531 frame rust touch-up tools (without sandblaster)

jpaul · 28 Apr 2016 at 10:04

I have a faithful 531(Eagle) frame .. needing touching up of surface rust spots mostly near BB & lug-work.

Does anyone have advice on tools to cleanup the rust ?

I had previously used emery paper then hammerite, but alternatively wondering about a Dremmel type tool to help, but I am not sure which of grinding wheel/ brass/stainless brush/other attachment might be the most useful/easiest/accurate

I did not want to completely tear down the bike to bare frame again since now using as regular town bike.
Nonetheless how much is a professional sand-blast/re-paint/cure likely to cost (plain gunmetal grey) - my local bike shop had zero advice on this.

PermaBanned · 28 Apr 2016 at 11:36

Soak it in vinegar (damp kitchen roll can help if you don't want to take it all apart) for a few minutes then just rub it off with some steel wool. Could be worth looking into some kind of automotive wax if you want to prevent against further rust in future.

Vonhelmet · 28 Apr 2016 at 13:18

jpaul said:
Nonetheless how much is a professional sand-blast/re-paint/cure likely to cost (plain gunmetal grey) - my local bike shop had zero advice on this.

I paid about £100 plus shipping last year to have an aluminium frame powder coated. You can pay half that or double that, depending on how good a job you want doing of it.

lordrobs · 28 Apr 2016 at 20:10

Expose as much of the rust as you can and kill it off with some of this http://www.hammerite.co.uk/guide/kurust.jsp then primer and paint... or just blow it over with some paint if you don't need a great finish.

jpaul · 3 May 2016 at 10:22

Thanks,
I subsequently found another thread on this topic.
My plan is to get some small brass wire brushes like this or this to put in a full size drill and try that initially to remove old paint, even with a dremmel I do not think this would get into the corners of the lug work so it will be emery paper (maybe a fine diamond tip would work) - indeed does not need a great finish just rust suppression for 10 years .
I have some curerust equivalent I will deploy

Big.Wayne · 4 May 2016 at 18:05

PermaBanned said:
Soak it in vinegar (damp kitchen roll can help if you don't want to take it all apart) for a few minutes then just rub it off with some steel wool

Vinegar? on rust? . . . I didn't hear that before? . . . I just used vinegar yesterday to clean all that limescale from inside the kettle, took about 6 hours but there was a fair amount.

What does Vinegar do to rust?

PermaBanned · 4 May 2016 at 18:29

Big.Wayne said:
Vinegar? on rust? . . . I didn't hear that before? . . . I just used vinegar yesterday to clean all that limescale from inside the kettle, took about 6 hours but there was a fair amount.

What does Vinegar do to rust?

This thread outlines the process: http://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/index.php?topic=15708.0

Vonhelmet · 4 May 2016 at 19:23

PermaBanned said:
This thread outlines the process: http://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/index.php?topic=15708.0

Off topic: My cousin's husband is the original naked scientist.

jpaul · 4 May 2016 at 21:04

... he might like a job at nude coffee roasters Brick Lane London, I saw a job add for them this week .. unusual name ?

yes the vinegar technique may be useful when I have exposed the rust,
I saw it in action on utube

jpaul · 15 May 2016 at 21:26

made the repair using some proxxon brass brushes in a full size power drill ( ~£1.50 a brush,these mount on a mandrel, so reversible very robust not even used one beware apparently some ebay brushes eject filaments at speed ) subsequently touched up with hammerite.
brass was sufficiently abrasive .. scared steel may have scarred frame

...do not know how I survived before the park repair stand either only a 9 from A.marketplace but fine