Now, I don't know about you, but I really like old tools. The trouble is, more often than not, they are covered with rust when I find them. This used to be a real problem, until I discovered the remedy. Just where I originally gleaned this information from, I do not remember, but it is information that must be passed along to all my fellow vintage tool aficionados.
To begin, there are several things that you will need to gather:
Dewalt 12 Saw
1. A plastic bucket - A clean drywall compound bucket is ideal.
2. A battery charger - 2-12 amps
3. Scrap metal - While a piece of pipe or rebar can be used successfully, an old pot lid works equally well. The truth is any steel object can be used. This object will become the anode and will eventually be eaten away.
4. Washing soda - If you can find it, Arm and Hammer still makes washing soda, but you can use baking soda as well.
5. The object that needs rust removal (cathode)
Once you have gathered all of your supplies, the procedure is really quite simple! Fill your bucket with enough water to cover the piece that you want to remove the rust from, with at least 2-4" of clean water above the rusty item. Add one tablespoon of washing soda per gallon of water. Clip the positive cable from your battery charger to the sacrificial object (the anode) and put it into the bucket of water. It is OK if some of the anode projects out of the water. Clip the negative cable to the piece that you would like to clean (cathode). It is important that this object be completely submerged and covered by 2-4" of water and that the two pieces not be touching. Plug the charger in. It won't be long before you see bubbles rising in the water. This is a good sign. The process of rust removal has now begun.
CAUTION: Do not smoke near or place this bucket near an open flame! These bubbles contain hydrogen gas and can explode!
A small piece will usually be cleaned in approximately two hours. Larger pieces will require a bit longer and more amperage to get the job done. After two hours, you will notice a dark gray or black film on the piece being cleaned. Unplug the battery charger and remove the film from your piece with a Scotch Brite pad. Do not use sandpaper or steel wool, unless you can live with the abrasion marks they will create on your finished piece!
It is important that you apply a finish coat to your newly cleaned, rust free pieces, as they will begin to oxidize very quickly. My recommendation is to use a product like Minwax Paste Wax rather than WD-40. It provides a much more durable finish and lasts much longer.
With this knowledge under your belt you are free to buy all of the rusty old tools you come across. After all, that old rust can be removed!