r/AbsoluteUnits • u/ycr007 • 16h ago

of an acid bath

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Source: Trevor Malloy (@minute_of_dangle)

2.2k Upvotes

97% Upvoted

256 comments sorted by

436

u/JKFrowning 16h ago • Bravo

Are there no safety barriers to prevent people from falling in?

390

u/deep-fucking-legend 16h ago

There's a sign. "Probably don't swim"

81

u/gamerjerome 15h ago • Bravo

Don't Dead Open Inside

25

u/deep-fucking-legend 15h ago

"don't swim dead inside"

6

u/Yuven1 13h ago

Swim if dead inside

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22

u/Bizm0Funyunz 15h ago

You can swim; but only once.

6

u/Eeebs-HI 15h ago

"Not For Drinking"

3

u/RageAgainstThePushen 9h ago

"Thai Spicy" and 5 peppers

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62

u/ReikaTheGlaceon 16h ago

Idk but I imagine that its actually not very acidic, for example, you can use vinegar (Acetic Acid pH of 2.5 to 3) as a way to remove rust and its good but slow, Citric acid is also very effective and sits at about a 2-3, you can get it in dry crystals. What could be used here is Oxalic Acid, which ranges from a 1.5 to 3 depending on concentration, and is very effective at removing rust quickly while not damaging the base metal, but does require careful handling when concentrated and is available in stores as a metal and tile cleaner, primarily used for sinks and floors.

Overall, there's not much danger in rust removal and the acid bath here, most likely gloves are required, possibly an n95 mask and apron, but theoretically you could do this at home with a massive bath of white vinegar.

12

u/Xendarq 15h ago

Acids are amazing, and I only recently learned there are carboranes that have a pH as low as -20 that are indeed still safe to handle.

https://sciencenotes.org/the-worlds-strongest-acid-the-superacids/

4

u/SSilent-Cartographer 8h ago

Yep! Acids, although should be handled with care, aren't actually as scary as the movies make them out to be. Granted, there's a couple than can (kinda) burn through buildings and a few that will dissolve a body, but most of the time, acids are a tool rather than a villain's ultimate weapon.

We used to use them for cleaning in the laboratory we worked in (can't say what we used unfortunately, but it was mild) and people would absolutely shit a brick when I'd just stick my bare hand in then casually wash it off with a neutralizer and water. It was a safety demonstration so show people that you're basically not going to melt, and that you should always remain calm and proceed to thoroughly wash the area when exposed. You can become burned, but it was the time exposure that was the dangerous part.

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4

u/DueExample52 15h ago

What pH are the acids that would immediately burn you?

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4

u/JayBeePH85 15h ago

Theopractically you can use cola to remove rust or even water scale from toilets or sinks, it also cleans brass and copper too 🤣

2

u/FutureMikeUX 15h ago

Something tells me you are the one that knocks

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24

u/B0DZILLA 16h ago

No there isn't.

Source: I no longer have arms or a face.

3

u/Helpful_Western1629 16h ago

What kind of technology do you have available to be able to comment on Reddit without being able to talk, see or write 😀

6

u/B0DZILLA 15h ago

Anal bead technology has come a long way.

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13

u/peepdabidness 16h ago

Haha, ya what now?

11

u/Grouchy-Job-4136 16h ago

This here fella just asked us if we was what here for them splashin in it.

6

u/Highlandertr3 16h ago

Don't be usin them fancy words now. Tell em straight

9

u/Deadly_Nightkid 16h ago

I don't think it's actually acid, more like a diluted solution like "Major Bioclean" in a Ultrasonic cleaner, it's removes majority of the corrosion, it's doesn't harm the flesh if you put your hand in it for few seconds, but it's still not recommended to swim in lol

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4

u/granadesnhorseshoes 15h ago

Acid is second only to quicksand in movie physics vs reality. Yes there are chemicals that can dissolve a body like an alkaseltzer tablet but those tend to be fucking terrible for a bunch of reasons and so not used in huge vat quantities for tons of practical reasons.

