TheFullSmokingBar Posted April 30, 2013 Author Share Posted April 30, 2013 I use rebar. The best stuff to use for anodes is carbon like they use in EDM machines. Waaaaay less mess Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheFullSmokingBar Posted April 30, 2013 Author Share Posted April 30, 2013 Ok, not one but two layers of paint, one red one silver, and about a pound of rust later and there's an anvil under there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave51B Posted May 2, 2013 Share Posted May 2, 2013 http://search.yahoo.com/r/_ylt=A0oG7lzivIFRQT4Ak4xXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTE0bjZ0NDY0BHNlYwNzcgRwb3MDMQRjb2xvA2FjMgR2dGlkA1FJMDM3XzEwOA--/SIG=11sjd7t4o/EXP=1367485794/**http%3a//fboerger.com/restorationtips.html If this link works .it should help with the stainless fears....I've been useing stainless for about 10 years for sacrificial in a 100 gal tank, off and on...Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave51B Posted May 3, 2013 Share Posted May 3, 2013 Thanks Stefflus...I'm not to good at this stuff........Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yves Posted June 22, 2013 Share Posted June 22, 2013 Electrolysis realy works. I had to try it. Especialy when I was given three escutcheons, a lock and hooks that were salvaged when a church was demolished in France. Probably stuff from the 18th or more likely 19th century. So I got this drum, inserted 8 rods (bent them, cut the threads with a tap), pulled a cross bar of 5/16" rod to attach the objects to be treated on, wired the rods together, pluged a battery charger and let the thing work overnight. I am not inclined to playing with electricity. If I can do it anybody can. And it does the job thorougly. Here are a few pics. The barrel stands at the door of the smithy. The battery charger is inside, in the entrance of the smitty. I pulled wires over the door to the barrel. Yes it works! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Emig Posted June 22, 2013 Share Posted June 22, 2013 I love the electrolysis method-hands off, no muss-no fuss. Way better if it's a antique type of thing you're derusting-no wire brush marks or damage to the piece. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yves Posted June 22, 2013 Share Posted June 22, 2013 I love the electrolysis method-hands off, no muss-no fuss. Way better if it's a antique type of thing you're derusting-no wire brush marks or damage to the piece. I use plastic brushes for the hands to get the goo off. The lock I protected with a mixture of linseed oil, turpentine and bees wax (1/3 of each (by weight)). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave51B Posted June 23, 2013 Share Posted June 23, 2013 yves....I don't think it's a good idea to put a lid on your tank.....ya know hydrogen gas is emitted during the process. Would it collect enough to cause a problem, I don't know. But with an open top tank ,if you run a propane torch on the foam bubbles they do pop quite loud....just a thought.Has anyone tried phosphoric acid to finish the process? It works real nice, .....Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yves Posted June 23, 2013 Share Posted June 23, 2013 Dave, The tank is outside and the lid does not fit tightly. It is mainly to avoid young birds falling from the vine on my silo in the tank. Gaz cannot accumulate under the lid. The tank is outside to avoid precisely hydrogen accumulating in the smitty. As for the acid route, I want to avoid this. I do not want to manipulate or store such acids in the smitty. I do not know how to handle them and what it means as a procedure to use them on steel/iron and what they do to metal. As was mentioned by Mark, electrolysis is an effective hands off method. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave51B Posted June 23, 2013 Share Posted June 23, 2013 yves ,maybe I should have given a little more info on the acid. It basically does the same thing chemicaly that your tank does electricaly..converts red rust to black oxide.It also puts a protective phosphorus coating on your metal.If you get a chance read the link that Stefflus posted above.This is the guy that I learned from.....very informative, also I should mention the acid is pretty mild. You'll find it in the soft drinks you drink every day....yip that's right , coke, pepsi, ect. Check it out I'm tellin' ya....enjoy,Life is good.....Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
