Molasses rust removal, anybody tried this? (1 Viewer)

[seapotato]

I refreshed the molasses about 5 days ago. There was thick scale inside the pump, it was 90% clean but wanted to get it rest of the way. I was going to pull it out today but the sun actually coming out for once made me thirsty...

About an inch of rusty shyte in bottom of the bucket when I dumped it out...it's definitely working.

Tomorrow maybe I'll pull it out and hose it off.


Was thinking tho, maybe a fishtank heater would work to keep it warm in shop in winter .

Or wrapping a heat trace around the bucket...

 

[stevebradford]

Funny you mention the fish tank heater, A guy I work with does exactly that!

 

[seapotato]

before and after.
The rust scale was 1/4" thick in a lot of places...and all inside awkard little chambers that wouldve been a bitch to get out.

So this is not too bad for almost zero effort.

It's all cast iron, so comes out black rather than shiny, but it's clean .

 

[GTSSportCoupe]

before and after.
The rust scale was 1/4" thick in a lot of places...and all inside awkard little chambers that wouldve been a bitch to get out.

So this is not too bad for almost zero effort.

It's all cast iron, so comes out black rather than shiny, but it's clean .
View attachment 1454013 View attachment 1454014

I gotta say, that is pretty impressive. I woulda been scrapping for over an hour with an old flat head screw driver and putty knife and probably not get even that close to clean.

That is a pretty cool old pump. I love old equipment like that. Good on ya for restoring it.

 

[seapotato]

Funny you mention the fish tank heater, A guy I work with does exactly that!

So , I gots ta thinkin....

I have too many kooltrons. One of which was particularly manky with a howly fan mysterious stains, and generally swmbo wouldn't put food within 5 feet of it.

Instant molasses tank with heater and lid.

(Hydraulic rams for my tractor's snow blade)

She doesn't know it yet, but this is earning bonus points for my refusal to throw this thing away before we moved...

 

[PG45er]

before and after.
The rust scale was 1/4" thick in a lot of places...and all inside awkard little chambers that wouldve been a bitch to get out.

So this is not too bad for almost zero effort.

It's all cast iron, so comes out black rather than shiny, but it's clean .
View attachment 1454013 View attachment 1454014

I haven't tried molasses but the black looks similar to the results I get with electrolysis when the crud is really thick like that. I get a lot of the black off when I pressure wash it after taking it out of the tank. Might be worth a try?

 

[seapotato]

I haven't tried molasses but the black looks similar to the results I get with electrolysis when the crud is really thick like that. I get a lot of the black off when I pressure wash it after taking it out of the tank. Might be worth a try?

Yeah I'm sure it would help. There's a few different potions you can soak rust in I gather. There's a soda version that's apparently quicker, but I have a ten year supply of molasses now

Regarding the kooltron, it actually works a bit too well as a heater. I had to put a timer on it so it only runs for one hour every twelve...

 

[Bluebj42]

I guy I work with told me to try using feed molasses mixed with water 9 parts water one molasses to remove rust. apparently it takes about two weeks. He gets the molasses at a feed store just outside of Duncan near radd cruisers. says it's cheep there bring your own bucket. Anybody got a pool their not using big enough to fit my cruiser ?

Rust Removal using Molasses

I tried it in a plastic 45 gallon drum like you susjested, works like a hot damn! Even starts taking paint off, I feel it you left it for a month the paint would all come off to. The thing I like the best part about it, no chemicals.

 

[Rusto]

Thinking of dipping my intake and exhaust manifolds into the molasses concoction without separating them. Any thoughts as to what the molasses would do the gasket between the intake and exhaust manifold?

 

[seapotato]

Thinking of dipping my intake and exhaust manifolds into the molasses concoction without separating them. Any thoughts as to what the molasses would do the gasket between the intake and exhaust manifold?

There's a product in the states called evapo rust that a lot of people seem to swear by, I like the molasses method but it is kinda messy if you don't plan to keep a bucket going for a while.

I don't know what it'd do to that seal, depends what it's made of. Pure asbestos probably

 

[Rusto]

I'm going out of town for a bit, so thought I'd get this thing soaking before I leave, give it a couple of weeks, so I have some time. Will be getting a new gasket when I get my exhaust manifold gasket, so I guess I could take it apart if need be.... then put it back together before I get it resurfaced. (this is me talking myself into something)

 

[cruiserpilot]

I used vinegar bath for the turbo parts. It took a while but after a bit of scrubbing,
I was impressed. Little bit cleaner than molasses. it really leaves the metal uncoated,
so if it’s important it will need wiping and primer right away.

 

[cruisedeisel]

 

[cruisedeisel]

If any of you gear heads havn't heard of deboss garage well here you go. Or maybe Im just turning into one of those 12 valve fans

 

[seapotato]

I finally got around to watching that...had to be done at work of course.

I've noticed molasses doing that sort of thing on an axe head and a big sledge I left in for a few weeks. Comes out like it's been sandblasted really aggressively. I figgered it was just because the steel was porous from rust anyways. Cast is probably even more prone to it.

I've seen it mentioned a couple times on old machinery boards to not leave anything in for more than a week or so, but then, I think if it was anything that was worth a lot of money, or precision machined, I'd probably be more careful than dumping it in a tank of goo for a month anyways.

Still a good method for rusty lumps of farm equipment you find in the bushes...

Speaking of, I found a monster old horse drawn thing in the bushes I need to extract before the blackberries start growing again.

 

[seapotato]

This seems like it belongs in the same category as molasses.

Trying an experiment on the latches for my truck. I think they call this glazing?

Basically the same thing you do with a cast iron frying pan, except with used motor oil.

Heat , dip in old oil, burn off wet oil, dip again, and it ends up like this.

Black one is after a half dozen dips.

I'm curious to see how long it lasts.

 

[cruiserpilot]

Now that’s how to do a frame, just need a really big tank. Very cool.

 

[seapotato]

Now that’s how to do a frame, just need a really big tank. Very cool.

I had meant to try it on my spring plates just to see how it worked and whether it lasted at all.

Went down a YouTube rabbit hole one night watching videos of crazy scandinavians forging axes, this was somewhere in there.

Don't remember what exactly they were treating with it but it looked kinda cool.
Pretty easy to do on small parts.

Did a couple oil changes this week so I have used oil coming out my ears at the moment

 

[GTSSportCoupe]

I was wondering the other day if the molasses would be good for cleaning old coins. Some relatives on the in-laws side gave us a bunch of old Canadian currency. Spent some time organizing it last week. I bet the right amount of time in some molasses would make 'em look like new. Too much time and they might disappear completely?

 

[stevebradford]

I was wondering the other day if the molasses would be good for cleaning old coins. Some relatives on the in-laws side gave us a bunch of old Canadian currency. Spent some time organizing it last week. I bet the right amount of time in some molasses would make 'em look like new. Too much time and they might disappear completely?

the molasses doesn’t dissolve metal at least not in several months. It rips the oxygen from the oxidation. It’s fermentation reaction is oxygen hungry not metal hungry that’s the beauty of it. (It only ferments at above 20 degrees C)

Your coins should be fine.

here is some copper i experimented on and what it looked like after two weeks with no scrubbing

if you need a small amount I have some you can have. (it needs to be feed molasses not grocery store molasses that has preservatives in it)

Feed molasses can be found at Borden mercantile for 20$ for 12l (a little goes a long way as it needs to be mixed one part molasses to nine parts water)