Record No3 Vice Clean Up.

[MattF]

A press, else a couple of hardwood blocks and a mallet. You want the blocks several inches apart, and then place the bent portion over the centre of the gap, and then tease it back to straight with blows from the mallet.

 

[dazza]

A press, else a couple of hardwood blocks and a mallet. You want the blocks several inches apart, and then place the bent portion over the centre of the gap, and then tease it back to straight with blows from the mallet.

Thanks matt will get it cleaned up first then have a go.

Am i correct in thinking that the threaded bar and handle are one piece?

 

[MattF]

The ends of the handle are usually peened or pressed together, so you'll save yourself some work by leaving the handle in there.

 

[dazza]

Sorry i mean the bit the handle slides through, its bent right at the end.

 

[MattF]

Ah, right. Yup, that's all one piece. If it's slightly bent and binding there, your best bet is probably to give it a tickle with a file rather than trying to straighten that portion.

 

[dazza]

Here is another pic.

 

[MattF]

Are you sure that square is square? That seems off by a fair bit. Various ways you could attack that one. Heat and bend, clamp in a vice and get a tube slipped over it for some bending leverage etc.

 

[dazza]

Are you sure that square is square?

Don't get me started on that again. I've bought 4 squares in the past year.

 

[dazza]

Been to 5 supermarkets 2 Chinese shops and a corner shop. No washing soda .

Some of the shops did have caustic soda.

Options:
Buy from the uk and pay postage .

Use the caustic soda .

I have a pack of baking soda 80g slap this in the oven (how much will i need?).

 

[MattF]

Don't bother baking it. Just chuck some in the water as is. It'll work just as well as sodium carbonate. Doesn't really matter how much you put in. Too weak and the process will just go slow, so add a bit more if needed. Too much will have no extra effect. Just start with something like one tablespoon per gallon and gauge it from there.

I've used straight bicarb in the past and the results are just the same as caustic or washing soda. It's merely more expensive than the other two, which is mainly why I don't use it now. My favourite, personally, is caustic.

 

[balmerchris]

Been to 5 supermarkets 2 Chinese shops and a corner shop. No washing soda .

Some of the shops did have caustic soda.

Options:
Buy from the uk and pay postage .

Use the caustic soda .

I have a pack of baking soda 80g slap this in the oven (how much will i need?).

Look for soda crystals. I looked for ages before I realised they are the same thing (washing soda).

 

[Seadog]

Soda crystals and caustic soda are not the same thing. Caustic is sodium hydroxide, Soda is sodium carbonate. The salt you use plays no direct part in de-rusting. It's just there to make the water more conductive.

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

Don't use salt, it can produce chlorine gas.

That, on the whole is not good.

 

[balmerchris]

Soda crystals and caustic soda are not the same thing. Caustic is sodium hydroxide, Soda is sodium carbonate. The salt you use plays no direct part in de-rusting. It's just there to make the water more conductive.

Sorry I meant soda crystals are the same as washing soda. Or close enough for me.

 

[Seadog]

Don't use salt, it can produce chlorine gas.

The term salt isn't suggesting table salt but is used for chemical compounds that are ionic. It's these ions that facilitate the the transmission of current through water. I agree it would be better not to use table salt due to chlorine release.

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

@Seadog
I kinda guessed you did not mean table salt.

But I have seen people use it, I did not hang around.

 

[dazza]

Thanks guys cant find soda crystals either, I've had enough of running around now the wife thinks i'm nuts.

Will go with the baking soda.

Emptied one of the kids lego boxes and found some draining things the in-laws bought last time they were here .

In each corner are the poorly welded test pieces from when i had my mighty mig. Will quickly weld them together.

Do things need to be suspended or are they are ok sitting on the bottom of the tank?

Will nip to the pound shop tomorrow and see if i can get some crocodile clips.

 

[MattF]

You're better off suspending them. You want the solution encompassing the piece, and the crud will end up as silt on the container bottom, so you don't want the pieces sat in that either.

This is one of my vats, to give an idea of how I go about it.

 

[dazza]

You're better off suspending them. You want the solution encompassing the piece, and the crud will end up as silt on the container bottom, so you don't want the pieces sat in that either.

This is one of my vats, to give an idea of how I go about it.

View attachment 91355

Thanks matt i have a big dust bin in the back garden will use that.

And i've read its best not to use copper wire to suspend them?

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

0.8mm welding wire is ok, strong enough to hold it. The tiny amount of copper will not make any difference.

When it is done give it a blast with a pressure washer, it will help with the clean up.