Why would i buy a 40 Gal drum of molasses ?

[David Herbert]

Richard,
I was not suggesting leaving parts in a bath of phosphoric acid. I was advocating that after removing de-rusted parts from a molasses bath, that they be washed off with lots of clean water and then rinsed in phosphoric acid (by immersion, spray or brushing) which will produce a chemically stable coating of ferrous phosphate and thus prevent the rusting that will occur very quickly if no anti rust treatment is applied. Phosphoric acid is the most common active ingredient in anti-rust and self etching primers for steel though I suspect Fertan contains tannic acid but I have never read up on it. I suggested the milking machine cleaning source of phosphoric acid because for those with friends in the dairy industry it is a way to cheaply acquire a decent quantity in a concentration way better than products like Jenolite that is sold to the public. Obviously precautions must be taken with both safety and disposal but this is not difficult.

David