OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Restoring, Customising and Modifying Reel-Type Mowers prep for paintwork

How are you guys prepping all the rusted parts for painting / assembly ? Mainly items like the rear rollers and sole plate etc , the ones that are covered with years of surface rust .

Hi jim13,

Basically most of us use the sand blasting process to clean everything perfectly.

Cheers,
BB

There's also the slow, low-tech approach to rust removal.

It looks like this:

And it does smell about the way it looks! Definitely outdoor use only.

What this is, is a bath made up from stock feed grade Black Molasses and water. I've seen mix ratios from 1+5 to 1+10 molasses/water recommended, but this 1+10 one is working just fine for me. Made up by weighing the molasses into the plastic bath [a cut-down 25L polycube], then adding a bucketful of hot water, stirring, and topping up from the garden hose.

I cover it with an old washing machine cabinet panel, to keep insects etc. out [and spray around it with Surface Insect Spray for ants].

One of the main advantages of this method is that it will only remove rust, and won't corrode good metal, if the workpiece is left in a bit longer than optimal.

It does take a while; up to a few weeks, for heavily rusted bits. Those will also require periodical removal from the bath, and scrubbing off the loosened rust with a nylon brush, a few times.

Looks like a messy process ! I did consider using some phosphoric acid from bunnings but used a sandblasting place instead. Just picked up everything from them. Everything nice and clean but leaves a rough finish.
Is it recommended to paint the rear roller gear things and key pieces ? I was going to make them smooth and paint them.

It's not all that messy really; just hose off the bits on the lawn, then scrub them down.

After all, DIY sandblasting is pretty messy too, unless you have a blast cabinet.
I do have the gear, and garnet grit, on hand for sandblasting. But if I'm not in any hurry, the molasses bath is just fine.

You can also use ELECTROLYSIS. This involves running a DC current through an electrolyte of washing soda, it's really simple and only requires a large tub, a car battery charger/battery and some washing soda. Check the net for detailed instructions.

Craig