A product that delivers...

The folks at Boeing market Rust Free in conjunction with their wonder lubricant, Boeshield  T-9 (more on that later.)  After reading a number of favorable reviews about these products, I decided to give them a try  Unfortunately, I didn't catch them on sale and paid nearly $30 for a combo-pack at Sears.

Although a bit pricey, this product does exactly what the manufacturer says it will do...it removes rust from metal, does so quickly and is a terrific aid in the restoration process.


Here are some examples of Rust Free in action:

In this photo, you see the condition of the horizontal column from the Rockwell Radial Arm Drill Press prior to any clean up.  Although the column was not pitted, most of the rust was fairly heavy from years of neglect.



Before you start, take my advice and don't work in an unventilated space like I did.  From the smell of the Rust Free, it's clear that the primary ingredient is phosphoric acid.  Wear gloves and eye protection and get plenty of fresh air around you.



After fifteen minutes of spraying and scrubbing with a Scotch Brite Pad, the results speak for themselves. A brass-bristle brush was used to clean out the milled slot in the column where the pad wouldn't reach.



Once the column was cleaned of the rust, I gave it a quick wipe down with warm water and Murphy's Oil Soap on a rag to neutralize any residual traces of the acid.


Here is a better look at "before" and "after"
in a side-by-side comparison.  In this photo of the main column, you can clearly see the results of the Rust Free on the right hand side and the original condition of the column on the left.


Heavier rust can best be removed by first applying a slightly heavier spray on those areas and letting it soak for several minutes before scrubbing.  Any residual rust can then be targeted with a follow-up spray and additional scrubbing.

I also found that working a smaller area a bit a time worked much better than trying to work the whole piece all at once.  Once the product dries, it becomes a bit less effective.

After all of the cleaning was done, I gave both columns a light coating of the Boeshield T-9 lubricant to keep them in good shape until I get around to reassembling the press.  The T-9 leaves a nice light coating on the metal even after wiping it down.
I highly recommend both of these products and will likely add Boeing's Blade & Bit Resin, Gum and Pitch Remover to my list of supplies based solely on the quality and effectiveness of this initial purchase.

This is truly a product that delivers and well worth the price paid.