# MOLASSES TEST



## rustystone2112

I've been wanting to try this for a while, using molasses to remove rust.  I recently got this very crusty Phantom rack and thought this is a good candidate so i went and got 3 bottles of molasses and a 10 to 1 mix with water now wait 3 weeks and i'll see how it go's.


----------



## Boris

I'm 65. I ain't got the time.


----------



## vincev

Why would you want something "slow as molasses ?"


----------



## Boris

Q: What do you call adolescent Irish female moles?
A: Mole lasses.

Q: What do adolescent Irish female moles wiggle to entice mole lads.
A: Their......well, you can probably figure this one out on your own.


----------



## spoker

try not 2 get any on ur feet!!!!!!!!


----------



## fordmike65

So.....is it done yet???


----------



## Vintage Paintworx

You can accomplish the exact same thing in about 1/4 of the time with CLR remover from a hardware store.


----------



## Barto

Or in 24 hrs with Evapo rust..Based on the video I can't wait to see the final results


----------



## Vintage Paintworx

Barto said:


> Or in 24 hrs with Evapo rust..Based on the video I can't wait to see the final results




Yes, light rust can be removed overnight, heavy rust usually takes a few days to a week.

Also depends on the dilution ratio.


----------



## abe lugo

What the test will reveal is that you have a very pitted base metal to use.

Most of these rust removal works best when the pitting is not that heavy.. at least if you want smooth not rusty parts in the end.


----------



## bricycle

Dave Marko said:


> Q: What do you call adolescent Irish female moles?
> A: Mole lasses.
> 
> Q: What do adolescent Irish female moles wiggle to entice mole lads.
> A: Their......well, you can probably figure this one out on your own.




Dave...!


----------



## bricycle

.."Black Gold, Texas Tea"....

You can't make cookies with CLR or Evapo-rust....


----------



## vincev

Was Molalles a first or last name ?


----------



## bricycle

vincev said:


> Was Molalles a first or last name ?




Vince...!


----------



## rustystone2112

Vintage Paintworx said:


> You can accomplish the exact same thing in about 1/4 of the time with CLR remover from a hardware store.[/QUO
> 
> CLR don't work worth a crap


----------



## Boris

If you are experimenting and would like to try another non-toxic and faster solution, give Citric Acid a try. I was convinced once I tried it.
http://trestore.wkfinetools.com/techniques/rustCitricAcid/rustCitricAcid1.asp


----------



## Barto

Vintage Paintworx said:


> Yes, light rust can be removed overnight, heavy rust usually takes a few days
> 
> Interesting,  the Citric acid method seems fast, safe and fairly inexpensive.  I just bought 1/2 gallon of Evapo Rust on sale for apps $21.00.00. But I had been wanting to try the product anyways so at least I now have something to compare it with.  When I run low, I'll try Citric Acid....don't think I would be interested in the molasses method.  Wouldn't want to leave a large vat of fluid out for weeks just taking up real estate in my small shop.
> 
> Interesting thread


----------



## fordmike65

Any updates???


----------



## rustystone2112

fordmike65 said:


> Any updates???



I changed to a different container so the rack will lay flat and checked it this morning , lots of foaming going on


----------



## Vintage Paintworx

I've Been using this for years, works great for me.


----------



## THE STIG

so, when are the rack of cookies done ?


----------



## rustystone2112

Vintage Paintworx said:


> I've Been using this for years, works great for me.
> View attachment 656475



Do you have any before and after pics. of the results on heavily pitted rust?


----------



## rustystone2112

THE STIG said:


> so, when are the cookies done ?



timer set for 3 weeks


----------



## GTs58

rustystone2112 said:


> Do you have any before and after pics. of the results on heavily pitted rust?




Check out the MSDS on that Zep. Pool acid (muriatic) among other acids. :eek:   Looks like something I wouldn't care to use but with all that acid it should eat right thru the rust........................ and metal.


----------



## rustystone2112

GTs58 said:


> Check out the MSDS on that Zep. Pool acid (muriatic) among other acids. :eek:   Looks like something I wouldn't care to use but with all that acid it should eat right thru the rust........................ and metal.



exactly why i'm not using acid, I only want to remove the rust and no more existing metal.
I have used muriatic acid in many different forms Zep products, CLR, LIME AWAY, POOL ACID all are muriatic acid in different strengths. none of the off the shelf products like CLR and the others are very strong and will not work fast or well on heavily pitted rust. ZEP has another product called toilet bowl acid wash which is a bit stronger and did remove fairly heavy rust stains in some toilet bowls I cleaned in a rental property I just worked on and will probably work Okay on fairly heavy surface rust  but not heavy pitted and pool acid is  so strong it will strip chrome right off in a few hours, both of these are very caustic and very harmful if you breath the fumes


----------



## fordmike65

Is this thing done or what?? Slow as molasses over here...


----------



## rustystone2112

Just checked the molasses soup and there is definitely some reaction taking place,  much more foam and sounds like a bowl of Rice Crispy's


----------



## rustystone2112

fordmike65 said:


> Is this thing done or what?? Slow as molasses over here...



Nothing worth having comes fast or easy


----------



## Vintage Paintworx

rustystone2112 said:


> Do you have any before and after pics. of the results on heavily pitted rust?




I don't


----------



## rustystone2112

Okay , for those molasses test haters  get ready to eat your words  after only 10 days in the soup nearly 65% -75% of the rust is gone and I mean gone in every little nick , nook, pit & cranny . I'm going to leave it in until the end of the month to finish it off and make sure it's all gone everywhere.


----------



## Boris

I started my Molasses test around the same time you did and have been keeping a constant watch over it ever since. One question: Do you think it would be OK to take a bathroom break?


