De-Rusting

Kannon

I sabotaged the bike-porn thread with this query and deservedly got no answers.
Has anybody tried painting rust-remover paint and then rubbing with wet-and-dry paper as a method of removing rust from a steel bike frame?
I'm very new to this so not sure if this would be a good method but it was suggested to me.
Thanks.

bbosco

How bad is the rust? Would it come off with a fine sand paper? I've not tried it but I would be wary of using rust remover paint on anything more valuable than an old garden gate.
Once you get the rust off, don't forget you should apply a couple of coats of primer before touching up the pain.

Kannon

The rust isn't awful, but needs attention. I'll try get pics up. I'm kinda sorry i let the bike go this long. I haven't tried sandpaper. I tried steel wool but i wasn't really getting anywhere with it.
Yeah i have the primer sorted.
Thanks.

bbosco

Have a look here:

http://www.bikeforums.net/archive/index.php/t-2190.html

Some good advice, especially re using brass wool instead of steel wool.

Kannon

Here are some pics, sorry about the crappy quality. could i use the rust remover paint on rust this bad do you think? that brass wool stuff seems difficult to find. What about removing rust from the chrome?
Thanks...

Golfanatic

if you wanna do a proper job your gonna have to respray, completely strip the paint away cos thats fading and its alot of rust to not strip the paint. itll be easy enough to get rid of with some sandpaper once the paint is gone

Golfanatic

and for the chrome wet and dry 1000+ MIGHT do the trick

100th post woooooooo!!!! Partyyy

LastGasp

That looks like a lot of work, and might need wet & dry sandpaper rather than wire wool. I would suggest that you strip the bike and get the frame and fork done. Tallaght Powder Coating in Walkinstown would sandblast the whole lot back to bare metal and powder coat one colour for about EUR120, but you would have to strip all the components off first, and blank off threads etc. It would save a whole lot of manual labour.

Golfanatic

nitromors its sick stuff try that you could also rattle can it ive had great success

Kannon

Thanks for the advice all.
If i was to go for the powder coating option, do they do everything, as in do they de-rust it too?
I understand that i need to take it apart myself...
Also, if i get the rust off the chrome, what should i apply to it after?
Thanks.

Golfanatic

i dont ythink you will have to but if you do gloss cler lacquer varnish

Golfanatic

ive got non gloss i could give you as the fork is already glossy, ill give it to ye for a 5er as its quite expensive.

CramCycle

I had an old BMX from my neighbour with a decent bit of rust. I took to it with a brillo pad and a bucket of water, took it all off but you need strong arms for this as its pretty intense the force and time you'll have to put in. Dried with a tea towel and it was ready to go, after a few licks of paint as described above it was as good as new.

gman2k

Kannon wrote: »

I sabotaged the bike-porn thread with this query and deservedly got no answers.
Has anybody tried painting rust-remover paint and then rubbing with wet-and-dry paper as a method of removing rust from a steel bike frame?
I'm very new to this so not sure if this would be a good method but it was suggested to me.
Thanks.

Ok, luckily I was doing this the other day with a steel frame.

First remove all paint - I used Strypit and then using a mechanical wire brush attachment on a drill to remove final traces, and then sanded the frame to silver metal.
Now, there was still some evidence of rust marks on the frame, with the worst areas pitted on the metal.
So I cleaned down the frame with some panel wipes (available in auto factors) and then applied Jenolite rust remover to the frame.
Now it's not a paint as such, but a phosphoric acid solution.
You paint it on with a brush, leave for 15 mins, then paint on another coat and wipe off immediately with a clean cloth.
With bad rust, you can give it a few treatments.
It kills the rust marks, and leaves the rust areas as black metal.
Now, it's ready for priming, just make sure to clean the frame again with some panel wipes, and let it dry completely.
Full instructions are on the bottle.

there are other solutions for frame internals, which you can spray into the small holes in stays for example, which will kill any rust inside the tubing.
Another possibility for inside tubes is waxoyl, but I think this would add too much weight.

Don't forget to get a rust prevention primer for the frame, give it at least three coats, with a light sanding, and panel wipe between each coat. They say you can do each coat 2 hours apart, but I prefer to do one coat per day!

Re your chrome parts, me thinks you'll have to A: take down to bare metal and repaint, or B: take down to bare metal and get re-chromed.
I'm on the lookout for places that will do chroming, at the moment, the motor bike world is looking like the best bet.

