I need some nitric acid to passivate some stainless. Anybody know of a
common local source? I see my favorite McMaster Carr don't have it.

For example, you cab buy hydrochloric acid as muratic acid at any hardware
store. or phosphoric acid as "Lime Away" at any farm and fleet store or
sulfuric acid as battery acid at any auto parts store.

I see citric acid is also use to passivate. Know a local source for this?

Karl

Karl Townsend wrote:
I need some nitric acid to passivate some stainless. Anybody know of a
common local source? I see my favorite McMaster Carr don't have it.

Karl:

http://tinyurl.com/yanw664

You've got to check shipping. I understand some strengths can't be
shipped by air, and they might not ship to private parties.

--
BottleBob
http://home.earthlink.net/~bottlbob

On Dec 13, 7:14*pm, "Karl Townsend"
wrote:
I need some nitric acid to passivate some stainless. Anybody know of a
common local source? I see my favorite McMaster Carr don't have it.

For example, you cab buy hydrochloric acid as muratic acid at any hardware
store. or phosphoric acid as "Lime Away" at any farm and fleet store or
sulfuric acid as battery acid at any auto parts store.

I see citric acid is also use to passivate. Know a local source for this?

Karl

Citric acid is used in cooking/baking. The local supermarket in
Washington State had citric acid in the bulk food department. But you
will probably only find it in a really large supermarket.

Check Ernie Leimkuhler's website or search in SEJW. Ernie uses a
citric acid sold for passivation.

Dan

Welding supply stores. Nitric acid is better.
Steve

"Karl Townsend" wrote in message anews.com...
I need some nitric acid to passivate some stainless. Anybody know of a
common local source? I see my favorite McMaster Carr don't have it.

For example, you cab buy hydrochloric acid as muratic acid at any hardware
store. or phosphoric acid as "Lime Away" at any farm and fleet store or
sulfuric acid as battery acid at any auto parts store.

I see citric acid is also use to passivate. Know a local source for this?

Karl

Nitric acid passivation is probably better (it also removes some scale and
discoloration, too) but citric acid does pretty well. I use 8-10% by volume
citric acid in distilled water for at least an hour at 150 F with agitation.
Should be longer than necessary but time is cheap in this case. I've done
comparisons using small pieces of 304 16 ga sheet with tig beads run in one
direction and then cut up into strips so each strip had 2 or 3 beads across
it, and the citric makes a big difference compared to nothing. Glass
beading first helps slightly but of course gets rid of all the bluing.
Glass bead or not, passivate or not, bake at 450 F for an hour or not, then
submerge in concentrated salt water for a few days and look for rust. All
three is best. McMaster Carr sells citric acid.

-----
Regards,
Carl Ijames

"Karl Townsend" wrote in message
anews.com...
I need some nitric acid to passivate some stainless. Anybody know of a
common local source? I see my favorite McMaster Carr don't have it.

For example, you cab buy hydrochloric acid as muratic acid at any hardware
store. or phosphoric acid as "Lime Away" at any farm and fleet store or
sulfuric acid as battery acid at any auto parts store.

I see citric acid is also use to passivate. Know a local source for this?

Karl

"Karl Townsend" wrote in message
anews.com...
I need some nitric acid to passivate some stainless. Anybody know of a
common local source? I see my favorite McMaster Carr don't have it.

For example, you cab buy hydrochloric acid as muratic acid at any hardware
store. or phosphoric acid as "Lime Away" at any farm and fleet store or
sulfuric acid as battery acid at any auto parts store.

I see citric acid is also use to passivate. Know a local source for this?


I get my citric acid in the local pharmacy.

--
Michael Koblic
Campbell River, BC

I did also as a kid with soda rockets.

Guess they would do it for a person - a buck is a buck. Customer is gold.

Martin

Michael Koblic wrote:
"Karl Townsend" wrote in message
anews.com...
I need some nitric acid to passivate some stainless. Anybody know of a
common local source? I see my favorite McMaster Carr don't have it.

