Questions for Evaporust Users

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mopowers

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I've never used evaporust before and have a couple questions for those who have before I attempt to use it to de-rust the under side of a deck lid (photos below).

1. How long does a part typically need to soak for it to be effective? I realize "it depends," but I just wanted to get a rough estimate for typical surface rust on sheet metal.
2. Does it kill grass??
3. Would sloshing it around an upside-down decklid suffice, or does the panel need to actually be fully submerged in the solution?

My idea was to just lay it upside down, fill it up as much as possible, slosh it around periodically, and hope for the best before rinsing it out.

Here's what I'm working with:

1668221209374-png.1716009525


1668221160718-png.1716009524
 
it works best fully submerged, but I've had decent results with throughly saturated paper towels and covered in plastic wrap.

if I was attempting that here's how I'd go about it: on the outside seal the seams at the edges of the lips with some plastic wrap and really good tape. then I'd spray down the area that you're looking to treat. then use blue shop towels (or scrap t-shirts) totally saturated and laid up in there flat up against the areas. let it hang out for awhile and spritz it down every hour or so-- like basting a turkey-- depending on the heat while you work on something else. then I'd hose it down one more time real good before quitting for the night and seal it all up as best I could with some plastic wrap.

the next day I'd check the progress in one area and determine if I need to continue along with basting it and sealing it or if I'm good to go. at this point you may need to change out the towels (rinse out the t-shirts) if they're contaminated and you need more soak time.

the key is to keep it wet and let it work.

the other option is to find a trough that can accommodate the width and depth that you'd need and just soak it, but that would take quite a bit of product.

I can't help you with the answer to the grass. but I will say that the solution gets mighty gunky/dirty so I'd advise against hosing it off in the grass or anywhere you might walk.

ETA: it works best when warm, around 70+ or so. if you're below that it takes quite a bit longer.
 
I'm unimpressed with it. I've used it several times. It works, but it quickly weakens to the point that it stops working pretty quickly. I know the parts have to be clean first and I always did that, but nonetheless, I have good luck with it once or twice and then it starts getting weak. Vinegar on the other hand, works very well.
 
I have used it but im inpatient and found its easier to throw something in the sandblasting cabinet. I agree, it doesnt seem to last very long.
Something like that trunk you might be better off hand sanding what you can get to and filling it with ospho to kill the rust. Use clay to seal off the seams and any trim holes to keep the liquid in there.
 
I've never used evaporust before and have a couple questions for those who have before I attempt to use it to de-rust the under side of a deck lid (photos below).

1. How long does a part typically need to soak for it to be effective? I realize "it depends," but I just wanted to get a rough estimate for typical surface rust on sheet metal.
2. Does it kill grass??
3. Would sloshing it around an upside-down decklid suffice, or does the panel need to actually be fully submerged in the solution?

My idea was to just lay it upside down, fill it up as much as possible, slosh it around periodically, and hope for the best before rinsing it out.

Here's what I'm working with:

1668221209374-png.1716009525


1668221160718-png.1716009524
To not answer your question, I will say that your deck lid is in very good condition. I would not subject the rust to evaporust or other liquid rust killers in this situation. I would use por15.
 
Parts need to be clean and dry, no grease or dirt What so ever. It ruins evaporust quickly. I like evaporust. It works great. Warm and dry weather helps a lot.

POR 15 is a band aid. Why do you want that crap on your car?? When I see it upon a car for sale I pass on it.
 
Parts need to be clean and dry, no grease or dirt What so ever. It ruins evaporust quickly. I like evaporust. It works great. Warm and dry weather helps a lot.

POR 15 is a band aid. Why do you want that crap on your car?? When I see it upon a car for sale I pass on it.
It’s all a band aid. I like evaporust too. I don’t see it being a valid solution in this situation unless you could physically submerse the panel for days.
 
To not answer your question, I will say that your deck lid is in very good condition. I would not subject the rust to evaporust or other liquid rust killers in this situation. I would use por15.
Thank you. It's a little worse than the photos show. There are a few pin holes on the outer rear edge that I'll need to cut out and repair. I'd rather treat the rust as best I can than just cover it with goopy paint that I'd likely get more on me than the rust metal. Just trying to decide whether to take the acid approach, or give evaporust a try.
 
