Rust removal from table tops

[HowardH]

Here are the before and after pictures.  The results were very acceptable.  I used scotch brite very fine pads with WD-40 and went north to south, no orbital motion.  It took some elbow grease and it's not perfect but as my father used to say, "it's good enough for the girls we go with!"

Before:

View attachment 1

View attachment 2

After:

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I coated it afterwards with Glide Cote and will do my best not to bollocks it up again...

 

[ChuckM]

Your dad was a man of wisdom! [laughing]

I'm convinced that any remaining traces of rust can be removed by the autosol, if so desired.

 

[HowardH]

Your dad was a man of wisdom! [laughing]

I'm convinced that any remaining traces of rust can be removed by the autosol, if so desired.

+1. Thanks!  I'll order some. 

 

[Mike Goetzke]

I have used this as a reference several times (It was written for new but works for old/rusted too.):

Dave's Dirty Dozen:

1) Scrape as much of the sludge as you can off with cardboard from the shipping container or a plastic scraper.
2) Use Simple Green right out of the container and tons of paper towels to get the rest off.
3) Wash off the Simple Green with more paper towels and clear water. Dry off with even more paper towels.
4) Spray the top down liberally with WD40. The WD in WD40 stands for Water Displacing, by the way.
5) Take a finishing sander, like a Porter-Cable 330, and put it on a ScotchBrite green pad. Random Orbital will work, but makes a hell of a mess.
6) Sand the top evenly until you feel like you've "massaged" the WD40 in very well. This also will knock some sharp spots off your top, a good thing.
7) Take even more paper towels, and wipe the top until dry. It will feel slightly oily.
8) Using a quality furniture paste wax (Johnson's, Minwax, Butcher's, whatever is available in your area), wax the top thoroughly and allow to dry.
9) Wipe off the bulk of the excess wax with paper towels.
10) Wax it again.
11) Buff well with paper towels.
12) Last step. Take a piece of wood with straight edges, and rub the surface of the saw in the direction of cut with the wood, as though you were cross-cutting it.
It's a damn sight more steps than "wash off with kerosene", which is what all the manuals say. But, it leaves a top that is seriously ready for work, and won't need to be screwed with every couple months. I rewax my tops every year or two, and they ain't rusty...

Dave Arbuckle

 

[Charles959]

Her Majesty would use this product:
https://restorationproduct.com/shop/renaissance-metal-de-corroder/

Product Description

Safe, Non-toxic System for Rust Removal with Full Control

Amine complex of hydro-oxycarboxilic acid

in aqueous solution.  pH:  approximately 4.0

**************************

SCOPE:     

  iron, bronze, copper and copper alloys, brass, steel,

zinc and galvanized materials. 

Also effectively cleans SCALE and rusty water stains.

Treatment selectively ruptures the bond between base metal and corrosion layer, reducing rust to a sludge, which is easily wiped or brushed away.  Clean-water rinse stops the process.

Even relatively prolonged immersion over several days has no significant effect on sound metal, thus giving the conservator complete control over the process – and freedom from it.

******

The product is made by Picreator Enterprises Ltd. of London, England… by appointment to Her Majesty The Queen .. Supplier of Products for Restoration and Conservation. I have not tried it yet.

 

[AstroKeith]

Her Majesty would use this product:
https://restorationproduct.com/shop/renaissance-metal-de-corroder/

Product Description

Safe, Non-toxic System for Rust Removal with Full Control

Amine complex of hydro-oxycarboxilic acid

in aqueous solution.  pH:  approximately 4.0

**************************

SCOPE:     

  iron, bronze, copper and copper alloys, brass, steel,

zinc and galvanized materials. 

Also effectively cleans SCALE and rusty water stains.

Treatment selectively ruptures the bond between base metal and corrosion layer, reducing rust to a sludge, which is easily wiped or brushed away.  Clean-water rinse stops the process.

Even relatively prolonged immersion over several days has no significant effect on sound metal, thus giving the conservator complete control over the process – and freedom from it.

******

The product is made by Picreator Enterprises Ltd. of London, England… by appointment to Her Majesty The Queen .. Supplier of Products for Restoration and Conservation. I have not tried it yet.

This is really good stuff, along with the Renaissance micro-crystalline wax it was developed at the British Museum for their work. I use the wax on all sorts of stuff to perfectly seal the surface.

 

[Charles959]

AstroKeith,

Thanks for letting us know that the Renaissance rust remover has worked for you. I have been using the wax for decades to keep highly polished raw aluminum gleaming, and it is amazing how long it lasts.

The wax should be used with good ventilation. The MSDS is available here:
https://www.riogrande.com/article?name=Renaissance-Wax-Polish-MSDS