issue for most with fewer bolts, but I think the ideas and approaches you have could help all.

Happy posting!!

 

[ceylonfj40nut]

Here’s what I’ve used for years on buckets of bolts. And it works great. It’s a homemade recipe called ED’S RED.

I will list the recipe but you should also look it up on line. Been around for many years, 1st used as a gun bore cleaner...works great for that also. It goes after rust big time so I and others use it as a penetrating liquid for frozen bolts...works as good as Kroil but at a fraction of the cost.

I put the mixture in a spray bottle, lay the bolts out on a table, spray them good, put them in a bucket and spray them good again. Spray is usually good enough, but if they are really bad, put them in a jar and pour enough in to allow them to soak.

Leave them in the spray or soak for 24-72 hours, then I take each bolt out, one by one put them in Vice Grips, and take them to the wire wheel. Then put them in individual drawers by size, give them a light spray and they will be perfect next month, or next year.

Sounds like a lot of work, it’s not really tho and the end result is you have a bunch of good metric bolts for your projects.

RECIPE: all equal parts, I usually use 8 oz of each ingredient which give you a quart of the best stuff you can find. It works...and it’s cheap.
A) DEXRON 11 ATF
B) KEROSENE
C) MINERAL SPIRTS
D) ACETONE

@John McVicker, I have heard about this! Any before and after pics?

 

[ceylonfj40nut]

Ja. The tumbler gives a good shiny finish and its all in the prep. I use a slow cooker with a detergent degreasing solution for mucky stuff. Works well. Best of all it requires no work from me.

The idea of a slow cooker sounds good as well. Kind of a “Hotsy” without the pressure. What have you used for solvent? Specially like the slow cook “leave it and forget it” aspect.

 

[ToyotaMatt]

Good Q Matt. Do you do your own playing? Your stuff always looks great.

No , thats actually Mr. Toyoda's original NOS work . All those Pull Switch's

you see there are part of my personal display collection and Gallery for review

i was using them as a bench mark or Bar if you will of Level of Quality .




My professional request for a referral or simple recommendation from

another member on a go-to guy or Gal that's plating work was simply put

" Relaible " and i could do mail order job's with is my main goal here .

posting in this thread . i also wanted folks to see what a solid yellow zinc

plating job looked like 20-30 years ago , and hope somebody would post

some recent work they had done , good or not so good , so we all can learn

together , what to look for and what to avoid .

i would NOT be getting bolts and nuts plated , in the beginning , rather

All my many , many Pull switch cores' metal boxes after i dissemble them

for refurbishment , and subsequent make available them in my online parts

store .

one of my Nitch specialties is Pull switch restoration and repair , knobs

included . and the plating topic has always illuded me , ?


i originally got into all this many years ago , and since have taken on varios

restore and reproduction specialty trade crafts gere on MUD , including

my Fully Restoring of Choke Cables and Other control cables , fresh pull ,

warm pull , throttle etc .


but this past fall i inventoried my entire Pull switch Cores & inventory i have

and i have at current count over 1000+ boxes , & just shy of 300 Knobs

I am taking my Store in a more traditional direction in 2020 , going back to

my original Roots , and back to the basics , out of sheer demand and requests

for the above mentioned examples , i also have way over 100+ Gas Pedal

cores needing yellow zinc plated , I have a final working Prototype

simple tack weld on attachment that can turn ANY 40 and 55 series

Late Model Gas peddle 1/75-1984 into the hand throttle equipped one with

the square hole tab , for the end barrel stop white little Grommet to go


now everyone in the 40 and 55 communities will have the SAME

opportunities at a period correct hand throttle option , Not just the Lucky

Few who happened upon a OEM stock one . I will be hand building the

complete hand throttles by scratch , and my metal guide tubes up behind the

dash need yellow zinc plating too ........


Please take a moment , and Review my Choke cable Varations thread

@65swb45 plugged me into several years ago , alot has changed , , as you will

see towards the ens of my last several dozen Post's

so Da#mit ! I need a Yellow zinc Plate'r to help tie everything together !

click this LINK here :

Choke cable variations

well, I finished up sorting out all the different PCV hoses and breathers and decided to dive into the next snake pit, the cables. I'm gonna look to @RAGINGMATT for the ultimate breakout list on these, as my last phone call with him made me keenly aware he's got this little niche mastered.

forum.ih8mud.com

 

[ToyotaMatt]

This is what i do and how far i take a Full Concourse grade Pull switch repair

and refurbishment :


These are my Baby's and each one gets equal attn. to period correct details ..

Note : ALL below is 100% Restoration work , noting NOS to be very clear ..

​

 

[GA Architect]

For small batches, I use an overnight bath in Evaporust.

Before:

During:

After: This is what they would look like before I sent them out to get plated.....(I see that a few additional rusted bolts made their way into my OEM M8's.)

 

[Dizzy]

In the past, I've used Industrial Purple (H2O-based) on all parts, it will dissolve aluminum superficially. This might be a good non-flammable solution.

Professionally, we had an ultrasonic bath in the machine shop, which seemed to make more noise then magic.

The factory manual is good for generic rule-of-thumb fastening, (but a seasoned mechanic can, and should, be able to do it without actual measuring for installing many parts), but in the article below, it introduces the idea of compression barrel (how long is it between the head of the screw and the tapped hole), and material (your spark plugs can be tighter in an iron head, whereas, over the years an aluminum head is going to need a heli-coil at the same torque for the same plug), etc.

Fastener Fatigue | Fastenal

www.fastenal.com

 

[NeverGiveUpYota]

I like the evaporust in a bottle too. That stuff keeps working even after its muddy brown. I would think you could add into the bottle a heavy stainless steel pad and as you shake it would scour the bolts. Wire wheeling each, esp that size bucket, would most definitely be time consuming. I would probably think it worth my time and money to hand that off to a shop after getting them de-greased.

 

[OSS]

Any rusty bolt will rust 10X faster once it's derusted with any of those de-rusting acids. What grime was on them, protecting them, will be removed and the bolt will be then unprorected and a rust magnet.
There's only one way professional vehicle restorers re-use old bolts: they get them re-plated by a competent shop that knows how to do it. Even if I was across the country, I'd send my bucket of bolts (ups) to Van Nuys Plating in Southern California. They do this kind of work all the time.
As for sorting, that's easy. Get some adjustable parts trays like they use at hardware stores or flip lid plastic parts holders - they've got them at Harbor Freight.
How you organize them is up to you. Generally it's by thread pitch.

 

[FJACS]

Local powder coat place cad plates hardware. It’s by the pound. Take a bucket like that in, it goes into a few baskets and gets dipped and plated.

For stuff I just want to clean up, toss it in a cement mixer with a few shovels of dry sand and leave it going overnight.