Originally Posted by
DCilliams
Guys - thank you for the great feedback. Work has been crazy otherwise I would have had some follow-up questions. I'll absorb these recommendations. I live in Washington, DC so i'll see if they're any good auto body paint suppliers that could match the paint. To start, I may try building a little dam with clay and put evapo rust in there with a medicine dropper. I definitely want to get this right.
gaucho777 What do you mean "neutralize with baking soda"? Is this a step necessary with evapo-rust as well?
merziac Here's a quick pic of the bike in question
Oxalic acid is toxic. You should avoid touching it directly. It can cause irritation, and it can be absorbed by the skin and cause other problems. That's not the case with Evapo-rust, which is why some people prefer Evapo-rust. However, I find that oxalic acid is somewhat more effective and it is much more cost-effective. Baking soda neutralizes the acid so it is no longer toxic. Before dumping OA or touching parts/frames that have been soaking in OA, it's a good idea to neutralize with baking soda. I use about 1 tsp. of baking soda per gallon of OA solution but I'm not sure how much others use.
Further reading:
The wonders of Oxalic Acid...