Chrome Leg rust removal and polishing

[Strangeways]

There are a couple of techniques I use to clean up legs. The first task is to remove the leg levellers. I have started with a leg with a leg leveller "rusted" in the thread of a leg. The failed previous attempt resulted in the bottom of the leg leveller being sawn off. The thread on the leg leveller looks like it was chewed by a Dinosaur. 

Leg Leveller removal


The first step is to grab some clamps and secure the leg on the workbench;





The second thing to do is clean the thread with a wire brush
With the correct spanner, loosen the nut almost towards the end of the thread, away from the castor. You may need to squirt oil along the thread to make things easier. The nut is a 14mm. I screw on a 17mm nut on the end of the thread and then by using a 14mm and 17mm spanner, I tighten them against each other, like this (sorry about the Flash);





Now grab a 17mm socket and ratchet and start to loosen the nut... Like magic, the entire leg leveller starts to move. No matter how stubborn, it will eventually move. Sometime you need to "tap" it with a hammer (gentle persuasion)..





After a couple of minutes - Out comes the thread...





... and all that has to be done is to remove the 17mm nut and discard the rest of it in the bin..


Rust Removal

Here's a challenge... Our American friends use a product with great results - "Lightening Rust Remover".. They buy it by the gallon, and soak the entire legs in a container overnight. The legs turn out almost new the next morning. I've never found the product here in Australia, however, the "lightening" product range do have some industry standard abrasive cleaners in the Bunnings shelves...

I use "Ranex" products - available at Bunnings and very cheap. The other products you need are Windex, water (I use grey water), a toothbrush that has been trimmed to make the "brush" harder, some rags, gloves and EYE PROTECTION... Don't skimp on the eye protection... in fact, if you don't have a pair of safety glasses, then don't try this AT ALL. If you don't believe me, then buy the Ranex Rust Remover and drop some on your hand... OUCH... That could be your eye...

Below is a picture of a fairly good leg. It does have surface rust on it. You can feel it if you run your hand along the surface. To the left in the Ranex and in the background are my safely goggles.





I've set the side of the leg on a flat surface and gently poured the Rust Remover on the leg and used the brush to spread out the chemical along the length of the leg. No need to work it in.. just spread it equally. About a capful will do one side of a leg. Wait 5 - 10 minutes, the chemical reacts with the rust and turns a cloudy white.

Put your safety glasses on.

Check that you have your safety glasses on.

With the toothbrush, work the area in a circular motion... The chemical removes the rust as if it is mud on the floor. VERY easy to remove. The bruch MAY pick up the "holes" left by the brush and "flick" on your hands, clothes or face. Work the chemical in - Don't wipe it off.. No need to - yet. For stubborn rust, use another capful and wait another 10 minutes.. Scrub again... Then use an old rag and wipe it clean.

Do the same for the other side of the leg.

For the inside of the leg, you can use the same method. Since it is not seen, I usually pour the chemical into the "channel" of the leg, and then work it into the rust with the toothbrush.. You can use a scotchbrite pad here - it is not seen and is usually "dull" anyway...

Here's a picture of the chemical at work on the left hand side of the leg. I have not worked it in at all - just spread the chemical out on the top half of the leg and left it for 10 minutes...





Closeup of the area..





After finishing the scrubbing, I wipe it with a cloth (later discard the cloth), and then spray it with windex and wash it straight away in a bucket of water and an old bucket... Finally, dip it into another bucket of clean water. Hand dry it with a cloth.

Polishing

Two choices - Buffer wheel or by hand. I use Brasso and do it by hand... The buffer can be used for more stubborn polishing, but it can sometimes be a bit dangerous to handle a large leg on a buffing wheel.


Polish the new legbolts and install new leg levellers, and it should look like this ;





I STARTED the legs at 6:00 PM and FINISHED around 10:00 PM... About an hour per leg...

