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Letter 38026
Caustic Acid Leaching from Joints in Metal
Bed
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Hi.
I'm a homeowner with an antique metal bed (cast iron); it's not all
that valuable but it has great emotional value to me. It was in bad
condition-- I had it welded and then stripped. The stripping company
used a caustic soda bath. It cannot be disassembled.
Now it is leaching through whatever primers I apply. I have removed
the casters and pressure washed the inside (the tubes are hollow) and
then let it dry for weeks-- also tried various sealing products-- all
to no avail. Within a day or so after priming it the leaching starts
again, from virtually every joint. The stripping company suggested
drilling holes, but the problem doesn't seem to be that it's holding
water-- the water flows through it and empties. When I prime it the
surface seems dry and clean-- but then the leaching starts again in a
few days.
Any ideas as to how I could solve the problem? Are there primers that
seal caustic soda crystals (or whatever is causing the problem)?
Please help-- I really want to keep this bed!
Thanks,
Shannon L. Antoine
homeowner/writer - Lacombe, Louisiana, USA
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Caustic soda is highly soluble in water and if you are sure it
rinses out well and even dries without a residue, then there is no
way what you are seeing is caustic soda. i think something else is
going on! perhaps you can describe what is leaching out a bit better.
is it a liquid or a powder leaching out? is it white, clear or
coloured? is the inside of the tube dry after you wash it out? if not
try high pressure air blowing through the tubes to dry it
best of luck
Peter Van de Luecht
- Melbourne, Vic, Australia
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I'm just a country boy with a ton of pro amateur exp dude just
soak that stuff in
baking soda [link is to product info at Amazon] find your own
combo it neutralizes everything in the right strength all were
talking about is soda and water.
Bruce Raymond Witte
- Germantown, MD
March 18, 2008
IF THE FRAME WAS SOAKED WITH CAUSTIC THEN THE BED WAS NEVER
DESIGNED TO BE REPAINTED BACKING SODA IS YOUR BEST BET TO KEEP THE
METAL FROM BREAKING DOWN THROUGH OXYGEN, BUT YOU MAY HAVE TO WORRY
ABOUT IT NOW BREAKING DOWN THROUGH HYDROGEN IF YOU COME UP WITH A
MIXED PAINT TYPE OF CAUSTIC YOU MAY BE ABLE TO NEUTRALIZE THE EFFECT
BOTH WAYS BUT THERE IS A HALF LIFE ON EVERY ELEMENT SO I GUESS
NOTHING LAST FOREVER. OR MAYBE DIRT DOES.
BOBBY
- OCALA, FL, USA
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