Electrolysis Information...

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Electrolysis Information...

Postby Dean in Eureka, CA » Thu Aug 02, 2007 4:23 pm

Have a rusty piece or one with tons of crusty buildup and want to clean it up?...

Electrolysis Method
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Postby Podunkfla » Thu Aug 02, 2007 4:35 pm

Yep, Dean... I agree this is a great way to clean rusty iron. I've been using it for years to clean old hand planes and other rusty tools I collect. It works great and it's easy. I use a little 10 amp battery charger and a plastic dishpan or 5 gal. bucket. :thumbsup:
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Postby Tear Fan » Fri Aug 03, 2007 6:30 am

Wow! That electrolysis can be a hairy subject . . .
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Postby tupelosue » Tue Aug 07, 2007 12:50 am

i snagged a rusty one at my sister's house, but this looks too complicated for me.

Can't i take it somewhere and have it sandblasted or something instead???

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Postby Dean in Eureka, CA » Tue Aug 07, 2007 1:30 am

Sue,
It's actually quite simple... The instructions may make it sound complicated.
If you're considering having it blasted, it's best to go with a glass bead blaster...
A sand blaster tends to leave blast marks... Doug says he got good results with sand by lowering the pressure and and holding the sandblasting nozzle a bit farther away from the piece than you normally would.
Mary used a completely different method... Using a Lye bath and power washer...
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Postby asianflava » Tue Aug 07, 2007 1:32 am

Dean in Eureka, CA wrote:If you're considering having it blasted, it's best to go with a glass bead blaster...


What about walnut shells or plastic media?
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Postby Dean in Eureka, CA » Tue Aug 07, 2007 1:42 am

Rocky,
I don't know... never tried either one of those...
Sounds even less abrasive than glass beads. :thumbsup:
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Postby mfkaplan » Tue Aug 07, 2007 11:02 am

I only used the Lye on the black crusty crud. The pieces I've done that way had minimal or no rust. I did use electrolysis on a huge pot with a lot of rust. It needs to go back for another treatment. It was fairly easy to do. I had a bit of trouble getting washing soda. At least its not a caustic as lye Just remember that the black pot gets the black electode, the sacrificial iron gets the red. I have been giving the items that have gone in the lye solution a vinegar soak. My waffle iron didn't get a fine layer of rust but my skillets did. I have had to give them a scrub with a scotchbrite pad. The rust wasn't there when I started.
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Re: Electrolysis Information...

Postby Eunice » Thu Aug 16, 2007 6:35 pm

Dean in Eureka, CA wrote:Have a rusty piece or one with tons of crusty buildup and want to clean it up?...

Electrolysis Method


I wasnt planning on joining IDOS but my 6.99 stew pot (I was so excited) has ended up looking just like the pictures in B. I guess it will be worth the $15 if I can get it fixed
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Postby mikeschn » Thu Aug 16, 2007 6:41 pm

It looks just a little bit shocking... I don't own a rusty DO, ... yet...

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walnut shell blasting

Postby eamarquardt » Wed Sep 19, 2007 5:46 pm

I'm working on a honda motorcycle engine that was factory painted black. I took it in to have it bead blasted but the fellow suggested the walnut shells instead. Another positive was that his machine was down and needed a minor repair. I fixed it and he did the blasting for free. I digress. The parts came out really cool. A really nice satin finish that showed none of the fine pitting that one sees when things are sand or even bead blasted. I'm sold on walnut blasting. However, if something is pretty rusty and crusty (aluminum can't rust), you might need the beads or even sand to do a nice job and smooth out some of the rust spots. Only experience will tell.

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Postby PresTx82 » Wed Sep 24, 2008 12:50 pm

I had one of my "grill lifters" (not sure what else to call it) fall down into the grill and sat in water for a long, long period of time. When I cleaned the grill and found it this is what it looked like:

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I figured this would be a good time to experiment first hand on with the ELECTROLYSIS method of cleaning metal.

This what I did. I took a small bucket and screwed an old lawn mower blade to the side of the bucket and hung the rusted metal by an insulated wire from a paint stick over the bucket.

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I then took an old coat hanger and wrapped the rusted metal with it insuring good contact with the metal. Then I took a battery charger and connected the positive end (red) to the lawnmower blade. Then the negative (black) to the coat hanger which was wrapping the rusted metal. I also poured in a small dash of baking soda (secret ingredient) to facilitate the chemical reaction.

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After a period of time the rust leaves the rusted metal object and begins to stick to the lawnmower blade and the top of the water is full of rust sledge.

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After many hours pull out the metal object and brush with a wire brush. Mine looked like this:

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I cleaned it up a bit and sprayed it with heat resistant black grill paint:

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I hope I've explained this procedure in the most general easiest terms. I think I also have an idea for my kid's next science project.
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Postby Eunice » Wed Sep 24, 2008 12:59 pm

the real secret is to use Arm and Hammer WASHING SODA not baking soda.

My last post here was over a year ago and I have been doing this a lot during the year. It works really well.
I still have to try putting it in my self cleaning oven.
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Postby PresTx82 » Wed Sep 24, 2008 1:01 pm

The washing soda is harder to find and most households have the baking soda so that's what I used. I don't think there's much of a difference chemically.
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Soda

Postby doitright » Wed Sep 24, 2008 7:08 pm

I used swimming pool PH + It worked well. It is cheep this time of year most stores have it on sale. Have not used baking soda yet but will. Where I live I have not found the washing soda. I have done 6 DO`s, 5 frying pans and 3 muffin pans so far with the P H +. It all turned out well.
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