Mastodawn

New project acquired. My in-laws wheelbarrow. My son wanted to toss it, his grandmother wanted it tossed, but his grandfather pointed out they had the wheelbarrow since they first got married sometime in the 60's. Already ordered replacement handles and wedge pieces, now deciding how far I go with the metal restoration. On the plus side, all the undoubtedly leaded 1960's paint long gone, lol. Now, to decide on removing the rust or just covering it up after some metal brushing.... #ReduceRepairReuseRecycle #repair

AI6YR Ben 6h ago

First step, a little PB Blaster and some work with two garage sale adjustable wrenches. Pb Blaster really reeks. Ends up a lot of the bolts are rust with no threads. #ReduceRepairReuseRecycle #repair

AI6YR Ben 6h ago

Pile of metal, tire, old wood (rotted!!!). Had to pull out a hacksaw, many of the bolts were more rust than metal, and you can't remove a bolt where there is no thread. #ReduceRepairReuseRecycle #repair

AI6YR Ben 6h ago

Current status: these wheelbarrows have carriage bolts, but when they are very rusty, they spun. An angle grinder would be the best option here, but I have no angle grinder. So, manual hacksaw through the bolt (which works, but is a lot of work. But, great arm workout!) #ReduceRepairReuseRecycle #repair #wheelbarrow

AI6YR Ben 6h ago

Sears wheelbarrow. Probably 1960's or early 1970's. Purchased in Ventura or Oxnard, I understand. #ReduceRepairReuseRecycle #repair

AI6YR Ben 6h ago

I wonder if someone has the appropriate catalog for this one online anywhere. #Sears

AI6YR Ben 4h ago

Going with rust covering paint on this. Did a quick once over with a metal brush while wet to knock off loose rust, and I see the undercoat is most certainly that vintage leaded paint white (it has a certain sheen). So, better covered and encapsulated than removed. Washed with a degreaser. There are bits of ancient cement I can't remove... they will have to remain there I suppose. #ReduceRepairReuseRecycle #wheelbarrow #repair

Perhaps consider a phosphoric acid based rust converter before the paint, but check compatibility.

AI6YR Ben 2h ago

@zl2tod The "Rustoleom" based paint here has a rust converter in the paint.

FreddyB Aviation Photography 2h ago

@ai6yr Plus those old tools were built like a tank and made to last.

Highly recommend a more modern tire that does not need to be inflated

Mac - VA3WFT 6h ago

@ai6yr archive.org has quite a few scanned.

Shirley Eugest 6h ago

@ai6yr
page 10, 1970
https://dn710204.ca.archive.org/0/items/1970-sears-spring-summer-catalog_202308/1970%20Sears%20Spring%20Summer%20Catalog_text.pdf

AI6YR Ben 4h ago

@EugestShirley LOL

Also, fashion in the 70's was... interesting.

Leaping Woman 4h ago

@ai6yr @EugestShirley people took a lot of psychedelics in that era. um, according to my friends.

Cainmark Does Not Comply 🚲3h ago

@ai6yr @EugestShirley

Flower power!

Darth Osler 3h ago

@ai6yr @EugestShirley https://youtu.be/UOUBW8bkjQ4?si=Q6odUZ3OhzbuYefI

twenty one pilots - Jumpsuit (Official Video)

YouTube

The whole flower power / summer of love thing was in large part a cultural reaction to the Vietnam war, and Korea and WWII before it.

I wish I was seeing something analogous now.

Cat West 1h ago

@ai6yr those chairs, despite appearances, were VERY comfortable to sit in whilst conversing with others.

Greg Whitehead 6h ago

@ai6yr I was on team hacksaw for many many years. Finally bought an angle grinder and will never go back! ;-)

Joseph Lamoree 4h ago

@ai6yr I’ll lend you an angle grinder next time.

AI6YR Ben 4h ago

@jlamoree BUT HOW WILL I GET MY ARM REPS IN THEN?!?!? 🤪

Joseph Lamoree 3h ago

@ai6yr Well, with the time you save, you could drive your car to the gym and workout in a sanitary environment, like a normal person. Hehe

AI6YR Ben 2h ago

@jlamoree I'm pretty sure removing rusty bolts in my backyard is a lot more sanitary than sharing sweaty surfaces with 1000 of my nearest friends 🤪

Mycotropic 3h ago

Hell of a project, congratulations on it!

rand ❌👑4h ago

@ai6yr I’ll up your all rust. This was once a ½” bolt that attached the one of the railing posts to my mom’s deck. Just a sharp spike now. Also, this is the only one I found, plenty of empty holes though. It’s amazing the railing never gave way.

AI6YR Ben 4h ago

@rand Oh, geez

Bill Witte 4h ago

@rand @ai6yr Darn O2 atmosphere. You wouldn’t have had this problem back in the Archean.

@ai6yr I replace my handles every 30 years whether they need it or not. Get a non-inflatable tire from Harbor Freight and you'll never have a flat again, plus they're harder so heavy loads are more stable. Any modern spray anti-rust paint will do more than well enough; Rustoleum, Hammerite, etc. No need to go crazy prepping, just go over with a wire brush.

Virginicus 3h ago

@W6KME @ai6yr Second the non-inflatable tire, though wearing out so many standard tires is how I figured out that I was overloading the wheelbarrow.

NilaJones 6h ago

Is that a feijoa in the background?

Brian Davis 5h ago

@ai6yr you should hand letter on the side "wheelbarrow of Theseus".

AI6YR Ben 4h ago

@intrepidhero Yeah, it will be pretty close.