Thank you. It's a little worse than the photos show. There are a few pin holes on the outer rear edge that I'll need to cut out and repair. I'd rather treat the rust as best I can than just cover it with goopy paint that I'd likely get more on me than the rust metal. Just trying to decide whether to take the acid approach, or give evaporust a try.
Ya gotta keep it wet. Figure that out and it will work. It will take several attempts to remove all of the rust. Soak that sucker.
 
@hemi71x uses it to clean all the suspension parts he rebuilds and has for years, I bet he has some tricks…
 
@hemi71x uses it to clean all the suspension parts he rebuilds and has for years, I bet he has some tricks…
Well, really no tricks.
I have been using the Evaporust product for 13-14 years, and i think highly of the stuff.
After i get my brake and suspension parts all cleaned up, i just dunk everything in the 5 gallon pail of Evaporust, or dunk the Evaporust in a 10 gallon plastic storage container, and then put the parts to be soaked out in that.
Sometimes if i have cast iron calipers that start out rather rusty, i just leave them in overnight,, and take them out in the morning, when i get up for the day.
Usually my suspension parts don't take the amount of time that cast iron parts do, in my using the Evaporust.
Never had to soak a trunk lid, but i will admit to thinking about it, in the past, what would i do, if i had to.
But i never had to get any further than the thinking about it stage.
I would find something to keep it soaked in.
Yes, works it's best with the metal all submerged.
Well anyway, my .02 cents worth on the subject
Jim V.
hemi71x
 
I've had great success for evaporust, unfortunately it's about $100 for 5gal pail. What I found works great for hard to reach areas is Krud Kutter Must for rust. Thicker like gel. So stays wet longer. Maybe cut that area out you mentioned to give you a little more access?

20230115_213622.jpg
 
I've had great success for evaporust, unfortunately it's about $100 for 5gal pail. What I found works great for hard to reach areas is Krud Kutter Must for rust. Thicker like gel. So stays wet longer. Maybe cut that area out you mentioned to give you a little more access?

View attachment 1716040497
I need to look into that stuff. I have tested por15. If used as prescribed, it is an amazing product.
 
Just a thought...
Take some 2x10 or bricks what ever you have available.

Make a frame like a raised bed garden

Put heavy plastic sheeting down

This will make a kind of bathtub.

Do as others have said and plug all the holes and seams up to keep the solution in the lid

Put the lid on the bath upside down and fill

You can raise one end to get more solution to one end and then the other.

Stand up on end to get the trim end.


I did something similar after having a fender chem stripped and rust removed.

I filled the holes and poured 2 part epoxy paint into the inside of the fender and sloshed it around and with some carefully motions got to the inside of the braces


There is also the rust converter paints that go on blue then turn black when cured.
 
Get a kids wading pool, a 12 volt battery, a small battery charger to keep the battery charged up, a piece of metal like a pipe and washing soda powder. Not baking soda, the washing powder.

You can get the soda powder at the grocery store.
Put the lid in the pool put in three or four cups of the soda powder as you fill it with water. Hook I believe it's the positive to the lid and the negative to the pipe or piece of metal. Do not let the piece of metal and the lid touch. Hook the battery to the two leads hook the battery charger to the battery and the electricity will pull the rust to the pipe. Works great I use it to clean engine blocks crankshafts all kinds of crap. And the neat thing is it's not an acid so after the rust is off you just pressure wash it. But the metal is so clean that the humidity in the air will make it flash rust so be ready for that.
 
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Look at post #60

This was when I was using apple cider vinegar and a aquarium pump. Then I would pull it an rinse it and dunk it in the washing soda tank to neutralize the apple cider vinegar.

Since that time I have dropped the apple cider vinegar and use the electrolysis in the washing soda solution. No more acid.
 
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Get a kids wading pool, a 12 volt battery, a small battery charger to keep the battery charged up, a piece of metal like a pipe and washing soda powder. Not baking soda, the washing powder.

You can get the soda powder at the grocery store.
Put the lid in the pool put in three or four cups of the soda powder as you fill it with water. Hook I believe it's the positive to the lid and the negative to the pipe or piece of metal. Do not let the piece of metal and the lid touch. Hook the battery to the two leads hook the battery charger to the battery and the electricity will pull the rust to the pipe. Works great I use it to clean engine blocks crankshafts all kinds of crap. And the neat thing is it's not an acid so after the rust is off you just pressure wash it. But the metal is so clean that the humidity in the air will make it flash rust so be ready for that.
I have seen electrolysis do some pretty incredible things, but being a trunk lid, the anode or steel rod would somehow need to be placed inside the trunk lid to be effective i think. Like cleaning a pipe, it would take the path of least resistance.
The places that do acid dipping are few and far between, would be worth looking into.

