electrolysis

[fatdaddy]

Has anyone tried this for rust removal,i read on another site that it's supposed to work.Just put some soda in a container of water and run some power from a 2 amp battery charger.I thought i would ask before my wife found me with one hand in a bucket of water and one hand on an electric cord. It's raining here in central Ohio today so think i'll just stay in and cook a big pot of soup beans and a pan of corn bread,hence the name fatdaddy.

 

[souNdguy]

It's been discussed IN DEPTH here many times.. hit the archive if you need reading to help you sleep.

A 2a 12v charger will work.. but will be slow. and will not be great for large parts.

6a - 10a is better.. I get best results out of a 10a setting.

you need a non conductive basin.. like a plastic bucket or tub.. you need the 12v charger.. and you need some electrolyte. I like the PH+ addative from pool supply stores.. walmart has a 2quart jug of the powder for about 5$.. t is sodium carbonate. ( NOT baking soda.. but rather washing soda ). There are plenty of electrolytes that will work.. some are more or less friendly to the metal parts.

put your sacrificial anode metal around the rim of the bucket, and perhaps on the bottom of the bucket.. use bailing wire or similar to connect all the 'throw-away' sacrificial parts.. electrolysis is line of site.. so the more anodes you have. the better coverage yo get.. now place your rusty part in the soloution so that it does not touch any anodes.. pieces of plastic like spray can tops, etc.. can be used to hold the part off the bottom. expnded metal makes a great anode as you can bend it in a circle to cover the sides of the bucket.. and place a piece onthe bottom.. just remember all anodes have to be common to each other.... run the wire from the anodes up out of the soloution, and hook your positive bat charger clamp to it.. hook your negative bat charger clamp to a wire running to your work piece...

should remove paint, rust, grease.. etc.

you will see boiling or bubling in the water... do this outside.. you are splitting hydrogen and oxygen... also.. if anything has chrome, or zinc on it, or if your anodes are stainless... the used electrolyte is a tad environmentally unfriendly...

soundguy

 

[gary t kish]

works great! i use a 55 gal barrell. w/10amp. matter a fact i'm cooking a hood off a bolens tractor right now. i use ARM&HAMMER WAS SODA, but it sounds like the wally stuff works good to. as long as its bio like the ARM stuff. up here there's places that dip the whole body of a car. comes bare nmetal. having a power washer to blow off some of the paint on to a plastic tarp outside,works good to help it along. you've got to or should prime as fast as possible,because it will rust over night. hang on i'm going out and get ya the web site. man, its raining up here in Mi. sucks. OK, here it is http://www.fboerger.com/Restoration%20Tips/Restoration%20Tips%20Page.htm i dont know if u have to print all that out or not.lol he even has this Lye Gravy for some really crazy cleaning is needed. just a fun site to look at. hope this helps. just remember u still have to do some work,like scrape off or POWER WASH thats the way to go. use a tarp to keep it alittle clean. after cleaning then u can just tell your wife your have'n a beer and wait'in for the paint to dry. Gary

 

[jon]

Couldn't get yours to work Gary but maybe this one will.
Electrolysis Page

 

[Ed S.]

Worked a treat for me. I used a Wal*Sams kiddie pool ($8 CHEAP) for my tank. Got the washing soda (not baking soda) from Kroger, and used my 10 amp charger with bent rebar for anodes.

Once it's cooked, I pressure wash to get the black oxide residue off and immediately dry down and spritz with phosporic acid. Once that dries, I wipe down good with lacquer thinner and brush on a coat of red oxide primer.

es

 

[jon]

Is that horseshoe shaped funk your rebar?
When you use the brush on primer does it do better at filling in pitted metal than rattle cans do?

 

[gary t kish]

Mannnnnn! you quit teasing us unpainted souls. Your N is GORGEUS!!!! going to try that site myself. maybe i screwed up the email address. i can't wait to get started on mine. got to have engine rebuilt.never did a engine rebuild .engine smokes. talk at ya later Gary

 

[Ed S.]

Yes, the 'scrubbing bubbles' are where the rebar is. I had to clean the rebar after each tank - while your parts are de-rusting, your anode (or cathode - can't remember what it's called) will be super rusting.

As already stated, do this in a well-ventilated area because you're making hydrogen gas.

es

 

[fatdaddy]

Thanks a lot everybody,I think i'm gonna give it a shot.I'll let you know what kind of luck I have.

 

[Bruce (VA)]

Ed, where do you get you phosphoric acid? By spritz, do you mean that you put it in a spray bottle?