Found this little guy in a pawn shop in Wilmington NC. 4" Blue Point adjustable. Do you guys think it can be saved? I think it is too far gone. I will soak it a while and see what i can do. Any suggestions? I usually use vinegar.
Pics loaded smaller than I expected.
vinegar = destructive
molasses = nondestructive
My results with vinegar are satisfactory, but it usually requires equal amounts elbow grease.
What, you never had one worst that that?
Actually the pictures are so dark on my screen (everyone has different monitors and settings) I can't see how pitted up it is??
Citric acid, if you want an acid, is much gentler than most of them. As close as the nearest 3 packs of cool-aid classic!
Electrolysis is probably cheapest after the initial setup.
When you get it as clean as you can, take the screw out that holds the knurl in (custom grind an old screwdriver so it fits the screw slot ----exactly!!-----,
mark which direction the knurl goes (a camera is good) and don't lose the spring!!
Remember that many idiots pound with adjustables, like a hammer, and want to collapse the end of the socket that the jaw rides in. Take a file and clean up everything the sliding beam touches. Then you can get the jaw to come out.
Even after its all apart and clean as a whistle (fine wire brush unless its a valuable tool you need to preserve every part of)
sometimes it still wants to stick as it opens/closes.
If you try using your thumb to wear it in and get it rolling smooth, it'll eat your thumb (been there)
So for me, the trick is to move it to a sticky spot, slather in oil and take a pair of end nippers.
End nippers will grip in-between the knurl pattern so it doesn't chew it up like regular pliers, etc.
Now you can work it back and forth until it goes soft and smooth,
Then move to the next spot
yours Scott
trying some better pics
It's really hard to say what will be left once the rust and dirt is off. The up side is that you don't really need to worry about damage. I'd like to see it after the de-rust process.
sumner,
your new adjustable falls in the "crusty" catagory. But ya gotta give it the old college try. Sometimes the really crusty ones come clean after the crust is removed.
I think a trip to the wire wheel might be the right starting point. Then proceed to other more humane methods until you can see what you've got.
Keep us posted on your progress.
you are wasting yor time ,that wrench is not worth saving I will do you a favor and send you postage and i will put in with the rest of my junk. bob w.
amertrac,
Man you are one good guy...
Saved it!
Skipped the vinegar. Went to it with a pick, soft wire brush, and WD 40. Also used some fine sandpaper on the jaw slides.
Looks like it turned out pretty good. I've got a 6" Cresent that is a bit worse off than yours that I've been picking away at every once and a while but I don't hold out much hope.
Quote from: Dakota Woodworker on May 28, 2012, 07:43:55 PM
Looks like it turned out pretty good. I've got a 6" Cresent that is a bit worse off than yours that I've been picking away at every once and a while but I don't hold out much hope.
Ditto. I've got a 10 inch Diamond Caulk that I've been fussing with from time to time for months. Just made some progress last week. The big problem is with the bolt that makes the axle for the adjuster. A little more heat and a stronger screw driver and it might get returned to service.
Quote from: scottg on May 20, 2012, 02:14:15 PM
Electrolysis is probably cheapest after the initial setup.
yours Scott
Even set up is cheap -- a couple of bucks for soda, a couple for metal surround, I used scrap 0 cost, and a plastic container I had in the shed. I even had an old 6/12 volt charger from the '60s that I hadn't used for many years. I figured how can I go wrong.
I recently tried electrolysis on a project and was extremely surprised. All it takes is an old battery charger, washing soda (baking soda will work, they are different and washing soda is recommended. I used baking soda with success) a metal surround, to go around the item at approx 6" all sides, for the positive terminal to attach to and a way (clip with #10 copper wire) to attach the neg terminal to the item. VERY cheap and VERY effective. http://s1140.photobucket.com/albums/n563/ietech/Perfect%20Handle%20Project/?albumview=slideshow see the last 2 pictures in the slide show.
on edit: of course you need a container of reasonable size for the item in question -- my first try after a long time thinking about doing it was very pleasing. Lots of info on google to make it easy. That's where I learned how to do it and I will do it again and highly recommend it. Totally non destructive.
Total newbie here--this is my first post on this forum.
I'd have thrown that in a bucket of molasses solution.
Yup, molasses--like granny used to bake cookies with.
Mixed at 10:1 with water, it does a fan-freakin'-tastic job of getting rid of iron oxide without removing any of the parent metal.
I just started using it this year.
I bought a jug of molasses liquid concentrate at the feed store, and mixed half of it into a 5-gallon bucket from Home Depot.
I did this back in early March, and it's been sitting outside the front door of my shop since. I leave the bucket uncovered, and when several inches of water evaporates out, I just add more water. Right now it's raining, so I won't have to add water.
Find a rusty tool at the pawn shop, flea market, or in the trunk of cars at the junkyards, and simply toss it in the bucket for a week, maybe two if it's really crusty.
So far I've cleaned several Vise grips, a couple big C-clamps, several dozen sockets, an old Husky ratchet (that got replaced at Home Depot after it came out of the soup), a cool machinist's hacksaw, a few car parts, several pliers, an oil filter wrench, and a pile of rusty files. (off the top of my head)
Pull them out, rinse them in warm water and hit with a scrub-brush, then hose down with Brake Kleen to get rid of the water quickly before it flash-rusts.
I've then burnished a few things on the fine wire wheel to "seal" the surface and keep it from rusting, or hit it lightly with WD40.
Works like a charm... and it's totally labor-lazy.
-Brad
Aunt Phil here on Tool Talk mentions molasses all the time. I haven't tried it myself.
By the way- Welcome to Tool Talk! Find the Introduction Forum and tell us a bit about yourself and your tool interests.
I've got a 10 inch Diamond Caulk that I've been fussing with from time to time for months. Just made some progress last week. The big problem is with the bolt that makes the axle for the adjuster. A little more heat and a stronger screw driver and it might get returned to service.
Tke a small piece of plastic 1/4 thick set in on your vise, rr track or anvil.use a heavy plastic hamer. set the wrench knurled cylnder on the plastic and give it a whack. then try to turn . another whack might help. then turn the wheel until it stops . repeat the process f turning the wheel back and forth until it is free soaking it with any rust solvent each time.THIS IS MESSY BUT IT WORKS
bob w,
Thank you Bob! I never thought of that! Maybe I'll try that today.