I have a similar issue with the trunk on my Barracuda, im going to pry the seam open and take it apart. No acid dipping in my area at all.
 
I have seen electrolysis do some pretty incredible things, but being a trunk lid, the anode or steel rod would somehow need to be placed inside the trunk lid to be effective i think. Like cleaning a pipe, it would take the path of least resistance.
The places that do acid dipping are few and far between, would be worth looking into.

I have a similar issue with the trunk on my Barracuda, im going to pry the seam open and take it apart. No acid dipping in my area at all.
That is where I use the aquarium pump. To keep the liquid moving.

You can place the steel pipe on the lid in the middle just insulate it to keep it from shorting.
You must think outside the box here but inside the pool.
I use a steam cleaner to wash off my blocks and cranks and things. It gets the metal hot as it's flushing off the soda powder. Then I blow dry it while it's still hot and I don't have problems with flash rusting before I can get a coat of oil or PB blaster on it.

To add a couple of thoughts here. The soda powder is not an acid like apple cider vinegar. So therefore you don't have to worry about it continually eating at your metal. What's actually happening is the electricity is pulling the rust away and the soda powder is making the water a catalyst. Is that the right word? Am I saying this right?
Oh well all I know is it works pretty damn good. And you can do fenders and hoods and doors, anything you can get underwater you can do.
 
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I have seen electrolysis do some pretty incredible things, but being a trunk lid, the anode or steel rod would somehow need to be placed inside the trunk lid to be effective i think. Like cleaning a pipe, it would take the path of least resistance.
The places that do acid dipping are few and far between, would be worth looking into.

I have a similar issue with the trunk on my Barracuda, im going to pry the seam open and take it apart. No acid dipping in my area at all.
An acid dipping story for you.
Carl Harvey of MO-PAR out of Phoenix sunk a swimming pool out in the desert on some property he had. And filled it with the acid that they used to dip radiators in to clean them before EPA came along.
He would dunk car bodies or truck bodies or fenders doors hoods trunk Lids anything you could think of he would dunk in that swimming pool pull it out and hose It off.
As Rusty as I am, I never went swimming in that pool though.
 
Well, really no tricks.
I have been using the Evaporust product for 13-14 years, and i think highly of the stuff.
After i get my brake and suspension parts all cleaned up, i just dunk everything in the 5 gallon pail of Evaporust, or dunk the Evaporust in a 10 gallon plastic storage container, and then put the parts to be soaked out in that.
Sometimes if i have cast iron calipers that start out rather rusty, i just leave them in overnight,, and take them out in the morning, when i get up for the day.
Usually my suspension parts don't take the amount of time that cast iron parts do, in my using the Evaporust.
Never had to soak a trunk lid, but i will admit to thinking about it, in the past, what would i do, if i had to.
But i never had to get any further than the thinking about it stage.
I would find something to keep it soaked in.
Yes, works it's best with the metal all submerged.
Well anyway, my .02 cents worth on the subject
Jim V.
hemi71x
I was kinda hopin you'd chime in. Can you tell us how you keep Evaporust fresh and working? Do you somehow filter it? All I've tried might get three at the most good cleanings with it and then it slows down dramatically and then just stops working altogether.
 
I absolutely love Evaporust, i use it all the time... To keep it lasting longer i try to remove all the loose rust and degrease it really good, after a good soak i take the part out and hit it with 0000 steel wool and rinse it in the sink and then back into the evaporust for another soak... i find by cleaning the part half way through keeps the product cleaner longer and also i find that temperature plays a huge part, i have some parts soaking on my hearth next to my pellet stove, in the summer i just leave it in the sun... i will agree it has got expensive lately... good luck with your projects...Rich
 
The differing results are puzzling? Like Hemix and 413, i have had great success with Evaporust. Been using a 5 gal. pail for 3 years now and have de rusted many many parts. Just did 4 complete door hinges that i'm sure most guys would have thrown out they were so corroded. 2 days and they are sparkling clean!
As for por 15....Run Forest Run!
 
On stuff like that i use phosphoric acid OR Corroseal.. i like corroseal more but the acid i can spray with a bug sprayer... and it's WAY cheaper.
 
i read that acid won't stop, unless you wash well with water, and it can't be used on sandblasted parts that have re-rusted!
 
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