kbpfister

Tried doing a search but couldn't find specific and detailed info on what to do after you've soaked your frame in water for several days to prevent it from immediately rusting



So my frame is ready to come out of the bath tonight and I'm stressing about how to get every ounce of moisture out of the frame and fork as quickly as possible.

Any suggestions would be appreciated, I'm particularly curious if anyone has advice on how frame saver works being sprayed over a surface that has already been coated with WD40, I was considering immediately soaking the frame inside and out in WD40 upon pulling it out of the bath, thinking that that would immediately start pulling moisture away from the frame, but I was worried that this would then inhibit the framesaver from adhering to the tubes and doing it's job.


So basically my plan right now is to :
1. pour the bath out of the tank, and immediately fill the tub with fresh water,
2. add some baking soda and slosh it around a bit neutralizing the acid.

I was thinking that keeping the bike submerged in water was better than letting it sit out in the air while I sponge it down with water and baking soda as some have suggested on the forums

3. Then using an air compressor start blowing out the tubes
4. Alternating the application of the forced air with applying a heat gun used for lifting vinyl tile to the tubes
5. basically just try to heat the tubes and run air through them until it's bone dry in there
6. Then apply frame saver to the outside of the tubes, and wipe the outside down with WD40 and hand it over to the painter.

canopus 

Just dry it (inside and out) and hand it over to the painter, don't coat the tubes with anything. especially if you are to hand it over to the painter within a day or two. They have to prep the tubes for painting anyway and doing it covered with WD-40 or framesaver is just more work that isn't neccessary. Treat the inside of the tubes with framesaver when you get it back.

miamijim

I wouldnt apply anything to it.

Neutralize it.
Rinse it.
Dry it off using compressed air to blast out the tubes if needed.
Wrap it in plastic and store it in the house until your ready to hand it over to the painter.

kbpfister

So you guys think I'm being a little paranoid about the thing rusting up immediately after the bath?

EjustE

+1

the easier way to neutralize it is to:

a. get the frame out
b. add pool/spa Alkalinity Up or like chemicals, stir and check with a pool strip that the pH is about 7-7.2
c. add the frame in the neutralized bath for half an hour or so
d. hang it to dry.

Another advantage is that this way all the acid is neutralized as well, so you do not have to deal with disposing toxic material...

bbattle

It'll get what is called a "rust bloom" or "flash rust" but the painter will take care of that with no troubles. It's very light surface rust that's not a problem.

When you rinse the bike, use a solution of trisodium phosphate and DON'T wipe it dry. Just let it dry as is. The soap will provide a bit of rust protection and not impede the painter's prepping of the frame.

kbpfister

where do I get "trisodium phosphate" ?

EjustE

Home Depot or your favorite hardware store

dbakl

Commonly known as TSP.

kbpfister

So does anyone have some good suggestions for drying out the inside of the frame very quickly, especially a fork which only has two tiny drain holes?

noglider 

Nice frame. What is it?

kbpfister

Olmo Professionisti

kbpfister

Well, I neutralized the bath by adding fresh water and some baking soda, and wiped down the frame and fork as I pulled them out of the bath, blew the tubes out with an air compressor and brought the frame inside, and watched a basketball game while going over the frame with a hair drier and a heat gun untill the thing at least seems bone dry inside and out, I might wait to frame save it until it's painted

overall I'm pleased with the results, if I had chrome parts with rust on them I would def use OA to derust them but I really wonder if it's worth it for a frame, the potential for just making the internal rust problems worse by not getting the water out seems too great, plus you really have no idea whether you've done much good, sure it removed all of the rust on the outside of the frame but I don't really know whats going on in there, could be coming back as I write this. I'm not convinced that in the long run it's worth it, at least not in SoCal where rust doesn't bloom with every season.

noglider 

My guess is that even if you left the frame wet after the acid bath, the water would do less damage than the acid removes, so you'd be ahead of the game. Rust takes time to do its evil work. But it's good that you dried it out anyway. And I am sure you did a good job at that.

Does anyone know what temperatures frame painters use to bake?

SJX426 

As I recall, many years ago, powder coat was baked at 250. I think it is lower now, like 170.

dbakl

Not so sure about that. My recent work with OA:

Soaked parts for a few days, rust removed. Rinsed parts, immediately threw into my bucket of paint thinner. Pulled them out next day and rust had already begun to reappear.

Back to OA for a day, rinsed, placed in a different tub and sprayed heavily with WD40. Haven't checked back yet...

noglider 

dbakl, I know it doesn't take long for rust to start forming, but it's important to note how deep it is. Short-forming rust doesn't go deep. My car mechanic showed me that when he drops one drop of water onto a brake disc, the rust forms almost immediately, but it comes off very quickly, because it's not deep. Of course, kbpfister will want that rust wiped off immediately before painting so the paint sticks, but as long as he or the painter does that, the frame won't be damaged in the days between the acid bath and the paint job.

Right?

abarth

dbakl, did you neutralize the acid after you took it out of the OA bath?