SPIKER
Elite Member
I've done the Electrolysis Rust Removal maybe a dozen times now. Last time was maybe 3 months ago, and it really works well but as mentioned the metal will re-rust quickly if you dont get some phosphate etching coating on it or something similar. It might be that the WD40 stuff would be a great after treatment on the parts after the electrolysis process or in conjunction with it.
There are may posts on the site, (check the projects forum) for some of them. Looking at the links above they stated Baking Soda, that is NOT a good solution the WASHING SODA is good though. Also be aware of MANY of the NEW Battery Chargers are Smart Chargers and will not work for this process as they look at battery conditions prior to charging/turning on. A old Welder works great if you have a DC one, DO NOT use AC BUZZ BOX as you have to have the DC VOLTAGE/AMPERAGE to drive the current thru the parts. (NOTE old PC Power Supplies have a 12VDC stabilized output that will also work as long as you do not overload it.) Also this process is kind of "Line Of Site" so you have to have the sacrificial metal; old rebar works great or T Posts but best is hunk of Hog Fence that is rolled around inside of a 5 gallon bucket (note it can not be painted must be bare metal & rusty stuff is fine.) The + is clamped to the Hog Fence/Rebar and the (-) clamp is put on the part to be treated (ALL the rebar needs tied together with conductive wire & should surround the part to be cleaned.) I HANG my stuff from "Rebar Tie Wire" suspended from wooden broom handle over the bucket lid and the part is fully submerged. Biggest thing I did I used a 55 gallon trash can and did a 4' Jack Screw. Make sure the part does not contact (short) metal to metal between the sacrificial metal and the part to be cleaned..
I've also done SMALL parts using old metal coffee cans (metal inside) and the can it's self was used as the + sacrificial electrode. The last one was with a HOT solution and looked like a fish bubblier that could almost maintain a flame on top of the water (I dont suggest trying this though
) That was done in a small 1LB coffee can with 35thousand weld wire suspending part & weld wire turned blue from current running thru it (I was in a hurry... :/ )
The Process is also very similar to Electroplating but in "Reverse" pulling off the rust leaving only metal behind and Iron Oxides in solution. The Solution (washing soda & water) is recyclable use it over & over let it settle out after use and pour off the clean solution and the rusty gook left behind can be rinsed out and bucket re-used it is non toxic other than if you have some sort of bad metal in it which it should not be only do on steel/iron alloys. The Solution will get nasty/rusty looking when using it. So when you dump it it is washing soda and iron oxide so nothing that is bad for you or environment. If you have REAL big parts, then you can build small frame of 2x4's and plastic (OR) small swimming pools but washing soda solution strength could get expensive. With the Solution the more washing soda the faster it can work but use too little and it will take much longer, use too much and the current can go too high tripping your power source. Be aware that the process SHOULD be done outside or at least in a OPEN AREA with NO FLAMES. It releases Hydrogen Bubbles which is how you can see the process working more bubbles means the solution is pretty concentrated and the power (current) will be pretty high, a small fizzing is a hot solution/power combination. Only a few bubbles and the process will be slower overall but will work just the same.
Mark
There are may posts on the site, (check the projects forum) for some of them. Looking at the links above they stated Baking Soda, that is NOT a good solution the WASHING SODA is good though. Also be aware of MANY of the NEW Battery Chargers are Smart Chargers and will not work for this process as they look at battery conditions prior to charging/turning on. A old Welder works great if you have a DC one, DO NOT use AC BUZZ BOX as you have to have the DC VOLTAGE/AMPERAGE to drive the current thru the parts. (NOTE old PC Power Supplies have a 12VDC stabilized output that will also work as long as you do not overload it.) Also this process is kind of "Line Of Site" so you have to have the sacrificial metal; old rebar works great or T Posts but best is hunk of Hog Fence that is rolled around inside of a 5 gallon bucket (note it can not be painted must be bare metal & rusty stuff is fine.) The + is clamped to the Hog Fence/Rebar and the (-) clamp is put on the part to be treated (ALL the rebar needs tied together with conductive wire & should surround the part to be cleaned.) I HANG my stuff from "Rebar Tie Wire" suspended from wooden broom handle over the bucket lid and the part is fully submerged. Biggest thing I did I used a 55 gallon trash can and did a 4' Jack Screw. Make sure the part does not contact (short) metal to metal between the sacrificial metal and the part to be cleaned..
I've also done SMALL parts using old metal coffee cans (metal inside) and the can it's self was used as the + sacrificial electrode. The last one was with a HOT solution and looked like a fish bubblier that could almost maintain a flame on top of the water (I dont suggest trying this though
) That was done in a small 1LB coffee can with 35thousand weld wire suspending part & weld wire turned blue from current running thru it (I was in a hurry... :/ )The Process is also very similar to Electroplating but in "Reverse" pulling off the rust leaving only metal behind and Iron Oxides in solution. The Solution (washing soda & water) is recyclable use it over & over let it settle out after use and pour off the clean solution and the rusty gook left behind can be rinsed out and bucket re-used it is non toxic other than if you have some sort of bad metal in it which it should not be only do on steel/iron alloys. The Solution will get nasty/rusty looking when using it. So when you dump it it is washing soda and iron oxide so nothing that is bad for you or environment. If you have REAL big parts, then you can build small frame of 2x4's and plastic (OR) small swimming pools but washing soda solution strength could get expensive. With the Solution the more washing soda the faster it can work but use too little and it will take much longer, use too much and the current can go too high tripping your power source. Be aware that the process SHOULD be done outside or at least in a OPEN AREA with NO FLAMES. It releases Hydrogen Bubbles which is how you can see the process working more bubbles means the solution is pretty concentrated and the power (current) will be pretty high, a small fizzing is a hot solution/power combination. Only a few bubbles and the process will be slower overall but will work just the same.
Mark
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