How to fix dents and clean out a rusty tank?

[Dgonzo]

Can anybody point me in the right direction on how to do this? I’ve been told apple cider vinegar will remove the rust and to pop the dents out fill it with water and put it in the freezer. Just wanted to make sure I won’t be damaging the tank when doing this.

[Kamnahrt]

Recently for rust removal I have had superb luck with evaporust. Fill the tank full or submerge the outside and one day later the rust has been neutralized.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

[6bt]

Phosphoric acid is the main ingredient of evapo rust. Home Depot sells it in the paint section

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

[DAM shop]

Phosphoric acid is not the main ingredient. Evapotust uses a chelating agent as a active ingredient. It attacks the rust but not the good metal. Unlike acid that attacks all metal. It is biodegradable unlike acid that is not. This has been discussed on here before and actually has started off a fire storm of a thread.
Do the research.
Phosphoric acid is the main ingredient of evapo rust. Home Depot sells it in the paint section

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

[Arky-X]

I used apple cider vinegar in mine. Filled it full and shook the heck out of it at least twice per day for a week. Looked great at this point.

What I did next may not be the best thing so others probably have other ideas. I've heard rinse with gas, alcohol, baking soda mixed with water......
I rinsed with water and baking soda and then used a long reach blower to get inside the tank to get it completely dry. Sprayed WD-40 in it to coat it but I still have some flash rust but it is way better than it started.

I've heard good things of EvapoRust and Metal Rescue. I will probably give one of those one last try before I coat it with Caswell.

Let us know what route you take and post the results.


On a related note.....when you coat with Caswell or Red Kote or whatever......can you coat the cap too? I was thinking of plugging the vent holes and lining it as well.


Good luck!

[Arky-X]

......as far as dents......
I didn't have many except the one on the left side where my knee pressed it in over the years. Not really a dent but an indention or "pressed in" from my knee.

If you have a sharp deep crease like this one;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOb_CkdZgHc
it will probably take some know-how and patience and the tools.

Since mine wasn't sharp, I took a long screwdriver and wrapped a bunch of duct tape on the end and used that to push out from the inside. I used a piece of wood on the filler neck of the tank where I could put some leverage on it and not harm the filler hole (neck.) I wouldn't recommend doing it like this on a sharp crease though.
Probably could have just used a plunger on mine.

[BarnBoy]

Can anybody point me in the right direction on how to do this? I’ve been told apple cider vinegar will remove the rust and to pop the dents out fill it with water and put it in the freezer. Just wanted to make sure I won’t be damaging the tank when doing this.

Electrolysis is really the best way to go, its easiest on the steel.

[Dgonzo]

How long can I leave the evaporust inside the tank?

[ivan-083]

Can anybody point me in the right direction on how to do this? I’ve been told apple cider vinegar will remove the rust and to pop the dents out fill it with water and put it in the freezer. Just wanted to make sure I won’t be damaging the tank when doing this.

I just used normal cheap vinegar from the shops. Filled the tank right up and left it for 3 days, the tank was really rusty and it came up clean! Then I just used hot water and flushed it out several times. Then used a air compressor to dry out then put in tank sealer in it! Vinegar works great don’t use the expensive products.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[BOB MARLIN]

Works toilet bowl cleaner from wallmart.

[Dgonzo]

I filled the tank up yesterday with apple cider vinegar and have been shaking it through out the day. From the looks of it is working really good and no leaks yet. I plan to rinse with distilled water and baking soda after to neutralize the acid. Hopefully it works!

[ATCKevin]

I have had great luck with plain old white vinegar! My 200s tank was pretty rough inside. I did the vinegar then I also put in a handful of 5/16 nuts in the tank. These helped knock alot of rust off too. I didn't go crazy shaking it but it seemed to help.

[Dgonzo]

So after leaving the vinegar in for a day or so I found some pinholes on the top of the tank. I bit the bullet and bought a plastic Clarke tank so I won’t have to worry about it anymore.