The Home Machinist!

I have a pressure pot, big pass thru cabinet and a 15CFM twin head belt drive 90L compressor. This is for glass etching and carving. I've heard is a pain, takes lot of time to empty out the pot and clean up. Then put different abrasive media in the pot. I have a bucking saw that has some rust on it, seems to be preety light surface rust, no deep pitting. I'd like to clean this saw up I'd appreciate knowing what I can do as a diyer home hobbyist to achive this? I'd like it to come up as nice as possible then oil it. Am I being unrealistic that I could get it looking newish by my own efforts?
I was in a home discount store, Lidl here in the UK the other day. They sell a hand held sandblasting gun, Parkside. This is it in action on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48WAxi11bxc
Ebay UK 332721286490 and quite detailed specification here https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sandblasting-P ... asting+gun
Is a lot cheaper in the Lidl store, even better price than Ebay. Would this portable sandblasting gun with onboard bag collector. Could I use it to clean up the saw nicely? If so regards grit, what would do the job, glass, garnet etc, mesh size?
Thanks.

Electrolysis would work, if you have something big enough to soak it in.

Restoring the original finish will be difficult unless you use the same process used by the maker. That, of course, would remove, or weaken, the original marking, just as blasting would.

You can use glass bead to remove rust, even reasonably deep rust, but the resulting finish will be matt, which will alter the general appearance of the saw, including destroying the maker's mark.

Cleaning off the rust isn't much of a problem. Doing it in such a manner that the saw looks as it once did, is.

If you choose to blast, you'll find that you must blast each side equally, otherwise you'll introduce (or relax already present) tension on the surface, causing the blade to bow.

I have no experience blasting with soft materials, like walnut shell, or corn cob. It's possible it could remove the light rust without altering the saw significantly. I'd suggest you explore that concept.

Edit: You likely already know that you must protect the wood handles if you choose to blast by any means. They'll abrade rapidly if blasted. Wind some (plastic) electrical tape over them. It will resist blasting quite nicely.

H

OK thanks, the handles can be removed.

Electrolysis would work, if you have something big enough to soak it in. More details, method please?

To do electrolysis, you make a solution of water and baking soda or washing soda. You get a DC power source and hook the negative end to the saw and the positive end to a piece of scrap steel. Put the scrap and the saw in the water, make sure they're not touching each other, and turn on the juice. Any oxidation should eventually disappear. It won't fix the pits left behind by rust, though. Those are permanent.

I don't know if it will damage the logo. I assume the pigment is magnetite. I used electrolysis on a hammer that had red rust on it, and when I was done, I found there was magnetite on it. I have read that magnetite is an intermediate product in the process of removing rust, and it can usually be rubbed off.

Ah OK, thanks. I could contrive some sort of suitable frame, using bricks and I have some left over plastic damp proof course membrane. What ratio water to baking soda?What current, how long would it take?

I would use a rust remover product like Evapo-Rust.

http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.a ... 3040,58771

Or Restore.

http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.a ... 3415,43439

Followed by sand paper just coarse enough to clean up the surface (start with fine and work back if you have to, or with steel wool/nylon abrasive pads. You could also use rust erasers.

http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.a ... 4343,64350

The above liquids should be available in England especially the Restore as it is made there.

Pete

I assume the saw will not be used for sawing, but for display. If that is the case, I wouldn't go to the trouble of trying to restore it to "new" condition. The rust doesn't look all that bad. I would just remove the surface rust, using Evapo Rust or equal and steel wool. I think trying to remove any pits will do more damage.

If it's for display I wouldn't do anything to it except rub off the red rust with a kitchen scrubby or some such that won't scratch the metal. Surely you want it to look like a using tool, not a brand-new one.