Cleaning up a Porthole.............

[Paul Oliver]

..............................OK then, did i mention i had acquired with some help from Chasey a rather nice Porthole this week



Well i need to soak it in some brick acid and need a suitable container to lay it in, my old container is too small and i also have the problem that i need to keep Ben here away from drinking it



So any ideas where i can get a suitable round tub with a lid, that i can lay it flat in?

Better idea of scale here:-

[Miss Roxy Chablis]

Plastic loft water tank or chemical container?
I know Darren / The Doctor stick stuff in the toilet cistern.
I'll leave you to break the news to Mrs Oliver

[Paul Oliver]

Originally Posted by Howard Payne

Plastic loft water tank or chemical container?
I know Darren / The Doctor stick stuff in the toilet cistern.
I'll leave you to break the news to Mrs Oliver

Yes i'm thinking about Chemical containers, my old one is similar but too small and has no lid

The toilet cistern is good for soaking it in frequently changing fresh water, but its a bit big for that as well

She is still going on about the last one i started to clean up, that was not as good and i kinda lost interest in it

Edit: Please note that her indoors needs no excuse to nag, and is also training my daughters quite well in the same discipline

[David]

put it back underwater.... until some can give you some good advice

[ray]

Hi.
I have a dedicated dustbin with a lid so I can reuse the brick acid over and over again.

Pour four 5 litre containers of neat brick acid in, chuck whatever you want to clean in, when it stops fizzing give the object a stir to start it fizzing again until it wont fizz no more.

Then I chuck it in the garden along with the other couple of dozen plus portholes.

Now the bell! thats a different story .

[triplefin]

think I like it au natural - cant u just hang it up as it is - great talking point and far more interesting

[Paul Oliver]

Originally Posted by ray

Hi.
I have a dedicated dustbin with a lid so I can reuse the brick acid over and over again.

Pour four 5 litre containers of neat brick acid in, chuck whatever you want to clean in, when it stops fizzing give the object a stir to start it fizzing again until it wont fizz no more.

Then I chuck it in the garden along with the other couple of dozen plus portholes.

Now the bell! thats a different story .

Ray is that a plastic one or metal one?

I was worried a metal one would leak and the plastic ones dont really look robust enough.

[ray]

Originally Posted by Paul Oliver

Ray is that a plastic one or metal one?

I was worried a metal one would leak and the plastic ones don't really look robust enough.

Plastic, but obviously one with out the drainage hole in the bottom which is the council norm.
I have used mine for years, and it is amazing how long the acid works for and the stuff you can clean.

All the stuff folk say about watering down the acid and fannying about with brass cleaning fluid is a waste of time, I have never had a problem with anything I have cleaned in neat brick acid as bought from the builders merchants, brass, glass, or pottery so long as you give it a good rinse with a power wash or soak in fresh water afterwards.
The level of finish you want to enjoy on the finished article is dependent on how its done, you will never get the level of shine a professional metal finishers can, unless you haven't got a life outside polishing!.
Huh don't do domestics

[frosty the snowman]

How about one of those under bed storage boxes? I've soaked a few goodies in one with no problems. They're dirt cheap from B&Q or similar 'dive accessory' outlets.

[Kevin Heath]

Vineger is far better than brick acid whick tends to eat the zinc out of the brass ! you can leave it a week or so in vineger and then a wire brush and hey presto a clean gleaming porthole