For example, you cab buy hydrochloric acid as muratic acid at any hardware
store. or phosphoric acid as "Lime Away" at any farm and fleet store or
sulfuric acid as battery acid at any auto parts store.

I see citric acid is also use to passivate. Know a local source for this?


I get my citric acid in the local pharmacy.

On Sun, 13 Dec 2009 13:14:59 -0600, "Karl Townsend"
wrote:

I need some nitric acid to passivate some stainless. Anybody know of a
common local source? I see my favorite McMaster Carr don't have it.

For example, you cab buy hydrochloric acid as muratic acid at any hardware
store. or phosphoric acid as "Lime Away" at any farm and fleet store or
sulfuric acid as battery acid at any auto parts store.

I see citric acid is also use to passivate. Know a local source for this?

Karl

It's available in the Twin Cities but I don't know where. Mary's Dad's
business in St. Paul did stainless passivation. I still have a
gallon jug of fuming HNO3 but I'm not sharing!

On 2009-12-13, Karl Townsend wrote:
I need some nitric acid to passivate some stainless. Anybody know of a
common local source? I see my favorite McMaster Carr don't have it.

For example, you cab buy hydrochloric acid as muratic acid at any hardware
store. or phosphoric acid as "Lime Away" at any farm and fleet store or
sulfuric acid as battery acid at any auto parts store.

Note that since nitric acid is a primary substance used in
making nitroglycerine and other similar explosives, it is probably
rather tightly controlled and tracked these days.

Enjoy,
DoN.

--
Email: | Voice (all times): (703) 938-4564
(too) near Washington D.C. | http://www.d-and-d.com/dnichols/DoN.html
--- Black Holes are where God is dividing by zero ---

On Sun, 13 Dec 2009 13:14:59 -0600, "Karl Townsend"
wrote:

I need some nitric acid to passivate some stainless. Anybody know of a
common local source? I see my favorite McMaster Carr don't have it.




I get both from a mail-order chemical supply here in the UK. I can't think of
any "domestic" preparations that would be mainly nitric acid. But the stuff's
so useful when you do need it that it's worth a little trouble to get a
supply.


Mark Rand
RTFM

Nitrates are used in explosives. So, it's unlikely you'll
find a source of nitric acid.

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


"Karl Townsend" wrote in
message
anews.com...
I need some nitric acid to passivate some stainless. Anybody
know of a
common local source? I see my favorite McMaster Carr don't
have it.

For example, you cab buy hydrochloric acid as muratic acid
at any hardware
store. or phosphoric acid as "Lime Away" at any farm and
fleet store or
sulfuric acid as battery acid at any auto parts store.

I see citric acid is also use to passivate. Know a local
source for this?

Karl

Karl Townsend wrote:
I need some nitric acid to passivate some stainless. Anybody know of a
common local source? I see my favorite McMaster Carr don't have it.

For example, you cab buy hydrochloric acid as muratic acid at any hardware
store. or phosphoric acid as "Lime Away" at any farm and fleet store or
sulfuric acid as battery acid at any auto parts store.

I see citric acid is also use to passivate. Know a local source for this?

Karl


As no one has so far mentioned it, ill do so.
Nitric acid is used regularly in electroplating works.
If youve one near you, look in your yellow pages under plating, they
may do passivation anyway, or let you have enough to do what you want.

im in the UK as well, and have no problemsgetting the stuff from
Canning. Birmingham. I do collect it tho on prior order..
whatsa abit more difficult to get is the real nasty, Hydroflouric acid.
Nitric is the basis constituent of bright dip. Great stuff for cleaning
corrosion off non ferous copper based alloys.

hope this helps.

On 14 Dec 2009 06:49:51 GMT, "DoN. Nichols"
wrote:

On 2009-12-13, Karl Townsend wrote:
I need some nitric acid to passivate some stainless. Anybody know of a
common local source? I see my favorite McMaster Carr don't have it.

For example, you cab buy hydrochloric acid as muratic acid at any hardware
store. or phosphoric acid as "Lime Away" at any farm and fleet store or
sulfuric acid as battery acid at any auto parts store.