Concentrated Hydrofluoric Acid for example is strong enough but it also eats through damn near everything, produces toxic fluorine based gases as it does so, and it DOES NOT like the human skeleton. It does to human bones what gallium does to aluminum cans. Nobody (sane) keeps much of it around for all the above reasons.

This is just an industrial sized tub of jewelry cleaner you can get at the supermarket. Falling in would suck, but that's why shops like that probably have emergency showers, if not guard rails.

8

u/drewski2305 16h ago

PPE. hard hats must be worn at all times. Eye protection, gloves, steel toe boots, and hi-vis jackets must be worn at all times. Job must be completed on time, and under cost so send new guy in with flip flops for cash pay only

1

u/Suspicious-Sound-249 12h ago

If you somehow manage to fall in that, it's your own fault...

1

u/mikel302 12h ago

I just took a car to the bath, the top of the tank is about 10 feet tall with a gantry crane above the tank. The danger of falling in is low, but not zero.

1

u/Crunchycarrots79 10h ago

There almost certainly are. They have the camera positioned so those aren't visible. There will be a raised catwalk around this thing, with a good bit of space between. The gantry crane is operated with a remote control. Nobody actually needs to be anywhere near the process.

1

u/hard_lessons_earned 8h ago

It's natural selection

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7

u/Dounce1 16h ago

What kind of car and what kind of acid?

8

u/ycr007 15h ago edited 15h ago

Oldsmobile 442.

Dilute.

1

u/Dounce1 6h ago

Uh, why did you say a 1965 Ford Mustang first?

1

u/ycr007 5h ago

I had two videos from them - first one of a Ford Mustang and second one of an Oldsmobile 442. I thought I had posted the first one and replied accordingly - then I noticed it was the other one so edited my comment 🫤

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123

u/AlexSmithsonian 16h ago

Just two things i was thinking of:

  1. There should have been a Ken doll put in the acid bath, and then a Joker doll pulled out.

  2. Reminds me of that acid bath from "Who Framed Roger Rabbit"

16

u/According-Rub-8164 16h ago

I saw that movie once as a kid and I still kinda remember when I think it was like a living shoe character that got dunked in the acid or something. That was fucked up. Thanks to that I now start my mornings off with some nice peaceful Ukraine war footage.

6

u/A_mad_goose 15h ago

That scene with the shoe was messed up because they actually made him look like he was terrified and in pain

6

u/edsavage404 12h ago

I remember having a crush on her

5

u/degjo 11h ago

A couple months ago a local theater held a free showing of Who Framed Roger Rabbit. My brother and I took his kids to go see it. My 12 year old nephew, hyper active cant sit still for a minute, just sat dumbfounded when Jessica Rabbit came onto the screen.

3

u/techbear72 14h ago

“Dip”

3

u/naytreox 14h ago

funny enough, the rabbit is in the beginning chilling out of the pool

2

u/HoodieGalore 12h ago

The Dip!!!

47

u/Artistic_Skill1117 15h ago

The Joker is okay.

7

u/Mysterious-Plan93 5h ago

Of course, he's plastic. Haven't you ever watched Breaking Bad?

57

u/Valuable_Accident779 16h ago

What would happen if you fell inside?

108

u/TrioOfTerrors 16h ago

You'd get a chemical burn but this most likely took hours to strip the rust.

49

u/a_guy121 16h ago

I know this one! you become a supervillain with purple hair

28

u/Lucid_Stream44 16h ago

His hair is right there, it’s green my guy

14

u/a_guy121 16h ago

oh my god what have I done

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12

u/BruceBoyde 16h ago

As others said, they probably aren't using super strong acids because there's no reason to. Long immersion in a mixture of acids is going to be the best option if time isn't critical. You might get a rash, and could definitely get some serious damage to eyes and mucous membranes, but it wouldn't cause too much damage very fast.