----------



## rustystone2112

Boris said:


> I started my Molasses test around the same time you did and have been keeping a constant watch over it ever since. One question: Do you think it would be OK to take a bathroom break?



Hell yes before you explode and spill that smelly molasses soup


----------



## GTs58

rustystone2112 said:


> Hell yes before you explode and spill that smelly molasses soup




I think someone hijacked Dave Marko. Help! Identity theft here on the cabe!


----------



## bairdco

So, rusty brown to flame-broiled black is an improvement?

I'm not understanding the process here.  Molasses removes the rust, discolours it, and then what? 

Looks like you'll have to do a ton of sanding, grinding, etc to make it ready for paint, which you could just do to remove the rust anyway, instead of waiting a month for molasses to do, uh, whatever it is that it does.

Don't take this the wrong way, just wondering what the point is.


----------



## rustystone2112

bairdco said:


> So, rusty brown to flame-broiled black is an improvement?
> 
> I'm not understanding the process here.  Molasses removes the rust, discolours it, and then what?
> 
> Looks like you'll have to do a ton of sanding, grinding, etc to make it ready for paint, which you could just do to remove the rust anyway, instead of waiting a month for molasses to do, uh, whatever it is that it does.
> 
> Don't take this the wrong way, just wondering what the point is.




First off this is only 10 days into the process as i mentioned and only about 65% -75% of the rust is removed right now any black spots are still some paint that hasn't come all the way off yet and still some dirty molasses water still in the pits also some rust through holes in the light shell, these pictures were literally taken when i lifted the rack out of the soup and wiped dry with a rag thats it no other cleaning yet. After all the rust is removed then it will be cleaned with white vinegar . After that it's simple spot puddy and surfacer primer and paint .
 Oh and the point is to remove all the rust and so far this has been the best most effective and easy way of getting all of the rust including the rust in hidden areas that can't be seen  that i've tried . And it doesn't discolor the rust it TOTALLY removes it. Watch the video at the beginning of this thread.


----------



## THE STIG

Sweeeeet


----------



## partsguy

Nice results! I have been using lemon concentrate lately for most things. For me though, just think of all the warm biscuits I could have eaten with all of that molasses.






Or, molasses cookies! Like mom makes.


----------



## bricycle

rustystone2112 said:


> Okay , for those molasses test haters  get ready to eat your words  after only 10 days in the soup nearly 65% -75% of the rust is gone and I mean gone in every little nick , nook, pit & cranny . I'm going to leave it in until the end of the month to finish it off and make sure it's all gone everywhere.
> 
> View attachment 659800
> 
> View attachment 659801
> 
> View attachment 659803
> 
> View attachment 659804
> 
> View attachment 659806




See everyone..... Molasses works  *AND *it is 100% safe for the environment to boot!


----------



## rusty.kirkpatrick

And if your blood sugar drops, just lick your bike.


----------



## partsguy

rusty.kirkpatrick said:


> And if your blood sugar drops, just lick your bike.




BWAAAAA HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Now, now....watch out for that lead paint!!


----------



## rustystone2112

Okay here's a preview of the progress, I still need to remove the battery tray  from the light shell so the spots under the feet of the battery tray can get clean the tray is toast but I can still use the shell and lens. The rest of the rack , the top and front leg are still soaking still a couple small  rust spots where the front leg and top come together around the screw hole . So is there anyone here that still doesn't believe molasses removes rust


----------



## NoControl

That looks amazing!


----------



## bricycle

Yea Boy!


----------



## rustystone2112

https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/molasses-test.115305/

check out these pics of a Phantom rack i did on pg. 3 of this thread


----------



## rustystone2112

NoControl said:


> That looks amazing!



And it works amazing!!!!


----------



## rustystone2112

I clear coated everything to keep it from flash rusting and tore apart an old flashing cat eye tail light with 5  red LED's


----------



## Boris

Very nice. but looks oh so brittle.


----------



## rustystone2112

Boris said:


> Very nice. but looks oh so brittle.



A little but I'll eventually lay a piece of fiberglass on the inside of the light and then fill the all the holes with  bondo or JBWeld ,sand & finish , and a little JBWeld on the hole on the edge of the rack . I just sprayed everything with clear so I could keep it from flash rusting and show the results that it really does remove ALL the rust and not just convert it to something black


----------



## rustystone2112

Another candidate for the molasses. I got these in early December from Jeff@bikesnbuses knowing they were pretty toasty but believing I can save them and the price was fair and all lenses were present.
So first I tested the horn before tearing it apart and it still worked, then I soaked them for about 7 weeks now all the rust is gone except the light bottom needs another day or two. Even the chrome grill on the horn got much brighter


----------



## NoControl

rustystone2112 said:


> ***




So what's the next step that you take after the rust removal and primer? Are you replacing metal? Fiberglassing it?


----------



## rustystone2112

NoControl said:


> So what's the next step that you take after the rust removal and primer? Are you replacing metal? Fiberglassing it?



I'll JB Weld a strip of metal down the center of the bottoms to strengthen them, then fiberglass and a little bond


----------



## NoControl

rustystone2112 said:


> I'll JB Weld a strip of metal down the center of the bottoms to strengthen them, then fiberglass and a little bond




Thank you. That's what I would do as well.


----------



## bikesnbuses

This is great for absent minded people (who shall remain nameless) Who put rusty parts in a solvent,then go on vacation for a week+ and completely forget about said parts for days AFTER they get back!.. And then need a completely new part as the old one is almost unrecognizable:eek:


----------



## rustystone2112

vincev said:


> Why would you want something "slow as molasses ?"



Because mommy & daddy told me to always have patience and nothing worth having comes fast or easy


----------

