My electrolysis experiment

[MikeS_in_GA]

After watching the "take if off" thread I was intrigued to give it a try myself.

I was given a phd from my Uncle Tom (thanks UT!!) He had a barn burn down and the phd was near the barn. Paint was burned off and all the plastic was gone. Insurance bought him a new one and they didn't wan't the old one. The gears still turn and it was full of oil. It was outside for about 6 months before I got it, so the rusting was in full swing. I was in the market for a phd anyhow, so here's my chance to get one for low cost. I considered taking it in to get it bead blasted, but thought I would give electrolysis a shot first. It's a Danuser btw.

Got it home and started tearing it down for a rebuild. Here's a look at the progress after a week in the tank. I used a 5 gallon bucket and a small battery charger. Nice stream of bubbles comes off the part when it is on the 10 amp charge or the 55 amp start assist mode. So far I am using one pice of 1/2 rebar. Every other day I would wire brush the part and the rebar and turn it so both sides get even exposure.

For the bigger parts I will use a trash can and give the welder a try.

So far my impression is... this will take forever! Hopefully the welder will greatly speed things up as the battery charger will take forever when I put the big parts in the tank.

I'll try to keep this thread updated, but so far, so slow.

btw you can see the rust still on one nut. I guess there wasn't good enought contact to the bolt. It's been tightened up so it should come clean now. Both parts were equally rusted.

 

[Captinjack]

Sandblasting would do a better job and far quicker. Then soak it in muriatic acid for a few hours to get the microscopic rust. Sandblast again and the powder coat and you'll have a finish that will be indestructable.

 

[DieselPower]

I to was "intrigued" by that thread and wanted to give it a try. I have not done a large item yet but I did try it on a gun barrel. It was a friends black powder rifle that had been fired lord knows how many years ago by someone (other than the owner) and put away. He went over to his fathers to get it for this years black powder season and that's when his jaw hit the floor. Gun looked great on the outside but the barrel was a mess of rust. Having read that other thread I thought It might work on the inside of the gun barrel as well. I plugged the primer hole and filled the barrel, made two little nylon rings to fit around a old steel cleaning rod to prevent it from shorting out, hooked it up to a battery charger and stood it in the corner for a couple of day's. The barrel is now spotless, all be it a little pitted but rust free. Worked like a charm. Looks like I may have to try a larger item next time and see how it works out.

 

[Partsman2]

I was given a phd from my Uncle Tom (thanks UT!!) He had a barn burn down and the phd was near the barn.

At the risk of sounding very stupid.......what is a phd?

 

[DieselPower]

At the risk of sounding very stupid.......what is a phd?

PlowBehinDerwheels

 

[kennyd]

At the risk of sounding very stupid.......what is a phd?

Post Hole Digger

 

[Partsman2]

It's all making sense to me now! I told you I'd sound really stupid!

 

[SPIKER]

the one thing that may have slowed you're process down was the rebar, using only 1 bar in there may have slowed the process a lot. I did both 12" long I beams in one bucket over night using my 2 amp charger and 5 hunks of rebar. these had set in the back of the pickup for about 4 months and had sat on the building floor for who knows how long. I hit them quick with a soft wheel just to know off the easy outer rough stuff. hooked up the charger ran it on 50 for a min, switched to 10 for a few more min and set it at 2 over night. the parts were in a 5 gallon bucket. came out blackened but 100% clean. I hit them with a hot water bath & wash to remove the black gook and dried them & painted... these parts were probably less than 3" away from a hunk of rebar. all the rebar were tied together with steel tie wire, same with the parts tie wire that is. the wire bubbled a lot but was rust free

also note a lot of chargers will not run on boost 50 amp very long, auto shut down. also you may not have had the soap enough to the one which has both carbonate and bi-carbonate. that soap don't work so well... I found the arm&hammer stuff at Meijer's store. none of the other stores had the carbonate stuff but rather had the stuff with baking soda in it (bi-carbonate) which is bad... I also added some rust remover that is almost a bleach type crystal stuff just as a experiment. can't say it helped or hurt though since this was my 1st try at it.

markM

mark M

 

[MikeS_in_GA]

Spiker,
Thanks for the tips. I'll try to add some more metal and make a grid.

