Electrolytic Rust removal

[jand38]

I have went to each store that I could think of and all Arm & Hammer washing soap has backing soda in it and all the other things that sell soapand guess what it will not work. In my search I looked fore Lye and came "0" I hope some one can help me with a solution I have a large projest and I did not want to sand blast PLEASE

[CharlieTR]

Try seaching this forum for Rust Removal.
I seem to remember some good receipes here. There was one with photos and it really worked good.

[MossRoad]

Search for posts by Pineridge.

[SPIKER]

there is a post "taking it all off" I belive that pine ridge started a few months back regarding this, there are some POOL PH UP/DOWN chemicals you may be able to locate still which is the sodium carbonate,. You are right that the new arm & hammer soaps have the bakeing soda in them which actually neturalizes the solition some what. How much damage that will do I don't know. It may be that you need to leave it in longer or use more soap/detergent in the solution.

there are a few other sites wihch have great info regarding this too.



Mark M

[Tom_Veatch]

I have went to each store that I could think of and all Arm & Hammer washing soap has backing soda in it and all the other things that sell soapand guess what it will not work. In my search I looked fore Lye and came "0" I hope some one can help me with a solution I have a large projest and I did not want to sand blast PLEASE

I've been able to find washing soda in the local big grocery chains. The Arm & Hammer Washing Soda is what I use. The ingredients list should show "sodium carbonate". Baking Soda is "sodium bicarbonate"

[midlf]

As stated, PH+ pool chemical is sodium carbonate. Any pool store will have it.

[Dusty]

This is what the box looks like.

[jand38]

Thanks for all the info I will try S/Pool places and the commerical coffee cleaner as I stated W/M, Sams, Krogger, Albertsons, the Arm & Hammer had bicarbonate soda not sodium carbonate. I will look for "caustic soda" and not quit till I explore all sources.
Does any one have a idea of where you can buy Lye ? I have not noticed this product in years. I did not want to use lye because of safety factor.
If you hear a loud BOOM and Texas is no longer on the map I am at fault.

[Dusty]

Most toilet bowl cleaners contain lye. You can also purchase both products from companies that sell commercial chemicals. These companies are usually located in larger cities, but some might just ship the products to you on there truck if you are in the delivery area.

[Westonium]

SOME wood stove glass cleaners contain lye

There is lye in a number of drain cleaners - they sometimes put other stuff in too though because evidently lye gets used for making meth? Idiots.

Lye can be had from soap making supply places/companies

Red Devil is a name brand of pure lye.

Lye is Sodium Hydroxide but often Potassium Hydroxide is used instead.

BioFuel can be made using Potassium Hydroxide and Ethanol vs. the more dangerous Sodium Hydroxide and Methanol (nasty stuff).

You can MAKE lye from wood ash. It may contain Potassium Hydroxide (perhaps that works too?)
One way that would probably work is get a poly bucket or barrel, fill with wood ash, have tiny hole at bottom, let rainwater or distilled water drip through the ash. You can concentrate the solution by boiling in a NON METALLIC CONTAINER but really do you want a pot of boiling lye around anyway?

I have vinegar on hand to counteract the lye on, say, my skin any time I use it for anything (assuming I can't just immediately rinse with a LOT of water).

If you've never used Lye, read up on it first. Chemicals are tools and just like most tools they can help you a lot, or maim/kill you.