 

[63wizz]

Top job Strangways, i have used the same rust killer, they came up very nice.

cheers Ian

[Strangeways]

Top job Strangways, i have used the same rust killer, they came up very nice.

cheers Ian

Ian - It removes all sorts of rust and corrosion - I have used it on FILTHY lock down bars and let it soak overnight..It is excellent.

[Creech]

Wow - great tip. Thanks for sharing.

[pinnies4me]

Thanks for the tip Nino!

I have used Novus 3 with superfine steel wool and gotten very nice results - not sure if I'm doing anything that might be causing issues down the track?

[Strangeways]

Thanks for the tip Nino!

I have used Novus 3 with superfine steel wool and gotten very nice results - not sure if I'm doing anything that might be causing issues down the track?

I used to use Brasso and 0000 steel wool with similar results. Sometime the Legs are "pitted" from the corrosion, and I've found the best way is to attack that through chemicals, not scrubbing.. Both methods should give you similar results.

[Ballywannabe]

Thanks Nino - will have to give that a try.  I usually use mechanical removal with varying degrees of success.

[Marty Machine]

Hi All,

Just an add-on note, i use "Oxalyc Acid" (ox-el-ik) for rust removal of any severity.

Soak your rusty parts in this stuff, and they come back out chrome.
This will also get deep inside threads and eat the rust away, freeing up any bolts that are otherwise a challenge.

Don't be fooled the by term "acid" though, this won't attack stickers or paint or anything BUT rust, neat huh?

I used this a lot to restore old collectable bike frames & parts that are chocolate brown with rust, and come out chrome again.

Of course if your chrome has become flakey and lifting it'll only eat rust away from under the chrome, but at least you can then see how severe the damage is.

You can find Oxalyic Acid at Bunnings & Home Hardware, and it's usually in the garden furniture/restoration section.
It's primary use is to remove rust stains out of outdoor bbq furniture when the metal framework rust-stains into the woodwork.
You can sometimes find it in the paint/chemical/cleaning sections, but it seems to differ from store-to-store.

Also note, this stuff comes in small plastic bottle in liquid form (mild) and in larger bottle in 'flake' form (like chrorine) where you mix it into a tub of water depending how strong you need it.

I usually let my bits soak overnight, or even 2-3 nights until i'm happy that all rust has gone.
You'll also notice a white & green foamy buildup on the water surface, this is normal - green is good ;-)

It might be a good idea to throw in some sacrificial bolts and parts in first, to get an idea of what it can do for you.

Hope this helps.

[Strangeways]

Great tip Marty...I wonder if the rusty legs can be soaked over night ?

[Marty Machine]

Yep, as long as you have a large enough tub or whatever, the legs soaking overnight will be no problems.
Once again, try a rusty sacrificial leg first and get an idea of the outcome.

As far as i've experienced, there's no time limit for soaking, so if you forogt about legs soaking for 5 days they'll still be there, in tact and NOT eaten away ;-)   (well unless they're solid rust hehehehe)

I soak bicycle frames in plastic kiddy-swimming tubs (clam shells) and that works a treat.
I wish i was soaking smaller things like pin legs 

Marty.

[ddstoys]

Great tip Nino ill be adding that to my shopping list. I used wd40 and steel wool takes ages and doesnt always turn out any good yours sounds much better

[Strangeways]

My apologies - I had removed the images from my Server - they are back now

[Geoffh]

Just noticed these pictures that show how someone set up a bath for his legs

Nifty way of cleaning whether you use just soaking method or the electrical method

Saves on amount of water/solution

http://usergallery.myhomegameroom.com/gallery/MikeO

[ddstoys]

I like the look of that Geoff might have to try the electric method. Just for my curiosity

[Ric]

I found a set of legs yesterday (I know that is really bad as I had completely forgotten about them) and they are basically brown (worse than the inside of Nino's examaple above) but for a small ridge of chrome.

Has anyone had experience using Ranex on legs that are this badley corrodoed? Are they too far gone? In the past I have ground the legs back and then repsrayed however would be interested in using ranex if there was a hope they could be saved.

my instinct is the chrome has all rusted off though

Any thoughts?