Since I am not a collector but would still like to try your technique PLEASE take the time to write up more detailed instructions and teach us poor but interested farmers some new tricks.
Not much to it more than I posted.
have a 12v bat charger.. not the 'smart' type.. just the regualr old xformer with clips and a switch..
6a-10a works the best.
electrolyte material... is powdered PH+ addative you can get at walamrt in the pool section.. it's 'sodium carbonate'.. have to play with concentration.. but I've found 1.5 cups per 5g of water is usually enough.. if your amps don't come up to full scale, add a lil more powder, and / or move your anodes closer tot he work piece.
use a big rubber or plastic insultaed tub.. plastic tub crates or smakk kids swimming poow for large parts like hoods and fenders.
scrap iron.. these are your sacrificial anodes.. arange them around the perimeter of your tub.. can place one onthe bottom, if you also put in some plastic blocks to keep your work piece from touching the anode onthe bottom,.. or it's feed wire.
some people cut us a small piece of steel fence wire and run that around.. works fine.. and I used uninsulated fence wire to run my connections.
+ cable tot he anodes.. keep the + cable out o fthe soloution or it will erode.
negative cable to the piece you need to de-rust. I like to keep the negative cable clamp out of the water as well.. just because.. though it will not erode if it is in the soloution.
work piece needs to be completely covered inthe soloution.. and the closer tot he anodes.. the better. if the entire piece is real rusty.. sand out a clean spot just good enough to attach that - jumper clamp.
fire up the bat charger and adjust anodes and electrolyte so that you are near rated amps... soloution should start rolling bubbles out.. do this outside away from a source of ignition.. since this is electrolysis.. you are making gasseous O2 and hydrogen..
also.. I'd leave any chromed pieces out as well!.. and can be rough on aluminum and yellow metals... pretty much for iron/steels.. etc..
the longer it cooks.. the cleaner it gets... most 'normal stuff cooks in 4hrs or less.
painted items take longer.. but the paint will soften and lift almost always.
afterwards, a cood pressure wash removed 99% of anything that stuck.. and then you can wire wheel it to remove and black oxide powder.. she should be washed againwith a degrease and then dried and needs to be 'used' immediatly.. IE.. prime and paint, as the metal is pristine and can surface or flash rust within an hour!
soundguy
