# possible to remove dried concrete?



## rosco

this mixer paddle is designed and sold to mix joint compound. But, i used it to mix Quickcrete a while back and didn't clean it.








i'd like to clean it off perfectly so i can use it mix, yup, joint compound. it will be for a texturing job so i can't have any trash quickcrete on the paddle. i hear even just a little bit of trash in the mudd mix can really cause problems. so it must be cleaned like it was new

what hasn't work: 


 a dremmel's wire brush and stone bit (too awkard to get into the corners and bend with the stone).
soaking in water for a week.
hammering a screw driver, as would a mason, got a lot off.
picking out with a little tiny screw-driver
an air tool that would blow out a thin stream of super-high pressure air would work, but i don't have compressed air or a tool like that.
any body know something easy and affective? it has all kinds of grooves and hidden corners that are hiding sand-size quickrete that i can't have:wink:

several other tools were left this way after a porch job


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## PaliBob

rosco said:


> ...i'd like to clean it off perfectly.......


I'd get a new one from All-Wall

Click here for more info


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## nap

Oh, that's it Bob; take the easy way out.:laughing:


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## PaliBob

Well, Rosco, asked for perfectly, so the new one looks like it might be Gold plated.


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## nap

PaliBob said:


> Well, Rosco, asked for perfectly, so the new one looks like it might be Gold plated.


I was obviously joshin' ya but honestly, I agree. It doesn't take much time for me to use up $13 of my time. He can hang on to the dirty one for mixing up things like...well, Quickrete.:whistling2:


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## PaliBob

nap, I took it as joshin, & I was lol .
.


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## nap

PaliBob said:


> nap, I took it as joshin, & I was lol .
> .


but you look so dang stern in your picture, I couldn't tell:laughing:


sometimes my humor is not understood so I tend to explain. Just wanted to be sure.


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## rosco

i think a new one is in the plans if we don't contract-out this last texturing job. 

That is a nice paddle for the price.

i'll check back with this thread and search for others just in case someone has a secret to removing dried quickrete off tools. i doubt there is a secret and if there is, it should remain a secret. it is basically a way to dissolve concrete


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## nap

what about muriatic acid soak?


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## Willie T

Honestly. I'm not joking everytime I repeatedly post this. Sugar and water makes a great concrete remover.


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## nap

Willie T said:


> Honestly. I'm not joking everytime I repeatedly post this. Sugar and water makes a great concrete remover.


If you can show the physics behind the statement, I'll believe you willie. Until then, I think it's just a story you keep trying to fool all of us with.:wink:


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## jomama45

Willie T said:


> Honestly. I'm not joking everytime I repeatedly post this. Sugar and water makes a great concrete remover.


 
If that really works Willie, I will owe you big time.

I'll have to try that out real soon. :thumbsup:


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## nap

Ok. Nobody say anything to jomama. Willie has a fish on the hook trying the old "sugar and water" gag. When he comes back with a really lost look on his face, it's good for a laugh.


I'm thinking this is kind of like the old snipe hunting stories from when I was young.


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## rosco

nap said:


> If you can show the physics behind the statement, I'll believe you willie. Until then, I think it's just a story you keep trying to fool all of us with.:wink:


Willie's idea would be more chemistry. 

what is the procedure? "the boss" will be canning apricots tonight or tomorrow morning. it involves boiling sugar and water. is it a similar process? maybe i sneak by with the cordless drill and paddle mixer and give it a "dip" and a quick "whirl?" 

seriously though. what is the procedure with sugar and water?


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## nap

> [rosco;465273]Willie's idea would be more chemistry.


Hey, it was just a joke. I just typed the first thing that came to mind.





> seriously though. what is the procedure with sugar and water?


take water; add sugar; stir; insert tool; wait:laughing:

after you are done waiting; remove; scrub; scrub with a wire brush; rinse

repeat as needed.

I bet now you want to know how long to wait.


You wait until...


wait for it...


until willie gets back and tells us all.:laughing:


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## Willie T

nap said:


> Hey, it was just a joke. I just typed the first thing that came to mind.
> 
> 
> 
> take water; add sugar; stir; insert tool; wait:laughing:
> 
> after you are done waiting; remove; scrub; scrub with a wire brush; rinse
> 
> repeat as needed.
> 
> I bet now you want to know how long to wait.
> 
> 
> You wait until...
> 
> 
> wait for it...
> 
> 
> until willie gets back and tells us all.:laughing:


Actually, you soak it for twenty five minutes or so, (I wouldn't bother with much more than 45 minutes), then you take it out and just barely let the mixture start to dry on the mixer piece till it is a soft grey/white powdery mush. Then you vigorously brush it off with a stiff brush. On this kind of metal, a hard scrub brush or wire brush is OK. Rinse and repeat as necessary, it only takes light layers off at a time. Some people resoak the piece after the first coat dries, then scrub it wet. Try it both ways to see which you like best. The wet way is faster, but the dry way has always seemed safer for finishes. (to me, anyway)

I use a softer, natural bristle brush on the paint job of my truck. I usually get right on the dried concrete the same day, so often only five minutes works for me.... and sometimes I hardly have to scrub at all, just blast it with a high pressure stream of water. I suggested 25-45 minutes because it sounds like yours has been on for quite a while, and might be rather thick.

