Evaporust

[Stanley Thigpen]

I have been using Evaporust to clean up an old plane. The instructions say that the product can be used over and over till exhausted. I wonder if I should keep the used material separate from the unused product? Any suggestions from those of you who are familiar with Evaporust? Thanks

[Mike Henderson]

I would keep it separate just so I had some full strength material available. I'd use the old stuff until it didn't work any more, then throw it away and put the failed part into the full strength material.

Mike

[Dave Parkis]

I find it holds up pretty well, but I would pour the used stuff into a container through a coffee filter to try to get out as much gunk as possible

[Stanley Thigpen]

Thanks, Mike

[Allan Speers]

One tip:

When it starts to get really black, add in more water. It needs oxygen from the water in order to chelate. Also, add HOT water. Iron oxide chelation works infinitely faster when it's hot. I usually put my container in the oven and keep it at 170 degrees. (the lowest it will go) Once I had a really black mixture, with a still-rusty tool in it, and no bubbles all day. I added some fresh water, then "baked" it at around 200 degrees, and it started bubbling like crazy.

I'm not sure it matters that there is "black stuff" in the mixture, just as long as there is fresh water and some of the chelation chemical left. (I wonder if anyone has ever tested this? )

[Frederick Skelly]

I would keep it separate just so I had some full strength material available. I'd use the old stuff until it didn't work any more, then throw it away and put the failed part into the full strength material.

This is what I do too.

[Hilton Ralphs]

I have been using Evaporust to clean up an old plane. The instructions say that the product can be used over and over till exhausted.

Do you really have that many planes with rust? I'm tired just thinking about it.

[Allan Speers]

Do you really have that many planes with rust? I'm tired just thinking about it.



Real men have at least a hundred.

[Robert Hartmann]

Evaporust is one of my favorite products, if only it was around when I was into restoring cars. It can be used over and over until it gets black and even then a little longer than you think. Adding water helps if it has been allowed to evaporate. The water promotes the process, but will not overcome it being beyond useful. I used to try to filter it, but found it just a pain and really not needed. I let it sit for a while so the "chunks" settle and pour it carefully into a separate bottle of used stuff. I also have a variety of plastic containers (I seem to have a lot of plastic ice cream containers, creamer bottles, medicine bottles, etc.) that have lids and just use the appropriately sized one for the job. This limits the evaporation and prolongs the product.

Another advantage of using this stuff is it eliminates flash rusting if not washed/scrubbed off. According to the Evaporust site, they recommend washing the part with water and then submersing the part in clean Evaporust and letting it dry. I've always just let it dry off. My shop is in a cellar (humidity at 62-74%) and haven't had issues even if I let it sit a week.

[Mike Holbrook]

I bought a gallon a couple or so years ago. I have lost count of how many planes, wedges, axe heads, adze heads, mitre box parts, other...tools I have cleaned with it. The first time I used it I had so many plane parts to do I just put them all in the same container & put all of it on them. Over the years I have added water at least 3-4 times. I just pulled a rusted old Stanley 150 miter box arm out of it a couple days ago and it is still working fine. Every time I use it I figure it will fail to work but so far every time I have been wrong. Mine is black with all sorts of gunk floating around in it, not very appetizing to look at but if it still works....

I have two plastic containers. I put the tools to clean in the empty one and pour from the one I used last time, adding water if I need more liquid, being careful to make sure there isn't still some part hiding under that black liquid. I scrub the black residue off with a brush, rinsing with water. Then I dry with a towel and oil the clean surfaces. Leaving surfaces wet, after cleaning, can result in flash rusting.