Iowa Chapter Join Chapter, Leader:

Electrolysis rust removal

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
  #1  
Old 03-11-2006, 06:55 PM
Sam_Fear's Avatar
Sam_Fear
Sam_Fear is offline
Posting Guru
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Davenport, IA
Posts: 1,398
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Electrolysis rust removal

I read about this in another forum one day and finally decided to try it. Don't know if anyone in this forum has tried this, but it works great! I was really impressed. Tried it on a few old rusty tools I had thrown in a box. Doesn't bring it back to new, but it sure is easy.

Besides that, I spent most of the day organizing my garage/shop.

What a great day!
 
  #2  
Old 03-12-2006, 07:06 PM
fellro86's Avatar
fellro86
fellro86 is offline
Hotshot
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Marengo, Iowa
Posts: 11,697
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Never really tried such, but then, haven't been exposed to it too much either. Care to link to it?
 
  #3  
Old 03-13-2006, 06:03 AM
Dave Severson's Avatar
Dave Severson
Dave Severson is offline
Posting Guru
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Madison, SD
Posts: 1,302
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
You should also be aware that any electolysis, including chroming, will also weaken the part.......
 
  #4  
Old 03-14-2006, 05:48 PM
Sam_Fear's Avatar
Sam_Fear
Sam_Fear is offline
Posting Guru
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Davenport, IA
Posts: 1,398
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Originally Posted by Dave Severson
You should also be aware that any electolysis, including chroming, will also weaken the part.......
I assume you mean Hydrogen Embrittlement. I've read that it disapates with time and the process can be speeded by cooking the part at 300 degrees for awhile. I don't plan to use the process on anything critical though.

Also know that Stainless Steel should not be used as a conductor as some sites suggest.
 
  #5  
Old 03-14-2006, 06:00 PM
Sam_Fear's Avatar
Sam_Fear
Sam_Fear is offline
Posting Guru
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Davenport, IA
Posts: 1,398
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Originally Posted by fellro86
Never really tried such, but then, haven't been exposed to it too much either. Care to link to it?
Well, I read about it alot, and thought about it a long time before I decided to try it. Something about water and electricity that makes me wary.

Anyhow, here are a couple of the better sites I found on the subject:

http://antique-engines.com/electrol.asp
http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/andyspatch/rust.htm
http://users.andara.com/~pspencer/ns...is.html#safety

As a warning, my battery charger finally quit working after using it for this for a couple days - it was very fritzy anyhow, and is why I used it. I really don't think the electrolysis fried it, it was just its time. I plan to try it again.

Edit: I also was hooking the charger directly to the electrodes without using a battery as a buffer. Probably makes a difference too.
 

Last edited by Sam_Fear; 03-14-2006 at 06:13 PM.




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 05:39 PM.