Removing galvanizing?

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I did a search and found muriatic acid will remove galvanizing. Can you just take a torch and heat it up enough to burn it off?I have a mild steel cooking surface which covers all four burners. However, when you set it on the burner grates they dont get enough airflow to burn properly. I aquired a piece of 1 1/2" square sign post, the stuff with the holes in it. I want to weld a piece down the two sides and a short piece front and back, in the middle. The galv will not touch the food, and it will not be directly touched by flame, but I would still like it removed because I do not know at what temp it starts to gas. I will use the acid if need be, I would rather just heat itenough to burn it off, if possible."Where's Stick man????????" - 7A749"SHHHHHH!! I sent him over to snag that MIC-4 while tbone wasn't looking!" - duaneb55"I have bought a few of Tbone's things unlike Stick-Man who helps himself" - TozziWelding"Stick-man"
Reply:Stick,Yes, you -could- burn off the zinc.  But then you will still have to brush off or otherwise mechanically remove any clinging zinc oxide.  As well as being careful not to inhale.  Dip-n-dunk in the acid (Proper Safety Please!!! ) is generally easier and it will get all the nooks and crannies.  Then neutralize the acid, and rinse off the part.  Done.For 1-1/2 inch square post, if you don't have a suitable tub to put the acid and then the part into, a piece of plastic PVC pipe of about 2 inch ID would work as the 'tank'.Safety First!  Strong acids can be dangerous, and the liberated hydrogen gas from the acid reacting with the zinc is flammable.  The best laid schemes ... Gang oft agley ...
Reply:Household ammonia is good for neutralizing acid.  Also, if you ever have spray tanks with various herbicide residue in them that you want to clean out, ammonia is good for the job.HH187Harris O/AInfrared thermometerHalf a dozen angle grinders
Reply:Depending on the heat of the BBQ, I would say you could just run with it if it's not in the direct heat of the burner. Even then, hot dip galv. is some pretty durable stuff, and it is usually pretty heat resistant. When heating steel for bending, the galv. will often stay on unless the heat gets to red hot.I'd acid splash it, and then clean it and be done with it.And then, after so much work...... you have it in your hand, and you look over to your side...... and the runner has run off. Leaving you holding the prize, wondering when the runner will return.
Reply:Originally Posted by RojodiabloDepending on the heat of the BBQ, I would say you could just run with it if it's not in the direct heat of the burner. Even then, hot dip galv. is some pretty durable stuff, and it is usually pretty heat resistant. When heating steel for bending, the galv. will often stay on unless the heat gets to red hot.I'd acid splash it, and then clean it and be done with it.
Reply:Muriatic acid is cheap and readily available by the gallon at your friendly neighborhood swimming pool store.  Be careful but u know that. enjoy,Lincoln Power MIG 215Lincoln WeldPak 3200HDLincon ProCut 25Lincoln WeldanPower 225 AC/DCIf all else fails... buy more tools
Reply:If it were I, I'd burn it, then acid it, neutralize it, and burn it again. Really let it soak. Very little effort to be sure. I've used Muri. Acid in a 4" PVC pipe to clean a batch of rusty, 14', 1/4" round bar I got a steal of a deal on. No problems with the PVC glue. I'd really advise against "just using it" with the galvi. on there. It's real nasty $hit. It doesn't have to touch the food to contaminate it. I recall a camping trip and watching the noisy butt-holes next to us haul out a HEAVY gauge chunk of expanded sheet and use it to cook on, over their raging inferno, morning , noon, and night. Natural selection's a &itch. I love Karma.Wear a GOOD respirator with the proper filters for the whole job!!! 200amp Air Liquide MIG, Hypertherm Plasma, Harris torches, Optrel helmet, Makita angle grinders, Pre-China Delta chop saw and belt sander, Miller leathers, shop made jigs etc, North- welders backpack.
Reply:Muriatic acid will not eat through plastic or pvc, so use a rubbermaid or a 5 gal bucket or whatever your piece will fit in.  I would do this outside, not in the garage or anywhere near an ignition source because as was stated earlier hydrogen gas will be produced as the zinc is dissolved.  Once all the zinc had dissolved remove the piece from the acid bath and submerge it in fresh water a few times, then rinse it off with a hose in the back yard.  There is no need to neutralize the muratic acid as it will be sufficiently diluted when you do the rinses.  Really no need to try and burn it off just let the acid do the work for you.
Reply:To keep it real general as far as the temps go zinc melts around the same area as lead and starts burning up about the same temp as silver would melt. So while the burn temp is fairly high it is within reach of a torch or forge, probably not an ordinary fire. But there are other things to consider at the same time. Without seeing this piece it could be as simple as a zinc electro plate, which would be the best scenario. Easy to remove using either heat or acid. Or it could be hot dip, maybe even double hot dipped for high corrosion. If hot dipped a huge bulk of the zinc is easy enough to remove with either heat or acid but there's that very innermost layer that's an alloy due to the hot dip process. That'll take extreme heat or extreme acid batheing if your intent is to get every tiny particle of zinc off and out. Then there is a slight possibility that it could be one of the zinc chromates. Some folks will want to be real cautious about using heat as a removal tool in this later case. None of this really bothers me but it must bother some or the subject wouldn't come up all the time. So for those that are health and/or safety conscious just be sure to think things over before proceeding. "The things that will destroy America are prosperity at any price, peace at any price, safety first instead of duty first, the love of soft living and the get rich quick theory of life." -Theodore Roosevelt