01tundra Posted August 27, 2013 Share Posted August 27, 2013 I used steel remesh for the sacrificial anode when I restored my blower. The process worked well, let it sit in the tank for about 2 days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eco redneck Posted August 28, 2013 Share Posted August 28, 2013 after you use the solution is it garbage ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swedefiddle Posted August 28, 2013 Share Posted August 28, 2013 after you use the solution is it garbage ? After finishing cleaning, the residue is soap and water with a little Ferrous Oxide in it. Not toxic at all. If you have more pieces to do, do them I have used this process many times, Simply Magic, it is so simple. Neil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eco redneck Posted August 28, 2013 Share Posted August 28, 2013 ok sounds like i will give it a try then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaughnT Posted August 30, 2013 Share Posted August 30, 2013 Still need to try this on my frozen blower. I've tried everything else to get it unstuck, but I haven't screwed up the courage to give electrolysis a go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSW Posted August 31, 2013 Share Posted August 31, 2013 Don't be scared of doing electrolysis. You really can't hurt anything as long as the electrodes are hooked up in the correct polarity and they are not touching. Red to sacrificial anode, black to the part to be derusted. I prefer to use carbon rods vs rebar as my sacrificial anode. I picked up some 3/4" carbon arc rods from McMaster Carr when I did my vise. They were cheap and I didn't have the mess like you do with rebar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the iron dwarf Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 I have thought about phosphoric acid: anyone know what concentration to use or if it is likely to cause hydrogen embrittlement? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the iron dwarf Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 can get 5 liters ( just over 1 UK gallon and a lot more than a us gallon ) of 75% phosphoric acid here easily enough, was thinking of trying it for derusting and blackening but dont know how much to dilute it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the iron dwarf Posted March 29, 2014 Share Posted March 29, 2014 ok so no answers on the phosphoric on the sodium carbonate I got 1 kilo on ebay, I have a 25 ltr bucket ( about 5 gallons ) I was thinking of filling half full, how much sodium carbonate to 12.5 liters ( 2.5 gallons ) of water should I use? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianinsa Posted March 30, 2014 Share Posted March 30, 2014 Just use vinegar, safe and cheap, as chips( smells like too) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the iron dwarf Posted March 30, 2014 Share Posted March 30, 2014 tried 100g ( about 4 oz ) in 15 liters ( 3.3 ( uk ) gallons ) a piece of rebar and 12v. it has been fizzing for about 3 hours now and there is a thick layer of rust on top Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mitch4ging Posted March 30, 2014 Share Posted March 30, 2014 It's working! I usually put 1/2 cup into about 4 - 4.5 gallons, but I don't think there is any hard fact formula. Post a pic when your done! :o) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave51B Posted March 31, 2014 Share Posted March 31, 2014 About 1 Tbls. per gallon of water will work fine. Remember it is basically a line of sight process. Also ,surface area of sacrificial electrode to part ratio makes a big difference in speed of the cleaning. If you use scrap iron for the sacrificial it will need cleaned fairly often, and will erode eventually. You are only just beginning to be amazed.....Enjoy .......Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holzkohle Posted March 31, 2014 Share Posted March 31, 2014 I have been using electrolysis since 2006 to clean more than 1000 pieces of cast iron cookware. It only removes rust (and paint except aluminum) with no harm to the cookware. I use approx. 2 handfuls of carbonate of soda to 5 gallons of water in a plastic barrel lined with stainless steel sheet. From what I have read there is no risk of hydrogen embrittlement in this method. The stainless does have to be replaced periodically but is much longer lasting than using steel for the sacrificial. A manual battery charger is necessary. Jerry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doc Posted April 1, 2014 Share Posted April 1, 2014 I have been using electrolysis since 2006 to clean more than 1000 pieces of cast iron cookware. It only removes rust (and paint except aluminum) with no harm to the cookware. I use approx. 2 handfuls of carbonate of soda to 5 gallons of water in a plastic barrel lined with stainless steel sheet. From what I have read there is no risk of hydrogen embrittlement in this method. The stainless does have to be replaced periodically but is much longer lasting than using steel for the sacrificial. s A manual battery charger is necessary. Jerry BE VERY CAREFUL if you are using the stainless to pass your current through , you are creating Hexavalent gas and deopsiting hexavalent chromium in the water bath. The bath then becomes a Hazmat material. The best sacrificial electrodes are made from graphite. Otherwise use iron or steel and your bath will contain nothing poisonous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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