I was wondering about the black gunk. I wasn't sure if that was part of the process, or something that would come off with more time.

I'm using Arm & Hammer washing soda - found it at my grocery store.

Going out to the farm this weekend, so I will bring the welder home with me for the next part.

Mike

 

[schmism]

Sandblasting would do a better job and far quicker. Then soak it in muriatic acid for a few hours to get the microscopic rust. Sandblast again and the powder coat and you'll have a finish that will be indestructable.

far more expensive as not everyone has a sand blaster.... but everyone who owns a tractor has a battery charger, and can find a container for water, rebar and soap.

its a PHD, not 24" bling bling rims

 

[MikeS_in_GA]

phase 2....

took the other piece from the first picture and put it in the tank. I added 2 more pieces of scrap so there is a triangle of scrap around the good part. Much improved! Here are some pics after about 40 minutes in the tank. Another 40 minutes at this rate and it could be done. Although the scrap may look like stainless, it is not. Just really clean metal scrap metal with about 2% surface rust on it.

 

[BTDT]

PlowBehinDerwheels

hahaha. That's funny, but I think that would be PBD (according to your highlighted/bold letters).

 

[SPIKER]

I have been reading about this method of cleaning for a LONG time, and never tried it until recently... That said I know of had a lot of background questions answered a long the way when I looked over this info years back. it is a learning curve on most every thing ya don't get it right the first time, (no wonder it took so long to invent/develop the parashoot & hang gliders first try
was all ya had to get it right )
Anyhow that looks a lot better on that part.

Mark M

 

[thatguy]

At the risk of sounding very stupid.......what is a phd?

OK.. i will admit my even more stupid thoughts... I thought this was going to be a post about having hair removed...

brian

 

[PILOON]

OK, NOW i'M ALL EARS!

Can't find the discussion you talk about, so here goes a few ??'s

What exactly is the solution you guys are using?

Which way do you connect the charger? The pos or the neg to the part to be cleaned?

Sounds very much like electroplating process, only in reverse.

Thanks.

 

[mudcat]

OK, NOW i'M ALL EARS!

Can't find the discussion you talk about, so here goes a few ??'s

What exactly is the solution you guys are using?

Which way do you connect the charger? The pos or the neg to the part to be cleaned?

Sounds very much like electroplating process, only in reverse.

Thanks.

This should answer some of your questions. http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/projects/88634-take-all-off.html

 

[PILOON]

Mudcat--

Thanks, good stuff

 

[Farwell]

OK, NOW i'M ALL EARS!

Can't find the discussion you talk about, so here goes a few ??'s

What exactly is the solution you guys are using?

Which way do you connect the charger? The pos or the neg to the part to be cleaned?

Sounds very much like electroplating process, only in reverse.

Thanks.

It is just like electroplating process only in reverse.
I ran a motion picture lab for about 15 years and I removed most of the silver from the fixer solution by using a similar process. My anodes were graphite and cathode was 316 stainless steel.
I have enjoyed this thread and have found it very educational and inspiring. I buy a lot of used items and rust has never stopped me but have had to use a lot of physical labor to accomplish what the electrolysis process can do in a short time.
I haven't tried it yet but it is on my short list of things to try.
David B

 

[SPIKER]

farwell: I think it is so much easier than using grinder/brush combo that fdor sure..

mark

 

[MikeS_in_GA]

I've finished up with most of the small parts. They are 95% better than before. I'll probably hit them again for a few minutes and then pressure wash them before primer.

Today I started the big parts. I bought a trash can for the container ( a 55 gal barrel would have been much better, but none close by) I filled it with water and about 3 cups washing soda.

I used 3 pieces of rebar, and 1 angle iron. I hit them with the grinder prior to going in the solution. pic 1 is before power is on. pic 2 is after 5 minutes. Every 24 hours or so I will need to clean the rebar. I will also have to turn the piece over at some point tp get the part that is out of the water. pic 3 is the washing soda I am using. Bought it at Publix grocery store.