Original reference photography from the Cola Machines archive. Select any image to inspect the machine, mechanisms, identification plates, and restoration details.
Rust is a condition to diagnose, not merely a color to cover.
Professional rule: Read the current product label, safety data sheet and technical data sheet. Test the complete process on a hidden area or sample panel. Product examples are editorial references, not paid endorsements.
Assess before stripping
Photograph factory markings and probe the base, drain, seams and lower doors. Orange staining, scale, deep pitting and perforation require progressively more work. Structural loss must be cut out and welded; filler and rust converter do not replace steel.
Choose the method
Use detergent and a nylon brush first. Abrasive pads or a wire wheel suit accessible scale; blasting suits disassembled steel but can warp broad panels. Chelating products such as Evapo-Rust work well on removable ferrous parts. Phosphoric-acid products such as Ospho can etch or convert remaining oxide, but must be used exactly as their label and paint-system instructions require. Never mix chemicals.
Professional sequence
Degrease; remove trim, wiring and insulation; strip unstable coatings; repair metal; clean seams; treat only residual oxide; rinse or neutralize when the product requires it; dry immediately; then apply a compatible epoxy primer inside the coating manufacturer’s recoat window.
Abrasives and tools
Start only as coarse as necessary: 80–120 grit for stripping/feathering repair areas, 180–220 before many primers, and 320–400 before many topcoats. The coating technical data sheet—not a universal chart—controls the final grit. Use clean abrasives and change them when they stop cutting.
Products and cautions
Examples: Evapo-Rust for immersion, Ospho for labeled phosphoric treatment, 3M Clean and Strip discs for controlled coating removal, and a matched automotive epoxy-primer system. Avoid household bleach, muriatic acid, and painting over active scale. Wear eye/skin protection and control silica, lead-paint and solvent exposure. Test old coatings for lead before sanding.
Watch the work
These clips illustrate the written guidance above. Videos remain hosted by and credited to Soda Time Restorations.
Hidden-area rust prevention on a Vendo 81
Painted cavities, open drain routing, protected penetrations, and carefully routed refrigeration tubing show why rust prevention is a system—not simply a topcoat.
Before you begin
- Photograph and label every original part.
- Provide ventilation and task-appropriate PPE.
- Keep sparks and flame away from coatings and solvents.
- Stop when structural, electrical, refrigeration or hazardous-coating work exceeds your training.