Bad news about my beautiful new tool cart

"If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent" (essextee)
03/29/2020 at 13:20 • Filed to: tool time

I got nothing to put in it. My tool set is junked. I’ve always kept it safely in the inner corner of the porch where weather can’t get to them. Unbeknownst to me, a housemate moved it sometime over the winter (dot dot dot) to the edge of the porch. It’s now full of water and rust.

The one good bit of news is that the ratchets were salvageable and I still have a ratcheting wrench set that’s been in the trunk of my car. The sockets are supposedly stainless so hopefully this is just surface rust. I’m gonna buy the biggest jug of CLR I can find and see if I can save at least one full set of literally anything.

I finally unpacked my new airtools though. They smell like a gun.

DISCUSSION (21)

sony1492 > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
03/29/2020 at 13:37

The sockets can be salvaged.

Kinja'd!!!

It sort of turns into patina after enough use.

atfsgeoff > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
03/29/2020 at 13:39

The sockets aren’t stainless, they are Chrome-Vanadium alloy with a hard chrome plate to reduce corrosion. Sadly, no steel is completely impervious to corrosion. Upon close inspection, it appear that most of the sockets are probably in good shape, the rust wash that’s covering them is probably run-off from the corrosion of the black oxide bits.

Also, instead of CLR, try this

https://www.harborfreight.com/1-gallon-evapo-rust-rust-remover-96431.html

It works friggin wonders, and doesn’t eat any existing or remaining finish on the steel, including black oxide. It only attacks red oxide. Here’s an example of the before/after on a VERY rusty cap bolt I took off a motorcycle that’d been sitting in the elements for a decade:

Kinja'd!!!

Sovande > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
03/29/2020 at 13:46

I f you need any air tools, let me know. I have some I want to get rid of and that I’d be happy to let go for a reasonable price. I have a Grizzly air ratchet (3/8), a Husky impact gun (800ft/lbs and 1/2") and an Ingersoll air hammer. I’d let them all go for $100 plus shipping. I also have a hose reel and hose, but I bet that would be expensive to ship.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Sovande
03/29/2020 at 13:49

I have everything I need, but I appreciate the offer. I only really use air for filling tires and removing lug nuts.

TheRealBicycleBuck > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
03/29/2020 at 13:51

As others have said, a bath in rust remover will work wonders. A small brass brush and brass wire wheel will smooth everything out without hurting the finishes. If your socket wrenches get wet, they can be disassembled, cleaned, and regreased to be as good as new.

RacinBob > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
03/29/2020 at 13:53

Soak your rusty tools in vinegar, that will clean them up.

PyroHoltz f@h Oppo 261120 > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
03/29/2020 at 13:56

Your house mate is a dick, sorry man. Good looking tool box though.

WasGTIthenGTOthenNOVAnowbacktoGTI > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
03/29/2020 at 13:57

Bummer. On the flip side, rusty tools still work (mostly). You also now have the opportunity to take the time to clean them up!

Chariotoflove > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
03/29/2020 at 14:35

Most of your tools will be okay. Except the ones you use to bludgeon your housemate to death. Make sure you hide those well, and not in the same place as the body.

DipodomysDeserti > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
03/29/2020 at 14:54

Grab some phosphoric acid from the hardware store. It’s the ingredient in the vapo rust products that does the actual de-rusting.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
03/29/2020 at 14:59

I have that same cart!

SpecsGTP > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
03/29/2020 at 15:31

This sounds like a good excuse for having to purchase some tools! My best suggestion is get 6 point tools as some of rusty 12s may tend to want to round heads. Some decent mid-grade tools would be my suggestion; cheap tools are cheap for a reason.

Old-Busted-Hotness > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
03/29/2020 at 15:45

Get the air ratchet. It will become your favorite tool in a very short time.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
03/29/2020 at 16:00

Did you tell this housemate that they owe you a several hundred dollar toolset now? Because you should... :/

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > SpecsGTP
03/29/2020 at 16:02

I don’t have tool money. I’m out of work and realistically I only have two months of money left in savings.

Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing. > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
03/29/2020 at 16:17

Try Evapo- Rust or Naval Jelly. ER can be expensive, but NJ is pretty cheap. CLR isn’t that great on rust that has penetrated the surface in my experience.

But first, watch this: https://youtu.be/6-MC_ZEXQbw (Project Farm rust remover test, in case the linky doesn’t work)

SpecsGTP > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
03/29/2020 at 16:50

Hopefully that will change over the next few weeks. Good tools are worth it. Trust me, certain ones you can go full o n cheap-o with, but the ones you use regularly get something decent.

PyramidHat > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
03/29/2020 at 16:50

Time for a quick impersonal chat with said housemate about the cost of dental repair and what he can do to make this up to you...

speedy964 > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
03/29/2020 at 19:57

Nice tool cart, I am considering gett ing one in the next couple of months if HF stays open. P erhaps an update on getting the rust off the tools and how the cart’s working out in the next month or two ?

wafflesnfalafel > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
03/29/2020 at 19:57

son of a b...

You might try the soak ‘em in coke for a couple hours then dump them in oil thing. They won’t be pretty but maybe still functional.

SlideshowOhNO - Fixit Union, Chapter of Kinja > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
03/30/2020 at 00:16

Sounds like a good excuse to stock up on Sunex impact socket sets (I adore mine).