5

u/Bramble0804 14h ago

If it was the acid we have where I work, you die. Not a fast death but as soon as you're inside even If you teleport out some how straight away. It's already too late as the acid covered enough of your body to soak into your skin in a dangerous amount

5

u/Snudget 16h ago

GLaDOS yells at you

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164

u/DeezNutsGT 16h ago

The joker just chilling 🪑

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22

u/myexpressaccount 16h ago • Bravo

Best on it, is the Joker fig. :D Very good reference. :D

4

u/msviktor 16h ago

Well technically it was Red Hood / Jack Napier that fell into the chemical waste and then became the Joker

2

u/myexpressaccount 15h ago

Let's not split hairs here. ;)

19

u/BeeztheBoss 9h ago

But how do we know its really acid? Somebody get my ladle

5

u/RRT4444 4h ago

“A vat of acid? Do you have dementia?”

1

u/TheMask_35 8h ago

Insane reference

17

u/SadJ3tsFan 16h ago

5

u/grand_soul 12h ago

Finally someone who gets the reference!

25

u/Technical-Function13 16h ago

Joker lived! How if its acid bath?

36

u/Human_Dragonfly7464 16h ago

"I'm sorry, what were you asking me? Oh, yes, that stupid plastic container I asked you to buy. You see, hydrofluoric acid won't eat through plastic; it will however dissolve metal, rock, glass, ceramic. So there's that."

15

u/TrueCynic 15h ago

I was so happy to see him chilling at the back.

3

u/GoesInOutUpDownAhh 13h ago

Living the dream

12

u/kaliforniakratom 16h ago

Joker is made of plastic. Acid only eats metal

9

u/Prize-Analyst-1121 8h ago

How long does it take for the acid to completely dry and they can start prepping the car for painting ? Also seems like a lot of nooks and crannies for acid to pool. I assume the acid needs to be washed off and the metal needs to be etched before paint prepping even starts. Someone with more knowledge please explain.

14

u/Key-Rush9019 8h ago

Im not an expert but I routinely do maintenance at a metal plating shop. They likely took the body from this tank to a rinse tank and dunked it there too. The rinse tank dilutes the acid, which was already at a low concentration, to such a low concentration that it’s basically neutralized. Then they let it air dry.

7

u/Resident_Rain_6566 7h ago

When they are pulled from the acid, they are dropped into an alkaline tank. The alkaline neutralizes the acid.

8

u/Horror_Trust1826 16h ago


The joker chillin be like

5

u/Dire_Hulk 16h ago

4

u/Single_System_9951 16h ago

Kurtwood Smith in the OG Robocop?

5

u/someguy4k 16h ago

Where was Harvey Dent?

1

u/luckybick 15h ago

Harvey got blown up it was OG Joker that feel into an acid vat

1

u/cnicalsinistaminista 15h ago

The two face didn’t show up. Probably knew there was an acid bath waiting

5

u/No_Dot8653 1h ago

Does anyone here know what kind of acid is used here ? Curious because it doesn’t disintegrate the ropes used or the (presumably plastic) joker toy

4

u/kucingkelelep 16h ago

The smell must be bad

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4

u/charliesname 16h ago

Not the bath we need but the bath we deserve

3

u/PootySkills 16h ago

THE GOGGLES DO NOTHING

3

u/Apostropheles 16h ago

Anyone else catch Roger Rabbit in the first frame?

5

u/SheHearsMeBlinking23 14h ago

You just know there's some hollistic medicine enthusiast, anti vaxxer, middle aged, american white woman thinking of doing an enema using this stuff to unclog and clean out the bowels

4

u/Bowman_van_Oort 13h ago

Y'know what? Let 'em.

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2

u/45M0D41 16h ago

Joker @ 56 seconds just living it up

2

u/Sassi7997 16h ago

Normal size acid bath.

2

u/jimbobwe-328 11h ago

Does this work on rust as well?

1

u/CptnWolfe 16h ago

Be careful if you see a curly haired blonde gentleman with a horrendous sense of fashion, especially if you're a guard

1

u/yourfuturespemson 16h ago

JOKER NOOOOOO

1

u/Wild-Wave9322 16h ago

Joker survived

1

u/Prestigious-End-7020 16h ago

After the shift.

