Okay, with some trepidation I did decide to start yet another rust thread. Has anyone ever used citric acid for rust removal? I did a web search, and it seems to be used successfully by collectors of woodworking planes. I know everyone here likes oxalic acid. I do, too. I've also used it with good results, but I'm just uneasy about its toxicity, especially when it comes to mixing up enough of it to dip a frame--I don't like the idea of dumping 75 gallons of it onto the ground or into my septic system. I'd much rather use something like citric acid, which as I understand it is essentially non-toxic (I know, I know, EVERYTHING is toxic if you ingest enough of it) and perhaps cheap enough to use in quantity. I'd considered regular household white vinegar--5% acetic acid--which seems to work (I've successfully cleaned small parts with it), but I can't see myself buying 50 gallons of the stuff at over a dollar a gallon, or whatever it costs. But citric acid looks like a good bet if it works and won't wreck paint. Anyone here tried it?
I apologize if I seem to be asking the same question over and over with different acids. It's just that I'm kinda nervous about dipping the Dawes Double Blue--beautiful bike, basically sound paint but pretty extensive surface rust. I don't want to screw it up.
JV