The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Has anyone tried to use "evaporust" to remove rust from phonograph parts?

I saw it recommended in a woodworking magazine this week and bought some from Harbor Freight. I used in on the handle of a VV-50 I was working on. It really improved the looks by taking off the rust while leaving the remaining plating in tact.

thoughts?

This is good to know. Thanks for the tip.

I always have a large bottle of Evapo-Rust around! I love it! The only thing you have to watch out for is that it takes off the paint on things. ( I used it on a Victor portable crank and will have to re paint the black knob on the end)

I've used it on nickel plated, and even gold plated parts and it works very well. If the plating is flaking off or damaged, it might take off some of the already damaged plating, but it really leaves most of it intact.

Here is the winding part of a VV 2-35 portable and some of the screws. I used Evapo-Rust on them about 2 years ago

I use it all the time and recommend it too!
Dave D

I built one of these for under $20.00 - I use it now to remove all rust.....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54ADeB6V1rQ

This is great to know. I am glad I am not the only one using evaporust for small parts. I think I might build the electolysis unit too for larger parts. Thanks for the info folks!

I built two - one that is 8X8 for small parts and one big 24X24 for much larger parts. I cannot begin to tell you how simple this process is to build and to use - yet it must be done in a well ventilated room or outside on your deck or patio..... My workshop is ventilated with an exhaust fan. It does not work on stainless steel.

I favour the Black Treacle method , which I think is known as Molasses in the US:

Dissolve a big tin of black treacle in boiling water and fill up your container with the mixture and water.
Put your item in the container and come back in 3-4 weeks.
Incidentally the surface of the mixture will get a bit foamy so don't brim the container , and its probably best not left in the house unless the wife is on an extended holiday.
Take the item out of what is now quite a gungy mess and instantly rinse it clean and dry it.
Every trace of rust will be gone leaving only bare steel.
You now need to treat the steel with something (oil,grease,primer whatever) , as if its left in the air it will get surface rust again......
The treacle mixture doesn't harm paint either , so if you're trying to preserve whats left of an original finish its pretty damn good.

Steve

briankeith wrote:I built one of these for under $20.00 - I use it now to remove all rust.....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54ADeB6V1rQ

Has anyone used this approach for things like hand-saws (wooden handle removed), squares, and highly figured castings such as plane bodies ?

Thanks...


Frank

Yes - cast iron cookware, old tools (wood removed of course) hardware, phonograph steel parts, works fantastic !! Safe no dangerous chemicals involved at all, just laundry washing soda, water, a plastic tub, 4 short rebar rods, some solid 12g copper wire, and a (manual) battery charger with 2 - 6 amp settings. I built two of these.