My Oxalic Acid OA Bathtub
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My Oxalic Acid OA Bathtub
I've been meaning to try this OA bath and recently acquired a perfect candidate. With a rescued sheet of plywood, some scraps from a cabinet project, 1/2 a box of left over screws, and a couple evenings...
I think it will get wheels one day.
Measure cut cut cut whatever.
Fits normal frames.
On a dolly to roll wherever.
Two layers of some poly????
I think it will get wheels one day.
Measure cut cut cut whatever.
Fits normal frames.
On a dolly to roll wherever.
Two layers of some poly????
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Classtime
Nice work, great job!
I would be inclined to paint it flat black inside and out to use with paint stripper and black poly.
I stripped a frame this summer and when I set it on black garbage bags after 100 grit and a good slathering, the stripper would almost melt the paint off when it was hot from sitting in the sun.
Once it started doing that, you could add stripper to keep it going, still pretty labor intensive but a fraction of what it would be otherwise.
Nice work, great job!
I would be inclined to paint it flat black inside and out to use with paint stripper and black poly.
I stripped a frame this summer and when I set it on black garbage bags after 100 grit and a good slathering, the stripper would almost melt the paint off when it was hot from sitting in the sun.
Once it started doing that, you could add stripper to keep it going, still pretty labor intensive but a fraction of what it would be otherwise.
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Whoa whoa whoa, I intend to save the paint on this one. Good idea though. Dual purpose tub.
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Using 1T OA per Gallon of warm Water, the frame was noticeably brighter by the time I prepared the last of 20 gallons.
Easier on the decals than wet sanding.
1 hour 30 minutes later, I check on it.
Maybe this is normal after 90 min.
I put the gloves on and with an old green pad lightly scrubbed off some cloudy stuff. Looking good. But standing the frame on end and such within the bath tub while I scrubbed off the cloudy stuff, I must have punctured the doubled liner and a few minutes later the floor was wet. So I bailed the OA solution into whatever I could find and made a new liner out of some poly tarp from my sailmaking project.
Yikes. Somebody needs to put all the crap back in these storage bins. Later.
Easier on the decals than wet sanding.
1 hour 30 minutes later, I check on it.
Maybe this is normal after 90 min.
I put the gloves on and with an old green pad lightly scrubbed off some cloudy stuff. Looking good. But standing the frame on end and such within the bath tub while I scrubbed off the cloudy stuff, I must have punctured the doubled liner and a few minutes later the floor was wet. So I bailed the OA solution into whatever I could find and made a new liner out of some poly tarp from my sailmaking project.
Yikes. Somebody needs to put all the crap back in these storage bins. Later.
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Like the design. Going to make note of this for future reference. Currently I'm working on a long, thin trough for rims, made up a rectangular form out of cardboard and am currently laying in sheets of fiberglass over it. Will knock out a picture or two tomorrow.
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Volume certainly multiplies the gallons.
Not having done this, how are the voids of the seat stays and fork blades flushed out after? They all have A vent hole each.
Chrome platers often really dislike things that are hard to flush.
Not having done this, how are the voids of the seat stays and fork blades flushed out after? They all have A vent hole each.
Chrome platers often really dislike things that are hard to flush.
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Good point. With an itty bitty hose? I don't know how important it is. I intend to spray some boe-shield (on hand) in the tubes after rinsing.
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Good point...maybe next time fill the voids with blocks of wood..better yet since you are great at woodworking, why not build the pieces to fill the voids instead.
Really want to see how it turns out.
Best, Ben
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More wooden walls, inside the front and rear triangles, could very much reduce the volume of solution needed. I can't say whether that would be enough of an advantage to make the extra wood and wood-working labor worthwhile. You can also just pile in bricks, or glass jars or jerry cans full of water, anything to take up space within the triangles. That would be more likely to be worthwhile if you were using EvapoRust, since it's so much more expensive than OA. But even with OA, seems like having less of it to get rid of when done would be a plus.
