best way to clean rust from cheap steel bits.

[shortylickens]

http://www.amazon.com/Neiko-100-Piec.../dp/B000O5XDOG


I like them enough to take care of the things. But they're so cheap they dont even bother to tell you what kind of steel they are. A few of the bits (not all) have rusted badly.
I tried using a wire brush and it didnt help much at all.
Can they be cleaned up with vinegar and salt, or would that make them worse?

 

[nedfunnell]

You could try electrolytic cleaning. It'd be a bit of a process, but it would work well. Then keep them dry and prevent them from rusting again.

 

[shortylickens]

You could try electrolytic cleaning. It'd be a bit of a process, but it would work well. Then keep them dry and prevent them from rusting again.

They were indoors and packed with silica. The handful of bits I use frequently rusted fast because they are too cheap for their own good.

But your cleaning suggestion sounds nice.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Naval Jelly

 

[Ferzerp]

Drill some holes in some wood and then oil them?


edit: Answered thinking drill bits, and then followed the link. Doh.

Seems a lot of work for $13 set of bits.

 

[twinrider1]

lol, thought the exact same thing.


I'd just dump them in a cup of oil for a few days. Drain the excess off, wipe them down a little, and put 'em back in the case.

 

[WilliamM2]

As above, navel jelly. Soak em and wipe them off.

 

[master_shake_]

soak em in coca cola.

 

[JCH13]

Evaporust: http://www.evapo-rust.com/

Mostly because it won't dissolve your skin like naval jelly will. It is non-toxic, doesn't damage the parent metal, is easily reusable, and it is biodegradable so disposal is a cinch.

As above, navel jelly. Soak em and wipe them off.

Eww.

 

[trenchfoot]

Google rust removal with molasses. It works but takes awhile, very enviro-friendly. Usually use it for bigger parts, but works just the same.

Electrolysis works well too.

If not too many of the bits are rusted, and they're not rusted to the point where major pitting is occurring, I'd use a soft wire wheel on a bench grinder and hold the bits with a vise grip. A 2 inch wire wheel mounted in a hand held drill that's secured in a bench vise should do quite nicely too.

I'm right in the middle of doing a resto-mod on a '73 Vette, so rust busting is a major time consuming issue with the project. I've used all of the aforementioned methods depending on size of job and severity of rust with varying degrees of success.

Hope this helps.

 

[shortylickens]

I dont have a wheel bench. I have a dremel. Maybe I could improvise with a little vise.

But I think oil soaking is a good idea. We've got some leftover chainsaw oil and a can of 3 in 1.
Which would be best?

 

[MongGrel]

Stick em in a hand drill and run em in and out of a 2X4/some wood scrap a few times will knock most of it off.

Sounds like the tips would probably need to be reground though.

If they are small ones might just be better off buying a new set of them.

*edit* NM was thinking of drill bits myself.

Naval Jelly and just letting em set would be best probably.

If in a hurry soak em in toilet bowl cleaner, but would eat them up a bit also.

Probably immaterial and an rust has eaten them a bit anyways I imagine.

 

[Belegost]

Stick a wire brush in a vice with the bristles up, mount the rusty bits to a drill and spin them through the wire brush. Recommend a brass brush to avoid misshaping the bits.

 

[Raizinman]

Perhaps I'm missing something here. A 13 piece, high speed drill bit set at Harbor Freight, with case and warranty is only $3. Not $3.99, only $3. Not sure what your time is worth, but cheap drill bits are designed to be thrown away. Virtually anything you do to try and make these bits last by sharpening, cleaning, etc. will absolutely cost more than the bits themselves. And you will still be left with cheap drill bits.

Cheap drill bits will cause damage to both you personally and the project.

 

[chimaxi83]

Man, talk about cheap labor. I'll pay you $13 to come remove rust from my driver bits too. PM me for more info.

 

[Raizinman]

Perhaps I'm missing something here. A 13 piece, high speed drill bit set at Harbor Freight, with case and warranty is only $3. Not $3.99, only $3. Not sure what your time is worth, but cheap drill bits are designed to be thrown away. Virtually anything you do to try and make these bits last by sharpening, cleaning, etc. will absolutely cost more than the bits themselves. And you will still be left with cheap drill bits.

Cheap drill bits will cause damage to both you personally and the project.

I forgot to mention that Harbor Freight has 20% coupons in most all car magazines. That brings the price of these high speed drill Bits down to about $2.40 (less tax). Is it really worth spending any time and money to clean them?

 

[trenchfoot]

I dont have a wheel bench. I have a dremel. Maybe I could improvise with a little vise.

But I think oil soaking is a good idea. We've got some leftover chainsaw oil and a can of 3 in 1.
Which would be best?

I have a dremel set myself, and the kit includes a couple of rotary wheels. One is plastic bristle and the other is stainless steel wire. Both are 3/4" dia. The stainless steel wheel would work well for you as the wire diameter is fine (not coarse). I think they cost like $3.50 each or so at your local hardware store.

If I soaked those bits in anything oil-like, it would be penetrating type oil like Kroil, PB Blaster or WD40. These types get under the corrosion and lifts it away from the base metal whereas 3-in-1 mostly coats the corrosion.

I've soaked lightly corroded kep screws and other screws that are hard to find or expensive to replace in penetrating oil in zip lock bags and left them in there for a week or two and with a little brushing the screws seem to take on a burnished look like they've been treated to a black oxiding or carburizing procedure.

 

[Mandres]

A little surface rust isn't going to hurt those. Just spray them down with WD40 and close the box. They'll work when you need them.

 

[shortylickens]

FOR YOU WHINY LITTLE BASTARDS:



Its good to learn and practice these skills on cheap items before experimenting on a thousand dollar snow blower or twenty thousand dollar car.


Thanks for the advice thus far.

 

[trenchfoot]

Forgot to mention that the method of rust removal that does the least amount of, shall we say...."further damage" to the affected part is wire wheeling. Technically, it isn't an abrasive like DA discs or scotchbrite. It will remove corrosion while removing the least amount of un-corroded metal.

In fact, when our shop is servicing naval vessels, there is a strict requirement for the use of wire wheels, especially stainless steel wire wheels for corrosion removal on certain high value items.