Pickling experience?

admin

I'm trying to find a way to remove scale from small batches of 10' 1 inch round tube.  I've considered building a big tumbler from pvc pipe and also pickling.  I've used muriatic acid to clean steel in the past but the drawback was it trying to rust immediately.  Is pickling an option for removing scale for TIG work?
Reply:Hello whitsonmetal, does anyone in your area have a wheel-a-brator? It is similar to a type of sand blasting system however, items are fed through on a conveyor system with the parts loaded onto skids that pass through a set of rapidly spinning wheels that have steel shot fed into their centers and then eject the shot from the outer edges of these wheels and bombard the parts and clean them to a gun-metal type of finish. This would likely be a very economical and thorough way of accomplishing what you are speaking of. Good luck and best regards, Allanaevald
Reply:i have never heard of such a contraption, but it sure sounds nice!  I'm fairly certain I wont be able to track one down though.
Reply:I don't know how much pipe you work with on a daily basis, but this is a nice machine that will make short work of cleaning (and even finishing with the right belt) pipe:Fein GXC Centerless Grinding Module-Chris
Reply:Muriatic is the worst as far as causing flash rust. Sulfuric acid (battery acid) or sodium bisulfate (used to lower pH of swimming pools) are better. Phosphoric acid is better still, it actually leaves a protective coating on the steel. You can use a 6' or 7' length of 3" or 4" PVC pipe standing vertical and filled most of the way with dilute acid. Soak one end for an hour or so, flip over and soak the other end, rinse and dry thoroughly.JohnA few weldersA lot of hammersA whole lot of C-clamps
Reply:Silicone-based, that sounds entirely feasable.  Is there a recommended dilution for phosphoric acid?  Can anyone buy it??  I don't recall ever seeing it when buying muriatic acid.
Reply:Home Depot sells something called "Phosphoric Prep & Etch" in the paint dept. Phosphoric acid is not a dangerous or restricted chemical, it is not as strong as sulfuric or hydrochloric (muriatic) acid. In fact, it is one of the flavors in Coke and Pepsi! I'm not sure what the dilution ratio is for pure phosphoric. Sulfuric and hydrochloric are usually used at around 10%. Stronger solutions may produce a more violent reaction and will etch the steel too strongly.A few weldersA lot of hammersA whole lot of C-clamps
Reply:In the electroplating industry, we use nitric acid but it's still not good to remove rust nor "scale."  Grinder, sanders , wire wheels or sand blasting, period.Lincoln Power Mig 216Lincoln AC/DC-225/125Miller  625 X-Treme PlasmaMiller 211 Forney 95FI-A 301HF 91110Victor Journeyman O/PMilwaukee DaytonMakita  Baileigh NRA Life Member
Reply:My elderly friend was obsessed with steam engines. Some of them were corroded beyond recognition. He used various shaped tanks including a hot tub. Water, laundry soda, a piece of scrap steel, and a battery charger. Steel came out rust free. Often pitted severely from the corrosion, but the bond between oxidized and sound released. A similar action is seen on welding aluminum.An optimist is usually wrong, and when the unexpected happens is unprepared. A pessimist is usually right, when wrong, is delighted, and well prepared.