bolt and hardware cleaning
My Harbor Freight tumbler doesn't do much for rusted fasteners. They can be in there all day and they still come out rusted.
I derust all of my fasteners with muriatic acid. The acid works a lot faster then EvapoRust and doesn't lose its strength. Once the rust is gone, the fasteners get soaked in backing soda water to neutralize the acid. Then they are ready for the tumbler. I use a degreaser with the green pyramids. After a couple hours they come out ready to go to the zinc platers....or to darken. I've had fasteners cleaned this way sitting in a box inside the house for over a month and they haven't started to flash rust.
My Harbor Freight tumbler doesn't do much for rusted fasteners. They can be in there all day and they still come out rusted.
I derust all of my fasteners with muriatic acid. The acid works a lot faster then EvapoRust and doesn't lose its strength. Once the rust is gone, the fasteners get soaked in backing soda water to neutralize the acid. Then they are ready for the tumbler. I use a degreaser with the green pyramids. After a couple hours they come out ready to go to the zinc platers....or to darken. I've had fasteners cleaned this way sitting in a box inside the house for over a month and they haven't started to flash rust.