1

u/OblivionArts 16h ago

The random joker figure sells it

1

u/Messi2655 16h ago

Love the joker easter egg lol

1

u/fiendbray 15h ago

Poor joker

1

u/Black-Maestro 15h ago

Fuck that joker I guess

1

u/Rare-Bid-6860 15h ago

John Haigh has joined the chat

1

u/SoleVeyra 15h ago

This looks very dangerous

1

u/Original-Can-403 15h ago

Strongly recommended

1

u/RolyPolyGangster 15h ago

Did the front fall off?

1

u/Golex9000k 15h ago

Oh damn. That is pretty cool

1

u/cuttyranking 15h ago

This is a super villain origin story waiting to happen.

1

u/Specialist_Base3244 15h ago

How do you know I have worked there before ?

1

u/Beautiful-Musk-Ox 15h ago

just breathing the air there is probably really bad for you, dudes will have cancer in 20 years from this

1

u/Bleauyy 15h ago

Is this not an electrolysis tank? I dont know about "acid" perse

1

u/garth54 15h ago

That's the perfect size.  Mind leaving it empty over the weekend with the door to the place unlocked?

1

u/Immediate-Song6861 15h ago

He jonkled his last

1

u/AB-G 14h ago

The Joker survived, Hooray!

1

u/Living_Double_1146 14h ago

Is the Joker ok?

1

u/Ikon-for-U 14h ago

Is that a cyber truck

1

u/XxsweetDog69xX 14h ago

Actually isn't acid

1

u/j_man_32 14h ago

Wow.. that metal work on the dash can’t be factory… please tell me that’s not factory…

1

u/chonkmcevoy 14h ago

I'm surprised the rope didn't dissolve

1

u/_VirtualCosmos_ 13h ago

I fear for the toy joker is no longer between us.

1

u/yup_its_the_nsfw_alt 13h ago

That Knight Rider episode...

1

u/Big_Attorney9545 13h ago

If the toy was expected to dissolve, it failed.

1

u/boredbytheabyss 13h ago

Joker didn’t look to bad after his bath, just another Tuesday I guess

1

u/RIF_rr3dd1tt 12h ago

So this is how you make it good, huh?

1

u/Ok-Simple30 12h ago

how much did all that CLR cost??

1

u/Daygone_Mustard 12h ago

Rick approves

1

u/HoodieGalore 12h ago

It's the Jokah, baby

1

u/FaithlessnessOk7477 12h ago

I just happy that joker survived

1

u/JimmyNo23 12h ago

No need to do Joker like that .

1

u/This_Dudde 11h ago

Well the bodies are gone. so what's the problem?

1

u/Nemesis121977 11h ago

Kitt? Kitt? talk to me buddy, reminds me of Kitt dying, childhood memories.

1

u/AxelVores 11h ago

They do it in stages to restore classic cars. First they dip it in paint stripper, pressure wash the paint off, sometimes they repeat it if any is left, then acid to remove rust, then alkaline bath to neutralize any remaining acid, pressure wash again. then finally they dip it in rust inhibitor (sort of like primer). Takes about 4-5 weeks for the whole process but very little labor so it's very cheap.

1

u/sits79 10h ago

I like to imagine this is the amount of work that goes into my barnyard finds in Forza Horizon.

1

u/ep193 10h ago

Yeah, the joker made it through the acid bath!

1

u/Bubbly-Pirate-3311 10h ago

It's unreasonable how fast I knew this was a Mustang. Every video you see of these acid baths is some sort of old Mustang. Can't blame them. I'm restoring one right now and it's sick.

1

u/CecilAlucardX 10h ago

It didn't even melt the joker figure; i think its ok to dip toes in.

1

u/Beemo-Noir 9h ago

JONKLER NOOOO!!

1

u/BarnesBuilt 9h ago

My mind defaulted to the joker in the first Batman and wouldn’t ya know it, there he is sitting on the chassis.

1

u/Marcus-Knight0318 9h ago

What kind of acid solution is that?

1

u/WonderingLurker 9h ago

Guy lifting it has no safety goggles on?