Have you thought of a way to decant the solution when done? I assume OA can just go down the drain (correct me if that's wrong) but with EvapoRust it would be essential to capture every drop of it for re-use.
Mark B in Seattle
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I've seen post/pictures where the space within the trangles are filled with volume-taker-uppers but I needed someplace to put the fork and 20 gallons didn't seem excessive compared to kiddie pools and such. 8 hours later, the frame looks good. I will leave it till the morning. I purchased a box of baking soda when I picked up the wood bleach to neutralize before dumping on the grass. But I may grab a few 5 gallon buckets at the home store and reuse the solution.
I wonder if the black tar stuff that is used in shower stalls would react with OA. If I could spread that stuff inside my tub and put a drain in the bottom...how sweet.
I wonder if the black tar stuff that is used in shower stalls would react with OA. If I could spread that stuff inside my tub and put a drain in the bottom...how sweet.
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I did a similair thing only used the walls made of 2x8's. No floor. The joints were attached with hinges so frames of different shapes could be included. The diamond shapes were filled with what ever was around that would fit. Liner was used, but like Classtime, a leak showed up.
When done, one side of the hinges were removed and the 2x8's were stacked in a corner. Space is a premium no matter how much room you have!
The fork is placed in a large wall paper trough. @wrk101 showed me this when I visited several years ago.
When done, one side of the hinges were removed and the 2x8's were stacked in a corner. Space is a premium no matter how much room you have!
The fork is placed in a large wall paper trough. @wrk101 showed me this when I visited several years ago.
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I used a "found" container for an OA bath this summer. It probably took 35-40 gallons, though. The OA eventually leaked out into the grass with no ill effects to the lawn grass and weeds.
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Fruit bin? Looks about the right size.
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I like the idea of getting the OA inside the seatstays -- you want to remove that rust too, right? Although it is less important than the exterior rust, which is visible, since aesthetics is a big part of the reason for doing this. Perhaps follow the acid bath with a neutralizing bath -- baking soda? I ain't no chemist. Someone here will know for sure I bet.
Mark B in Seattle
Mark B in Seattle
You can neutralize an OA bath with a baking soda solution (baking soda + water) , keep mixing it in until it stops bubbling and you've neutralized the acid.
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I put a box of baking soda in the 20 T of OA and called it good. I'm looking into painting the interior of my bathtub with one of the rubberizing products and installing a drain but that stuff is pricey.
I think it it worked well. I left it in for 20 hours. Next time, I'll use a weaker solution: 2t per gallon.
If anbody in the Los Angeles area wants to borrow this thing, let me know. This GS only needs some polishing and a little Gold One-Shot.
Solution is clear after 20 hours.
Ready for polishing.
I think it it worked well. I left it in for 20 hours. Next time, I'll use a weaker solution: 2t per gallon.
If anbody in the Los Angeles area wants to borrow this thing, let me know. This GS only needs some polishing and a little Gold One-Shot.
Solution is clear after 20 hours.
Ready for polishing.
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Oh, That turned out very nice!!!
Best, Ben
Best, Ben
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Very clean.
as you know the paint is slightly porous,
worth the effort to clear coat it?
as you know the paint is slightly porous,
worth the effort to clear coat it?
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Why do I feel like one of my projects would be buried in that wooden box...
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Cool box. Harbor Freight has a large dolly for like, $15.
When I overhauled the garage for a "new" bike workshop this past summer, I used a jack to lift a heavy workbench and dropped it onto two dollys. That made it much easier to reposition.
When I overhauled the garage for a "new" bike workshop this past summer, I used a jack to lift a heavy workbench and dropped it onto two dollys. That made it much easier to reposition.
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Wow!! This is really cool!!!!!! I suppose a kiddie splash pool would work too.
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I've often thought about taking my bikes with me when I finally go, but you took it one step further by building one of them a coffin!
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Immersing a 63 cm frame in 1 1/2 gallons of Evaporust
If you can afford a gallon and a half of Evaporust, give it a try. It's completely replaced OA for me.
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Last edited by jonwvara; 10-16-20 at 03:37 PM.