Now, if you'd rather spend some money, Google "Back-Set". Just simply Googling the two words "sugar" and "concrete" together will give you an eyeful that you will remember for all the rest of your lives... Especially read an article called "A Hard Lesson to Learn".


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## rosco

Willie T said:


> Actually, you soak it for twenty five minutes or so, (I wouldn't bother with much more than 45 minutes), then you take it out and let the mixture dry on the mixer piece till it is a white powder. Then you vigorously brush it off with a stiff brush. On this kind of metal, a hard scrub brush or wire brush is OK. .....


how much water and how much sugar? 

would this mean that if i spilled a glass of Sweet Tea on the new back porch (being concrete) that if i didn't wash it off, the concrete would start to deteriorate? maybe a slice of lemon would off-set the "sugar effect."


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## Willie T

rosco said:


> how much water and how much sugar?
> 
> would this mean that if i spilled a glass of Sweet Tea on the new back porch (being concrete) that if i didn't wash it off, the concrete would start to deteriorate? maybe a slice of lemon would off-set the "sugar effect."


Depending on how much you lean toward the Southern sickeningly sweet tea, yes, it could have some effect.

Use a good cup to a gallon or so.

EDIT: I've tried to refine (pardon the pun) the instructions in the last post some, so it might make more sense.


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## jomama45

nap said:


> Ok. Nobody say anything to jomama. Willie has a fish on the hook trying the old "sugar and water" gag. When he comes back with a really lost look on his face, it's good for a laugh.
> 
> 
> I'm thinking this is kind of like the old snipe hunting stories from when I was young.


 
:laughing: :whistling2: :thumbsup::thumbsup:

I'm too proud to say that I fell for anything "look, line & sinker", so I'd be more likely to post before & after pics using muratic if the sugar didn't work.......

It's common knowledge that sugar or soda is a natural retardent to concrete, so this theory of Willie's may actually have some merit, But I guess Ill have to test it to see for sure. :whistling2:


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## rosco

Willie T - 
i'm thinking on this one. wondering if there is any possibility. what is the ratio of sugar to water? 1:1?


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## Cmudr1

Rosco the best thing to use would be Muriatic Acid. It can commonly be found at pool supply stores and I believe Ive even seen at Lowes. It is an acid so be very careful and follow directions. It is not reactive to plastic but will eat magnesium and some other metals so watch how long you let it set on the mixer. Also be sure and read the label on disposal once your done, and as with all acid never pour water into the acid to dilute...always pour the acid into the water. Be safe and Good luck, this will do the trick.


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## rosco

Cmudr1 said:


> Rosco the best thing to use would be Muriatic Acid. ...


THX! last night i found some cement cleaner that is labeled muriatic acid (Hydrochloric). it seems to be all Aluminum except the allen wrench nut. what metal are those usually? it would also be riveted where the mixer blade meets the hub.

i thought it was black in color but that is just from remembering what it looked like before using it and not cleaning it (at the time, i expected to only use it to mix Quickrete so stopped washing it after a while (excuse for being lazy and getting myself into this mess).


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## Cmudr1

Rosco, It will react with aluminum however it is probably coated with an aluminum oxide due to corrosion from the air so It should be fine. I wouldnt worry about it too much just be sure and dont let it sit on there for a long time.

Fill up a 5gal bucket with a diluted mix about 10:1 and set it in for a few secs, you should see the concrete dissolving away, take out rinse off (being careful not to splash yourself, another bucket may be good) and repeat til satisfied. 

I said that about magnesium because some tools in the masonry field are made of it to keep the material from sticking. I also know of a guy who forgot to dilute his solution and watched a mag float get destroyed in about 5 secs . Just be sure and follow directions, dilute properly and rinse when done and you should be fine. Also be sure to do this outside, with a tailwind preferably, the gasses can be harmful. Cleanup is done with lime or baking soda to produce a salt that can be washed away but watch those vapors.


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## nap

and while you are using the acid, if you take a newer style penny (the copper coated zinc pennies) and grind off just a bit of the copper in a spot or two along the edge and put them in the acid, the acid will remove the zinc and you are left with a hollow penny that is just the copper plating.

it will be very fragile though and easily crushed so they need to be handled with a delicate touch.


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## rosco

nap said:


> and while you are using the acid, if you take a newer style penny (the copper coated zinc pennies) and grind off just a bit of the copper in a spot or two along the edge and put them in the acid, the acid will remove the zinc and you are left with a hollow penny that is just the copper plating.
> 
> it will be very fragile though and easily crushed so they need to be handled with a delicate touch.


:laughing::thumbup:

I wish there was a Thanks with a smilie or a "like" button.


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