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While buffing and waxing my montauk yesterday I realized I still have some rust stains aroudn some of my railing mounts and stand off's. I have tried many things to get the rust out and some of them are really stubborn. I tried FSR and that worked on some, and compound worked on others. I'm sure you guys have so tried and true ideas.
Thanks

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I had some really stubborn stain streaks from the lifting eyes going all the way down the transom. I tried several things. What worked the best was.....(drum roll) wet sanding. Think it was 800 grit with light pressure then 1200 to get out the faint scratches. If nervous, use 1200 to start and go up (1600?) to finish (auto parts stores carry it). It does not take much so be gentle. I folded a sheet into quarters and used two fingers. You can go right through the gel coat if you are not careful.

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Wet sanding will work on a lot of stains. Gel coat and paint are porous and sometimes the only way to remove a stain is to remove some of the top coat or gel coat.

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I used a "Corner cat" sander ($29 Homey Depot) with the scrubber pad (scotch brite pad) attachement, some "Bon Ami" cleaner, and a bit of Chlorox "Soft scrub", result's were amazing.
mw

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I suppose the chemical you mentioned is about the same, but try wink rust stain remover. sold as bowl cleaner by the cleaning stuff at wal mart. it is good at pulling stains out of gel coat. if you have to sand try just the scrub pads frist they will remove less gel coat slower.

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Muriatic Acid will take it off. Wear protective goggles and gloves. Rinse area immediately the Acid should remove the rust immediately

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Muriatic acid will take rust off anything, with no physical work involved. Just pour some in a spray bottle and spray it on, let it set a few minutes, and hose it off. It will also make your SS steel prop look like new, same method, no scrubbing necessary. Bleaches and takes rust and dirt out of concrete also, but will not remove paint. Actually has no effect on paint at all.

rich

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Ill have to try the acid... and Il be carefull when using it on a spray bottle I know that stuff can get nasty when its airborn and inhaled.
Is "ON & OFF" muriatic acid?

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Don`t mix Mauriac acid and soap. I did that once trying to clean a ceramic tile floor in one of my rental apartments, and it formed some kind of gas that almost made me pass out even with a respirator. If you use it outside like to clean a prop or rust stains on a boat. it`s no problem. If you use it to etch concrete or the grout in ceramic tile, by pouring it on and brooming it around in an enclosed area you need to wear rubber boots, and a respirator. Just hosing it off will neutralize it.

rich

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I thought On & off is a bottom washing acid as well?

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Acid? I have never thought of that but I like the idea for cleaning your stainless prop. I have always wet sanded the gel-coat to remove rust stains -- works great and does not take much effort. I would highly recommend using a block and not your fingers. It is tempting because it is easy to focus your sanding but it will create dips your gel-coat. I use a small piece of hard wood under the paper about 2" X 4".

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Rob makes a good point, use a block of wood.

I mentioned my fingers since I was working right next to the D ring. In hindsight, I should have just removed it.

While there are chemicals/acid etc, wet sanding gives you better control. Apply too much acid and doh!:o

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Apply too much acid and doh!

Don`t know how you can apply too much acid. It would be like taking a shower and getting too wet. LOL The only damage acid could do other than if you inhaled it from the bottle or got it on your skin, is if it dripped off the side of the boat onto say your concrete drive. It would make white etch spots on concrete..

rich

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you might give acetone a shot as well. I used it to clean a TON of excess teak oil that had badly stained my gelcoat. took a little bit of elbow grease, but it looks great. Didn't have any rust stains to try it on, but it worked great on my teak stains! If you have any clear plastic like the fuel tank gauge cover, avoid that as it will mess it up.

Duf B)

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Hydrochloric acid is great for removing rust and cleaning up ferrous metals, although it will leave the surface highly active and subject to flash rusting.
Be careful applying hydrochloric acid to stainless, long term exposure will cause the chlorides to corrode it.

If you want to acid clean stainless, sulfuric acid would be better.


Scott

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Scott T.

ARE YOU KIDDING US? Sulphuric acid is battery acid.:o Check it out on the Internet.
Enough said about that.:@

Also Hydrochloric acid is another name for Muriatic acid.

rich

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Yes I know HCl and muriatic are the same. HCl is much more reactive acid than sulfuric; battery acid is a weak sulfuric mixture. I'd rather work with sulfuric anytime.

I'm just trying to relay a little experience to you as an Environmental and Plating Engineer that oversees a HazMat response team and works with acids and numerous other chemicals on a daily basis.
I have seen 316 stainless corrode from the long term effects of chlorides...


Scott