# OA bath how to?????? NEED help



## Sacket cycle works (Jan 22, 2018)

Ive read quite a few threads on OA baths and ive seen some pretty impressive before and after photos. Soooo, i am asking for a little advice as i believe i have a great candidate for one. 
My main questions:
How do you do this? literally step 1 to completion.  I want to do this right and am tired of watching youtube videos that arent related.
Can you use on paint?
How long do you soak?
What do you soak in??
Where can i buy the Oxalic acid?
And what can i expect afterwards?

Below is the bike i plan on doing this bath on. Feel free to give me your opinion on whether i would be wasting my time or not. the bike is complete and seems to have some remnants of paint underneath so i would like to experiment if you would say.
Thanks and any info is appreciated


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## Shawn Michael (Jan 22, 2018)

That looks like a good candidate to me. I just ordered mine from Amazon, although I may need to wait for warmer weather to use it.
Good luck! Shawn


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## Freqman1 (Jan 23, 2018)

Can you use on paint? Yes
How long do you soak? Generally a few hours will do it but doesn't hurt to stay overnight
What do you soak in?? A kiddie pool works best
Where can i buy the Oxalic acid? Some ACE Hardware stores or Ebay
And what can i expect afterwards? Depending on how much paint and what colors night and day

How do you do this? literally step 1 to completion. I want to do this right and am tired of watching youtube videos that arent related.
Step 1. Wait for warm weather-this stuff works best above 70 degrees. You can always add a couple of pots of boiled water to up the temp.
Step 2. Disassemble the bike completely
Step 3. You can follow the directions on the container but I just dump about a cup full into my kiddie pool-stir well
Step 4. completely submerge parts. If you try to do part and then turn it around to do the other side you may get a line and parts may not come out even.
Step 5. remove parts and rinse thoroughly with soap and water
Step 6. Use compressed air inside frame tubes etc. I like to let parts sit outside in 80 degree or better to bake the moisture out as well. 
Step 7. From here it depends on how much paint survives. You may be able to do a light WD40/0000 steel wool thing or some real light polish to bring out more shine but more than likely a good coat of wax to seal things will work. I know some folks like boiled linseed oil but it just looks too greasy to me. 

A couple of notes: If you read the threads on this you will see that it may have a tendency to make reds more pink--test a small spot first.
I've found this stuff to be pretty mild but I would still use caution--make sure no critters drink from it and gloves would be recommended although I've put my hands in this stuff with no adverse affects--just wouldn't soak in it. Lastly I just dump it in the yard when I'm through. V/r Shawn


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## THEGOLDENGREEK (Jan 23, 2018)

I've done a few and had total success with an oa bath. I judge the amount by the surface rust on the bike, and then I put it in a kids pool until till the next morning, then pull everything out hose off wither water then whip it down with wd40. If you put more oa to the bath it does hurt anything.


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## Herman (Jan 23, 2018)

I wouldn't over mix it , just leave it in longer if need be , if over mixed it could "burn " (dull) any plated parts , also a good idea to add baking soda to your rinse water to neutralize any acid trapped inside the frame , etc.


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## Sacket cycle works (Jan 23, 2018)

Thank you guys very much for the responses. I hate feeling like you need guess and fill in the gaps from information found on the internet.
I will be posting before and after photos when it warms up here.


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## Freqman1 (Jan 23, 2018)

Sacket cycle works said:


> Thank you guys very much for the responses. I hate feeling like you need guess and fill in the gaps from information found on the internet.
> I will be posting before and after photos when it warms up here.



Just don't over-think it. I know some people hear the word "acid" and start getting concerned. Hell I've probably drank worse stuff while deployed in some third world sh!thole that was more harmful than OA is. V/r Shawn


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## Rollo (Jan 23, 2018)

https://www.ebay.com/itm/OXALIC-ACI...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649


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## weebob (Jan 23, 2018)

If you do not have pool,,, I took 2pcs  1"x6"x 6' boards cut  2' off both made a 2;x4' box.laid 2 sheets of hd plastic over it .. 2 cups of acid stirred it up with an old broom, soaked frame for 4 hrs turned it over 4 more hrs ..sorry no pics... but the results are the same that you see  here on the  cabe before and after pics....some said red paint turns pink,,,,I wiped mine down with linseed oil and it did brighten up the red and stayed that way,,,,, my box holds the entire bike [disassembled] but not the wheels....If you need  the box deeper just block it up higher,,,,,just my way of free lance building and repairing stuff....LOL,,just like ROLLO posted Ebay #5,, $15. delivered is good  ,PS I forgot the rubber GLOVES,,,,,,,WEEBOB


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## jchicago (Jan 23, 2018)

Here's a link to a great pet pool I found on Amazon. It has a valve for tidy draining, and best of all its collapsible for easy storage. I used it for cleaning rims and parts in 5ga of Evaporust and it worked like a charm. Bet it would be perfect for an OA bath. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01I3DL9XW/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1


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## Cranky Chain Cycles (Jan 27, 2018)

Is there any harm to doing the process indoors? What's the easiest way to drain it?


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## xmtnrider (Jan 28, 2018)

Does the process damage original decals?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## GiovanniLiCalsi (Jan 28, 2018)

This is used very much in the antique oil and gas can hobby. If it doesn’t harm fragile lithograph ink graphics, it will not harm bicycle painted surfaces, especially lead based paints. Oxalic acid is very mild.


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## Freqman1 (Jan 28, 2018)

xmtnrider said:


> Does the process damage original decals?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



Nope


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## Jimmy V (Jan 28, 2018)

Thanks Sacket for asking this question so thoroughly and thanks Shawn for your very thorough response.  I've got a few good candidates for this too and this gives me confidence to try it. I think a dip in the pool when the weather warms up here will be worth a try.  
 Jim.


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## tryder (Jan 28, 2018)

Freqman1 said:


> Just don't over-think it....




Well...I was wondering the other evening...

What about heating the item before putting in the bath????    A rusty stem for instance....  Perhaps this will speed the process...   Just a thought...Something I am going to check out..

Thanks!


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## Sacket cycle works (Feb 4, 2018)

Hey guys. Just an update I went ahead and did the bath on a 65 degree day with some hot water. Below are the results. Either,1 I did not let it soak long enough or 2, the rust had done to much damage to the bike. I will note, when I went to wash off the parts and frame etc. it seems that the pin stripes washed right off afterwards. Anyone have a clue as to what may have caused that?  Anyway here's some pics.


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## Rollo (Mar 31, 2018)

... I think you did it right ... Looks pretty much on par with other before and after OA bath results that I've seen ....


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## Cranky Chain Cycles (Jun 21, 2018)

When you're done, do you put some baking soda in, stir, then pour it down the driveway?


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## GTs58 (Jun 21, 2018)

twinflight said:


> When you're done, do you put some baking soda in, stir, then pour it down the driveway?




It's not like battery acid, so no need for baking soda. All the residue might stain the driveway so don't try that.


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## Cranky Chain Cycles (Jul 11, 2018)

What's the word on using oxalic on red painted frames and parts? The ones on this thread look okay, however some have said it may dull the paint.


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