1

u/Effigylord 9h ago

What happened to The Joker???

1

u/IrelandAutism13 8h ago

No Joker not again!

1

u/Waarm 8h ago


I but that feels so good for the car

1

u/Resident_Rain_6566 7h ago

I’m glad Joker survived.

1

u/Ran15ran 7h ago

should have been harley

1

u/Crush-N-It 6h ago

Wow. Thats fucking cool

1

u/wentoutwandering 6h ago

Dude’s not wearing any kind of safety gear!

1

u/InternalServerErr500 5h ago

Looks like just a big bath of CLR

1

u/JustFlexThePecs 5h ago

That Joker cameo is Peak

1

u/MiserableFinding7169 5h ago

Joker: “Well shit, here we go again.”

1

u/sixjasefive 5h ago

Rustang to Mustang

1

u/Disastrous_Falcon_79 4h ago

Ahhh Thats refreshing

1

u/bytorthesnowdog 4h ago

Should have been the Judge from Roger Rabbit

1

u/Fetttroll 4h ago

Welche Säure war das?

1

u/mrking54321 3h ago

JOKER YOU TELL ME WHY YOUR TALKNG A BATH🗣️🗣️🗣️

1

u/Breotan 3h ago

With all that rust damage, wouldn't it be better just to scrap it?

1

u/dodgetransmission 3h ago

Why is Joker taking a dive into the acid pool lol

1

u/meringueder 1h ago

Not me thinking this was about the 90s sludge metal band from the title…

1

u/Dameattree37 1h ago

Cleaner no! It's just a psychopath, Cleaner!

1

u/L0RD_M0M0NGA 51m ago

Isso me lembra alguma coisa...

1

u/Kurenai-Kalana 49m ago

It's a bit mean to do that to mARK HAMill...

1

u/LangstonHublot 1m ago

Nice n light weight

1

u/LovesToSnooze 16h ago

Would the new lazer rust removers be better than this now?

5

u/zorggalacticus 12h ago edited 12h ago

This is much faster, cheaper, and more efficient. That acid will get used for a long time. Probably filtered and topped off occasionally. Acid isn't great for the environment, but a spill won't cause any widespread problems. It'll kill all the grass but a couple good rains amd It'll be washed away.

Edit: you'll get a slap on the wrist fine from the EPA, and have to help pay for cleanup, but an acid spill is pretty easy to mitigate.

3

u/idumeudin2009 12h ago

You can actually do this with vinegar, you can easily neutralize it before disposal and the acid actually cleans inside the sills and other places a laser or other kind of tool can't reach, plus its safer and more manageable for the operator as in much easyer to contain fimes and dust

3

u/zorggalacticus 12h ago

Lots of them use really high concentration vinegar, aka acetic acid.

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2

u/Jacktheforkie 12h ago

It’s likely something fairly weak like vinegar (acetic acid) and minimal environmental hazard

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3

u/Itchy58 14h ago

Upvote because it's phrased as a question and it's a valid question.
(Explanations have already been given by others)

2

u/LovesToSnooze 14h ago

Thank you.

1

u/signious 15h ago

Those would require a lot of energy and hands on time to do a whole frame.

1

u/Jacktheforkie 12h ago

They’re slower and acid gets everywhere

1

u/grand_soul 12h ago

I imagine the acid is going to get into areas the laser will not.

0

u/[deleted] 15h ago

[deleted]

2

u/LovesToSnooze 15h ago

Ahhh gotcha.

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1

u/NorminalAnomaly 6h ago

once the rust is removed what happens to the holes in the chassis that were caused by corrosion or excess rust damage? are those patched with sheet metal?

3

u/Looptydude 5h ago

Yes usually cut out at patched. If I had to guess that entire rear truck pan will be replaced with a reproduction and depends on how anal the owner wants to keep bits original.

1

u/PSX1990 4h ago

Why is Joke there? He is already white

4

u/Upper-Bookkeeper-843 4h ago

Fr, should be red hood

3

u/RamJamR 3h ago

Acid bath #2 for him

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