Note that since nitric acid is a primary substance used in
making nitroglycerine and other similar explosives, it is probably
rather tightly controlled and tracked these days.

Enjoy,
DoN.

Yes, if you set up a new account and try to order strong oxidizers, I
would expect some penetrating questions. If you have a long-term
existing business with a legitimate need, it shouldn't be a serious
problem.. but it might cause delays. BTW, concentrated nitric acid
will attract Hazmat shipping fees (ground shipping only). I would
expect individuals would not be able to easily buy such chemicals.

We use a lab supply house for reagent grade chemicals, but they tend
to be a bit expensive.

"Spehro Pefhany" wrote in message
...
On 14 Dec 2009 06:49:51 GMT, "DoN. Nichols"
wrote:

On 2009-12-13, Karl Townsend wrote:
I need some nitric acid to passivate some stainless. Anybody know of a
common local source? I see my favorite McMaster Carr don't have it.

For example, you cab buy hydrochloric acid as muratic acid at any
hardware
store. or phosphoric acid as "Lime Away" at any farm and fleet store or
sulfuric acid as battery acid at any auto parts store.

Note that since nitric acid is a primary substance used in
making nitroglycerine and other similar explosives, it is probably
rather tightly controlled and tracked these days.

Enjoy,
DoN.

Yes, if you set up a new account and try to order strong oxidizers, I
would expect some penetrating questions. If you have a long-term
existing business with a legitimate need, it shouldn't be a serious
problem.. but it might cause delays. BTW, concentrated nitric acid
will attract Hazmat shipping fees (ground shipping only). I would
expect individuals would not be able to easily buy such chemicals.

We use a lab supply house for reagent grade chemicals, but they tend
to be a bit expensive.


Unless my memory is failing, to passivate stainless with nitric acid, you
have to get it hot, correct? I thought that's why people used hydrofluoric
acid for small-batch passivating. Hot nitric is very nasty stuff.

--
Ed Huntress

Ed Huntress writes:

I thought that's why people used hydrofluoric
acid for small-batch passivating. Hot nitric is very nasty stuff.

And cold HF is even nastier.

"Richard J Kinch" wrote in message
. ..
Ed Huntress writes:

I thought that's why people used hydrofluoric
acid for small-batch passivating. Hot nitric is very nasty stuff.

And cold HF is even nastier.

But isn't it safer to handle, at least because of the cooler temperature?
And how about the fumes? I don't know the answers to these questions; I'm
just asking.

The only hydrofluoric I've been near is the pasty stuff that comes in a
tube, which you can get at your local welding supply. But I only needed a
dab of it.

--
Ed Huntress

On Mon, 14 Dec 2009 19:17:28 -0500, "Ed Huntress"
wrote:


"Richard J Kinch" wrote in message
...
Ed Huntress writes:

I thought that's why people used hydrofluoric
acid for small-batch passivating. Hot nitric is very nasty stuff.

And cold HF is even nastier.

But isn't it safer to handle, at least because of the cooler temperature?
And how about the fumes? I don't know the answers to these questions; I'm
just asking.

I'm OK with fuming HNO3 but I wouldn't mess with HF outside of a
properly-equipped lab. Quote from Wikipedia:

The danger in handling hydrofluoric acid is extreme, as skin
saturation with the acid in areas of only 25 square inches (160 cm2)
may be relatively painless, yet ultimately fatal. High concentrations
of hydrofluoric acid and hydrogen fluoride gas will also quickly
destroy the corneas of the eyes.

Richard J Kinch wrote:
Ed Huntress writes:

I thought that's why people used hydrofluoric
acid for small-batch passivating. Hot nitric is very nasty stuff.

And cold HF is even nastier.
I was going to tell him this and decided to see if someone
beat me to to it. :-)
...lew...

