Removing rust specs from fiberglass

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B

Bruce

I just bought a boat that has rust specks or flakes on it. Any idea how to remove them? Thanks
 
F

Frank Walker

Use a Blow Torch ;D

Bruce, go to Home Depot and get some rust remover for water softners. It is a white powder and, when mixed with a little water to make a paste, will dissolve rust stains by chemical reaction. The fumes are tough but it will not hurt the gell coat. I keep a bottle on the boat. Oxalic acid will also work the same way.
 
Dec 2, 2003
4,245
- - Seabeck WA
I bought Muriatic Acid at the pool store.

About seven bucks a gallon. Don't breathe it! I applied it to the decks and let it sit until the rust spots were gone. Didn't affect the aluminum. A fresh water rinse finished the job. Probably the same stuff as Franks paste. That rust was gone in seconds after being there for over 15 years because we parked too close to a fireworks display.
 
M

Mark

Thats interesting

because my as new Hunter is covered in rust spots. All over the non slip and in the cockpit. I use a solution of very mild acid to take the rust way but of course within a few weeks they appear again. Guess I will have to wait until these specks of metal rust away completely.
 
V

VIEXILE

Oh yeah, what a mess

I just left the yard down here after a total refit and awlgrip on everything with awlgrip nonskid on the decks. Guys downyard were welding, grinding a steel boat upwind that had run aground. F(3%2ng micro rust spots all over the F*3#@ng deck from little flakes. Including the smooth awlgrip on the cabin sides. Don't see any on the topsides. How do you get rid of these things without F)*#ng up the awlgrip?
 
J

JERRY

OXYALIC ACID

I had the exact same problem with my ODay 28. I tried several products marketed as "Rust Removers". None of them worked. Based on a suggestion on this forum I bought some oxyalic acid sold at Home Depot as powdered wood bleach. You mix it with hot water and apply to the stain. It worked like magic.
 
Dec 2, 2003
4,245
- - Seabeck WA
Another 'qualifier' on my acid method,,

My son gave me a GAS MASK to use. Without it, that acid would have dropped me like a bat to the knees. :) How's that for a qualifier? Oh, the rust? Gone.
 
A

Andy

"Rust Aid" to remove rust stains

I had the same problem so took Frank's advice and went to Home Depot. They didn't have water softener rust remover but they did have a gallon jug of "Rust Aid", a liquid form of oxalic acid. I didn't use a gas mask - just a glove - wiped/poured it on, let it sit a few minutes, then hosed it off when the stains were gone. $8 for a gallon and I only used a fraction of it.
 
R

RICHH

Oxalic acid is best

Oxalic Acid is the best to remove rust/tannin etc. stains from fiberglass. Buy the crystals in a hardware or paint store and mix up a dilute solution and apply. Oxalic is ingredient in cleansers such as "Bartenders Friend, Zud, etc. Or you can buy it in a boat chandelry for 10X the hardware store price. The reason that you have rust stains is that you forgot to apply a maintenance coat of wax on the fiberglass to seal the microscopic pores..... gelcoat wont last long if not regularly sealed.
 
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