Rust removal?

[Conan]

Following on from a disussion on another thread, I was just wondering if anyone could recommend a suitable product that would remove (or at least loosen) rust?

The rusty items in question are the intonation screws on a BadAss 2 bridge on a Fender Geddy Lee J bass that I recently acquired. Due to the small and fiddly size of the screws, I think a wire brush would be awkward and unsuitable.

Are there any chemical products that will strip or dissolve rust from such components?

Edited April 30, 2014 by Conan

[HowieBass]

Try white vinegar, buy a big bottle from your local supermarket; then fill a bowl with it and submerge the whole bridge. Leave it for a day, then remove, rinse and dry.

Edited April 30, 2014 by HowieBass

[The fasting showman]

How about (I think it's called...) Solvol Autochrome / Autoglym? It comes in a toothpaste tube, Halfords do their own version too. It will sort out what you are trying to do, all us cycle tinkerer types use it on everything from chromed steel to softer alloys.
Much as what you are dealing with is a dull metal on a thread, the paste always strips off the top layer almost like a very aggressive version of T-cut.
Martin

Edited April 30, 2014 by The fasting showman

[ahpook]

[quote name='HowieBass' timestamp='1398850646' post='2438150']
Try white vinegar, buy a big bottle from your local supermarket; then fill a bowl with it and submerge the whole bridge. Leave it for a day, then remove, rinse and dry.
[/quote]

Plus the one.

Every household should have some white vinegar - incredibly useful stuff. Disinfectant, scale remover, home-made shower spray...AND mild rust remover.

[SubsonicSimpleton]

Are the screws seized into the bridge saddles?

If they are, then personally I would avoid resorting to caustic chemicals, and instead apply a little thin oil (such as 3 in 1) to all threaded parts, giving the oil opportunity to soak in by capillary action which may require several applications over several days(and care to make sure you keep the oil off the finish). Use an old toothbrush to get any loose crud out of the threads that you can reach during this process, wire brush might damage the plating. Most importantly be patient, and don't force anything - machine screws tend to be made from cheese, and are easy to shear/strip threads/heads.

[Conan]

[quote name='SubsonicSimpleton' timestamp='1398855787' post='2438260']
Are the screws seized into the bridge saddles?
[/quote]

No.

The rust is purely superficial and annoying from an aesthetic point of view - it looks bad!

I assume "white vinegar" is distilled vinegar?

[SubsonicSimpleton]

Maybe replacing them with stainless steel machine screws is worth considering, or at least identifying the thread etc while you have them out of the bass, just in case you want to do it at a later date without taking the bass out of service.

[HowieBass]

[quote name='Conan' timestamp='1398862557' post='2438386']

I assume "white vinegar" is distilled vinegar?
[/quote]

Yes, the bottle I have is Sarson's Distilled Malt Vinegar 5% acidity - looks like water (don't drink it!)

[Conan]

I can live with the rust, I would just prefer not to! I don't mind a bit of mojo on the bass body (the wooden bits!) but I hate to see tarnished and rusty metal.

I'll get it sorted somehow! However, I have very little technical or engineering knowledge, so things like identifying threads and getting machine screws (whatever they are!) is a bit beyond me I'm afraid!

I'm fairly handy with a screwdriver - but that's about my limit!

[Conan]

[quote name='HowieBass' timestamp='1398873337' post='2438536']
Yes, the bottle I have is Sarson's Distilled Malt Vinegar 5% acidity - looks like water (don't drink it!)
[/quote]

As far as I am aware, Iron Oxide is amphoteric - so maybe vinegar (dilute ethanoic acid) might not work from a chemistry point of view... Still, I'll give it a try! Thanks.

Edited April 30, 2014 by Conan

[SubsonicSimpleton]

[quote name='Conan' timestamp='1398873485' post='2438537']
I can live with the rust, I would just prefer not to! I don't mind a bit of mojo on the bass body (the wooden bits!) but I hate to see tarnished and rusty metal.

I'll get it sorted somehow! However, I have very little technical or engineering knowledge, so things like identifying threads and getting machine screws (whatever they are!) is a bit beyond me I'm afraid!

I'm fairly handy with a screwdriver - but that's about my limit!
[/quote]
The best way to identify them is to go to an engineers merchant, they should have the proper thread gauges and measuring tools to correctly identify the machine screws - they may even have suitable replacements in stock.

[HowieBass]

Assuming it's mostly badly tarnished and not actually riddled with rust the vinegar should work fine; there are plenty of YouTube videos on this subject.

[KingBollock]

[quote name='Conan' timestamp='1398873485' post='2438537']
I can live with the rust, I would just prefer not to! I don't mind a bit of mojo on the bass body (the wooden bits!) but I hate to see tarnished and rusty metal.

I'll get it sorted somehow! However, I have very little technical or engineering knowledge, so things like identifying threads and getting machine screws (whatever they are!) is a bit beyond me I'm afraid!

I'm fairly handy with a screwdriver - but that's about my limit!
[/quote]
I don't have specs of all bridge saddles, but all of mine, which are all different, take M3 threads. So something like this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/AccuScrews-20mm-Point-Grub-Screws/dp/B00J92D65G/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1398878926&sr=8-12&keywords=M3+x+15mm+grub+screw

Would probably do the job. Just search for something the correct length.

Edited April 30, 2014 by KingBollock

[rmorris]

[quote name='SubsonicSimpleton' timestamp='1398878083' post='2438604']
The best way to identify them is to go to an engineers merchant, they should have the proper thread gauges and measuring tools to correctly identify the machine screws - they may even have suitable replacements in stock.
[/quote]

+1
Find out the thread size either from a 'Engineers Merchant' or a friendly engineering workshop or might Fender be able to tell you ?
If they are prone to rust then at some point you'll likely want or need to replace them with stainless steel (prob A2 grade) or black anodised types.

[Conan]

OK. Plenty of options here for me to explore. Thanks guys.

Just out of interest, where/how would I find and "engineers' merchant"? Is that the same as (or similar to) a hardware store?

[SubsonicSimpleton]

Look in the yellow pages for engineers merchant, engineers supplies, fixings and fasteners.

Engineers merchants supply the engineering trade, so they don't really devote much space for typical retail browsing, usually just a few things on display at the trade counter - as they warehouse a lot of stock they are usually located on industrial estates. Probably worth giving a quick phone call first to check that they will be able to help before travelling - some suppliers are quite specialist, but they should be able to point you in the direction of someone who can help you out.

[KingBollock]

You could try your local hardware store first, cluttered, dusty and slightly musty smelling places are my favourite. Just take an example of what you're after with you, if they don't have it then they might know somewhere local that will.

The best search results I get when searching for saddle screws come when I search for grub screws.

[Conan]

[quote name='KingBollock' timestamp='1398940797' post='2439180']
You could try your local hardware store first, cluttered, dusty and slightly musty smelling places are my favourite. [/quote]

Mine too! And we have a really good one locally!