Richie's Mk1 Restoration

[Bob Carriere]

I used a more agressive approach to de -rusting...

Using a 45 gal. barrell with thetop cut off....filled with water and lye solution form rural hardware store.... used up to two batteries and a battery charger.

Batteries would drain in about one hour.... battery charger was hot...

Installed a sheet of Stainless Steel around the perimetre of the drum ..about 6 square feet.......SS will last longer in a strong solution....Suspended complete axles in the barrell using the bucket of the tractor..... did one end... reversed for other half....

working outside H gas was not a serious concern.... the lye solution really removes grease from your bare hands.... and some skin...

Rinsed with a high pressure water gun and sun dried..... sprayed with Phosphoric acid to etch....sun dried again ....iron phosphate dust rub down lightly with 3M pad...... paint with POR.

Lye is dangerous and toxic..... advantage is that it also removes any paint and degreases the inner part of the axle tube.....

Empty drum on a rainy day when ground is already soaked with water.... skimming the greasy oil lumpy scum from the surface is recommended.

Remember that the bigger the parts.... the bigger the sacrificial plate... the stronger the solution the faster and hotter things will get.

Keeping pets and kids away is mandatory..... all these processes can be dangerous but then so is the torch, plasma cutter, grinder, etc.....

Bob C.