Metal from a place that's "Hot and rhymes with swell"

[deereman75]

Electrolysis will remove it in minutes. Fill up a tank with water (something like a plastic barrel or stock tank) and add in some washing soda. Throw in the galvanized piece, and hook the negative end of a battery charger to it. Throw in a piece of scrap steel such as rebar, and hook the positive clamp to it. Make sure they don't touch, and turn it on. It will start foaming like crazy. It is actually reverse electroplating the zinc from the part to the rebar. Same way they do cold galvanizing. You will end up with a zinc free part, and a galvanized lump of rebar.

It will also remove rust and paint. Only use it on iron and steel though, it will eat soft metals.

 

[orezok]

Thanks for the info. Since I wanted to retain the galv for protection of the rest of the forks (except the weld areas), that process would not work for me.

 

[deereman75]

You could actually strip it with electrolisys, do the welding, put it back in, swap the leads, and replate it. Might need a little extra zinc, but it would work just fine.

 

[yomax4]

I have to try this. I have 2 trailer rims that are galvanized.