"Don Foreman" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 14 Dec 2009 19:17:28 -0500, "Ed Huntress"
wrote:


"Richard J Kinch" wrote in message
1...
Ed Huntress writes:

I thought that's why people used hydrofluoric
acid for small-batch passivating. Hot nitric is very nasty stuff.

And cold HF is even nastier.

But isn't it safer to handle, at least because of the cooler temperature?
And how about the fumes? I don't know the answers to these questions; I'm
just asking.

I'm OK with fuming HNO3 but I wouldn't mess with HF outside of a
properly-equipped lab. Quote from Wikipedia:

The danger in handling hydrofluoric acid is extreme, as skin
saturation with the acid in areas of only 25 square inches (160 cm2)
may be relatively painless, yet ultimately fatal. High concentrations
of hydrofluoric acid and hydrogen fluoride gas will also quickly
destroy the corneas of the eyes.

Ugh. I'm glad I don't have to passivate any stainless. g

Aside from trying to clean up a weld with the hydrofluoric paste (it didn't
do the job very well; it got rid of the blue, but there was still black
oxide left on the weld), my limited experience with nitric was in etching
mold surfaces. We had a very powerful hood for that, but I refused to do it
indoors, anyway.

--
Ed Huntress

On Mon, 14 Dec 2009 19:17:28 -0500, "Ed Huntress"
wrote:


"Richard J Kinch" wrote in message
...
Ed Huntress writes:

I thought that's why people used hydrofluoric
acid for small-batch passivating. Hot nitric is very nasty stuff.

And cold HF is even nastier.

But isn't it safer to handle, at least because of the cooler temperature?
And how about the fumes? I don't know the answers to these questions; I'm
just asking.

The only hydrofluoric I've been near is the pasty stuff that comes in a
tube, which you can get at your local welding supply. But I only needed a
dab of it.

HF you don't even want to be in the same zip code with - it gets in
your system and just keeps destroying.

-- Bruce --

"Bruce L. Bergman" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 14 Dec 2009 19:17:28 -0500, "Ed Huntress"
wrote:


"Richard J Kinch" wrote in message
1...
Ed Huntress writes:

I thought that's why people used hydrofluoric
acid for small-batch passivating. Hot nitric is very nasty stuff.

And cold HF is even nastier.

But isn't it safer to handle, at least because of the cooler temperature?
And how about the fumes? I don't know the answers to these questions; I'm
just asking.

The only hydrofluoric I've been near is the pasty stuff that comes in a
tube, which you can get at your local welding supply. But I only needed a
dab of it.

HF you don't even want to be in the same zip code with - it gets in
your system and just keeps destroying.

-- Bruce --

OK, I get the picture. No more sniffing hydrofluoric for me. dB-(

--
Ed Huntress

I turned down a gallon (opened) and the rest of a case - 4 total that was
Semiconductor / lab grade HF.

Reason - I know the stuff. I don't consider it over other acids.

HF will 'fly' through your skin and body - attacking the joint by dissolving
the calcium components of your joints. The joints begin to grind and are
forever bad. The cartilage is jelly. Be sure you know what you are
doing and protect yourself. It fumes and must be treated as dangerous.

I left the bottles in the semiconductor lab for hazmat to clean up. We were
moving out of that building and the semiconductor lab dissolved semiconductor
with it. It etches glass so special handling is needed.

Martin

Ed Huntress wrote:
"Richard J Kinch" wrote in message
. ..
Ed Huntress writes:

I thought that's why people used hydrofluoric
acid for small-batch passivating. Hot nitric is very nasty stuff.
And cold HF is even nastier.

But isn't it safer to handle, at least because of the cooler temperature?
And how about the fumes? I don't know the answers to these questions; I'm
just asking.

The only hydrofluoric I've been near is the pasty stuff that comes in a
tube, which you can get at your local welding supply. But I only needed a
dab of it.

Citric acid is used in cooking/baking. The local supermarket in
Washington State had citric acid in the bulk food department. But you
will probably only find it in a really large supermarket.

If you need just a little, you can often find "sour salt" in the Jewish
food or spice section of a market -- it is citric acid crystals.

Northe