Rust Removal without sanding

[pancho]

One thing we all hold dear to our hearts is rust. We are forever fighting it and we all hate it.

As part of my resto I am dealing with it myself and always looking for the best easiest way to remove it properly. Here is one product that works as well as it advertises. Deox C Gel - by Bilt and Hamber. The same guys that make POR15. They also make a crystal bath solution product that can be reused - I haven't tried this yet. The products are environmentally safe too!

http://www.bilthamber.com/corrosion-treatments

After successfully removing the spider vein and surface rust off my NOS panels









after applying the gel and cling wrapping it the product is high pressure washed off - leaving nice clean metal. Quick sand and prime.






So here's my latest candidate a rusted out RHD carello headlight. A very rare item to find and one worth saving.



Second application here shows it's coming off. I am not sanding or wire wheeling it in - this metal is so thin I am trying to protect the chrome inside the bowl. 3rd application is now on - I'll update the thread once it's cleaned off.



The 1 litre bottle is $49 and can be bought at most paint supply shops.

[shiny_car]

Looks like pretty good results.

I know little about such things, but how about sand/bead or water blasting? Something like the light would require great care and accuracy, and may not be worth the risk.

[extraball]

I keep a bottle of ranex rustbuster in the shed, it works a treat as well (bunnings carry it).

[pancho]

You really don't want to blast delicate metal or large flat type surfaces - you could damage the metal with the pressure/heat generated. Warped panels are never fun. Another application or two of the DEox and I think the headlight bowl will be good to go.

[Davidm1600]

I was impressed when you first posted about this stuff on your GT Veloce thread and it sure looks like it works well.   Great also to have the link to the website.  Thanks for posting this.

To get that level of deeper rusting sorted out on the old Carello will be most interesting to see just how much it can treat. Mind you I have thrown away better looking but still rusty such Carellos in the past, and still probably would do so these days.  Old Carellos are from my experience not that brilliant a head light. 

[aggie57]

I was impressed when you first posted about this stuff on your GT Veloce thread and it sure looks like it works well.   Great also to have the link to the website.  Thanks for posting this.

To get that level of deeper rusting sorted out on the old Carello will be most interesting to see just how much it can treat. Mind you I have thrown away better looking but still rusty such Carellos in the past, and still probably would do so these days.  Old Carellos are from my experience not that brilliant a head light.

I'll have to back Pancho up on this one; he managed to find me a set of correct NOS RHD Carello lights for my '73 GTV.  First set I had seen anywhere for many, many years.  And he is a stickler for originalility on these types of things.

[Davidm1600]

But I don't disagree Aggie, and seriously I am not having a go at those who prefer originality. I know all too well how seriously Pancho takes this and I respect him for it.  He is a legend in finding such parts.

It is just not my cup of tea, especially if I can actually get better headlights that light up the road so I can see where I am going.  That is my point. Old Carellos just don't cut the mustard in this day and age for my perspective.  Hence on my 1750 GTV I am really glad I have Hella H4s while on my 124 Sport Marchals.  At least I can see where I am going at night. 

[Beatle]

Thanks for the advice and testing Pancho.

These products are a modern take on an age-old ferrous metal cleaning technique.  Deoxidine 624 has been around for decades.  Basically phosphoric acid.

[pancho]

3rd application results.

[Beatle]

Where you need to retain metal rather than remove it (such as the headlight) maybe one of the converters would be better.  Rather than dissolve the rust they convert it into another substance.  I have no idea how strong the resultant material may be, or how heat resistant, but it's worth considering if holes through the surface are a possibility.

[pancho]

True, but like you said who knows what the properties of the converted material will be like. Either way my main aim is to see what the end result is - and the most important thing on this headlight is the RHS specific glass. I've got another little rusty gem waiting some Deox gel I'll update this thread with shortly.