Kannon

Thanks again all for the advice. Gman2k that's very helpful much appreciated. Are you going to paint it yourself? How long does the whole process take from start to finish? It's my only bike and I
use it a lot so I'm hoping not to have it off the
road too long. Also, what would you say it cost you in total?
Thanks

gman2k

Kannon wrote: »

Thanks again all for the advice. Gman2k that's very helpful much appreciated. Are you going to paint it yourself? How long does the whole process take from start to finish? It's my only bike and I
use it a lot so I'm hoping not to have it off the
road too long. Also, what would you say it cost you in total?
Thanks

I'm going to prime it myself, and then probably give it to a sprayer for final coats, lacquer. I'm budgeting about 50-80 quid for the pro spray

The jenolite was about 15, sandpaper 5 (for pack of sheets) Strypit was about 15, couple of brushes, panel wipes around 10, primer aerosol in white 10, decals 10...
But where do you stop?
I'm putting on new wheels, 8 speed shimano running gear, seatpost, saddle etc etc, so it's a full rebuild with modernish gear.
I could have put back on the tatty Suntour Sprint derailleur, but just too tatty. The shifters I had orig were Simplex retro levers ( tube mounted). New ones are 8 speed shimano SIS tube mounted also.
I'm in no rush, as I've a stable to choose from - newest addition was added to the family today, pics may be up tomorrow;)

abcdggs

picked up a beater frame the other day, stripped using strypit (which is definitely better than nitromors!) the paint and sanded down any rust, I think rust removing paint is a bit overkill, some coarse-ish sandpaper and elbow grease will do the trick.

It will take several days if you wanted to do it properly. ie allowing sufficient time between coats. should cost about 30-40 EUR. but you will have paint stripper left over

Great guide here

LastGasp

Kannon wrote: »

If i was to go for the powder coating option, do they do everything, as in do they de-rust it too?

They sandblast the whole lot back to bare metal, rust (and chrome) will be gone too. If there are very rough spots on it you could sand them fairly smooth beforehand, but no need to acheive a perfect finish, as the powder coat covers a lot and leaves a smooth top coat.

gman2k

abcdggs wrote: »

I think rust removing paint is a bit overkill, some coarse-ish sandpaper and elbow grease will do the trick.

Depends on the project abcdggs, an old beater perhaps, but a bike you don't want to see rust on again? I'd spend the extra 15 notes and do the Jenolite and good few coats of primer.

The frame I'm working on was resprayed about 6 years ago, and the rust had bubbled through again in that time span. (was resprayed by bike shop in Dublin area.
Good linky!

gman2k

LastGasp wrote: »

They sandblast the whole lot back to bare metal, rust (and chrome) will be gone too. If there are very rough spots on it you could sand them fairly smooth beforehand, but no need to acheive a perfect finish, as the powder coat covers a lot and leaves a smooth top coat.

If you have a good steel frame (531 or above), let no one near it with a sandblaster. And I'd even say never blast an aluminium frame.
(of course it's fine with a carbon frame)

abcdggs

gman2k wrote: »

Depends on the project abcdggs, an old beater perhaps, but a bike you don't want to see rust on again? I'd spend the extra 15 notes and do the Jenolite and good few coats of primer.

The frame I'm working on was resprayed about 6 years ago, and the rust had bubbled through again in that time span. (was resprayed by bike shop in Dublin area.
Good linky!

You're probably right, i spent excessively long sanding it down to get it right. i'd suggest going down the powdercoating route. The only reason i decided to strip and spray it myself was for something to do. It will certainly last longer and i think it will look better

abcdggs

gman2k wrote: »

And I'd even say never blast an aluminium frame.

I've heard powder coating alu is a bad idea, the heat weakens the metal or some such...

gman2k

abcdggs wrote: »

I've heard powder coating alu is a bad idea, the heat weakens the metal or some such...

nah, urban myth. I'm sure manufacturers would say it'd kill the warranty, but sure that would be gone by then anyhow!
Mind you, my old Trek 8500 from mid 90s is a bonded aluminium frame, so it would be a no-no there!

But getting back to the rust, if you don't kill the rust, it will make it's way out again, no matter what the primer, finish, be it paint or powder.