Got Rust...

Paul Steinberg

PCS Life Member President
Staff member
Super Site Supporter
I recently learned about this product. I know that there are a lot of rust conversion treatment products on the market, however, I was told by a number of hobbyists and restorers, that this is the Rolls Royce of these products. There is nothing better in their words... https://fertanusa.com/
 
Nice, I may have to buy some in the future. I have a jug of the rustoleum rust remover now, would be nice to compare. The amazon reviews made me laugh though:

https://www.amazon.com/FERTAN-23520-Rust-Remover-500/dp/B01BL88RAO

"It didn't do what I thought it would do. I had some rust spots on my vehicle that wanted to use this product on. I cleaned the area first and then applied the gel to the area and let it sit for a good while. Wiped it off with a damp rag and didn't really remove the rust. Didn't really do anything. Instead I had to sand the rust away."

I guess some buyers dont realize you still have to actually scrub it, its not magic
 
You have to understand the products to know how they work. They all contain a acid base normally phosphoric. You can use coke as a good converter. Just that clean up is a chore. Converters don't remove rust. They render it harmless by encapsulating it chemically. You sand threw that layer and find rust. Other products like Bill Hursurds Miracle paint render it harmless by smothering in a layer of hard paint. Bill's is smooth there is a bondo product that looks like under coating when dry. These are call encapsulaters. then there are the removers. All acids, older ones like molasses or viniger have been used for long time. The evapor-rust sold at harbor fright uses this Science. They desolve the rust and remove it leaving the pits that need to be filled in or ground down. The require immersion and time. One way to do panels with them is to wet it down and cover it with plastic. Cling wrap will work. The best way is to remove rust with an abrasive. Grind sand or blast it away. But all methods require a water clean up. Then you get to deal with the flash rust that accrues after that.
 
Ayup, Phosphoric acid with zink dissolved. Probably 5-8% Phosphoric.
At least the Krauts provide an honest instruction sheet.
. Let FERTAN RUST CONVERTER work for at least 24 hours when used in temperatures of
55–95°F (12–35°C). Surface will turn black creating a protective zinc layer.
• In dry climates (i.e. direct sunlight over 95°F (35°C) or humidity under 50%),
spray light water mist after 1-2 hours to moisten treated area.
• In cold temperatures of 41–54°F (5–12°C), let work for at least 48 hours.
• Do not use under 41°F (5°C)

Key to acid conversion is thorough and complete wetting of the rust down to the microcraters into the good steel.
You don't do that you will find rust under the Iron Phosphate layer.

They probably charge out the eyeballs for it, and people will buy it because it's the New MIRACLE.

Actually it's a good process, done right no primer is needed, because the Iron Phosphate layer is bonded tot he steel, and enamel sticks well to Iron Phosphate.

And then there is the off label use of marine temporary repair polymeric coating called POR-15. Good slop for 6 months to get back to port so proper repair can be made, fantastic for seperating suckers from money.

If you want any of it in bulk it's available from the blender fairly cheap, but unless you're picking the barrel up at the loading dock freight and HazMat charges will kill you.

The molasses family of products aren't converters, they chelate rust away by stealing 1 Oxygen atom from the rust molecule. Work well IF you have a big tank and a bag of cow molasses from the feed store.

And lets not neglect mentioning the electro plating of rust off a desired object onto a collector. Not much different from good old replating of car bumpers we did in the 70s.

It's all about doing the process correctly.
 
doing the process correctly is the answer. there are plenty of products out there. used properly all will work.
 
Rust

This fender is starting to rust. I guess after 30 + years outside it would. :4_11_9::badbad:
 

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Harbor Freight sells a deruster that was highly recomended to me by a radio restorer friend. I just got a container of it will report on results as soon as I test it.

Is it called EvapOrust?

If so it's a chelator, same process as molasses, slightly cleaned solution.
Costs a couple bucks a gallon from the blender at their dock.

One thing I should probably mention, Phosphoric in even low 5% concentration will dissolve aluminum in short time. When using acid processes it's a good idea to test.
 
I have used it a lot but unless they move that dock closer to me I'll just have to keep paying the high price.
I have a bait box with the lift out strainer for the small parts it works will. Makes a good carb cleaner also.
 
we for got one more rust removal process. as my old boss would say Cherry red the rust is dead.
 

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If I were heating that area to that degree, I would have also brazed closed the holes that are there. No sense in wasting all that oxygen and acetylene just to get the metal red hot.
 
Everdure not brass. Far superior bridging and build qualities.

The man has potential, he's using a Smith torch, hopefully a pre ITW Smith with the lifetime warranty.
 
Got it all done up. just warming it up to but the brass in Be nice if this was a older smith. I used a air products one for 30 years till the barrel came apart on me. Went right down and got medium duty smith made in china. Better then a harbor fright one I guess. Not half the touch a older one is. Main problem is the cheap regulators.
 
ITW has a well demonstrated ability to rip the quality out of everything they buy. When they bought Smith a few years back Smith assured the world Smith torches would continue to be made in the US to Smith quality standards, it was part of the agreement.

Suddenly that changed.
Same crap as when ITW bought Hobart Bros and Miller.

Friend of mine was a Secret Product Tester for ITW Hobart for years, part of a group that gave new products a real world testing before they went on the market. ITW sent him a new Hobart inert gas regulator they were about to market for MIG. 5 minutes of the thing being on the tank it's blowing C-25 gas out where the stem screws into the regulator body. He emails ITW about the problem and that they must have screwed up cause there is no sealant on the threads. The reply was they eliminated sealant to cut cost, they'll tell the assemblers to torque the stems higher.

5 mechanics I know carry their own genuine Smith with a 6 foot whip hose. When they get on a job they disconnect the customer provided torch and use their Smith on the customer's gas.

Quality has left the building.
 
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