So I just picked up this post vise for 45 bucks. The screw box looks good and the threads look good. It weighs about 65 lbs. It's missing the spring which I'm not too worried about. I decided to try and clean it up and always wanted to try the Electrolysis method.

I had a 20 gallon tote/bin. Stuffed the vise in and a Sacrificial anode(18 Ga. steel). Hooked the positive side of a batt. charger to the anode and the negative side to the vise. Put some washing soda in the water and let her rip.

After four hours it turned the water green. I pulled it out and found it already started eating the rust. I put more soda in the water and found that the more I put in the higher the amps( To a point)

After ten hours it had turned orange and with the higher amps it really was bubbling.

I left it over night and came back to it finding a think orange layer of scum on top,

When I pulled it out I used engine oil and rubbed it down. I found some markings on the vise. 1913 G 15 any help with identifying it is great. Thanks.

I'll try and get some pics up

So I just picked up this post vise for 45 bucks. The screw box looks good and the threads look good. It weighs about 65 lbs. It's missing the spring which I'm not too worried about. I decided to try and clean it up and always wanted to try the Electrolysis method.

I had a 20 gallon tote/bin. Stuffed the vise in and a Sacrificial anode(18 Ga. steel). Hooked the positive side of a batt. charger to the anode and the negative side to the vise. Put some washing soda in the water and let her rip.

After four hours it turned the water green. I pulled it out and found it already started eating the rust. I put more soda in the water and found that the more I put in the higher the amps( To a point)

After ten hours it had turned orange and with the higher amps it really was bubbling.

I left it over night and came back to it finding a think orange layer of scum on top, the anode plate was covered in a 1/8th inch layer of sludge on it. I scraped it off and found that the plate had pock marks throughout some going all the way thru.

When I pulled it out I used engine oil and rubbed it down. I found some markings on the vise. 1913 G 15 any help with identifying it is great. Thanks.

I'll try and get some pics up

Here's the anode plate. It was new when I put it in there.

And then the finished product

Electrolysis.....Hey that's how my Auntie Gertrude got rid of her mustache!! :D

It looks like a Columbian. If not, it's an Indian Chief, which I suspect were made by Columbian. Both have the same conformation. The mounting plate is gone. Sometimes, the plate will have a raised "C" on it or "Indian Chief." I had a Columbian that had "1917" on the front of the movable jaw.

http://www.turleyforge.com Granddaddy of Blacksmith Schools

Hey Matt, that's pretty cool I'll have to play with the whole ?electrolysis? thing.
I know a lot of guys use it to etch but it looks like cleans real well also.
Your pics are too big, next time re-size them and they look better.
Glad to see you here Bro.

Matt I would like to know what washing soda is . I would like to try this I just got a post vise and would like to clean it up. Any help you guys could give me would be great. thanks - Jerry P.

Washing soda is Sodium Carbonate, (Sodium BiCarbonate is baking soda). But when you look for it in the washing soap aisle the box will say "washing Soda" on it just like the Borax box says Borax and not the formal designation.

All it does is make the water conductive so that the electricity can do it's job. Other things will work too. Hmm as it is a washing product it might help with greasy parts a bit better than some other compounds...

Notice the more conductive the solution the higher amps you get, so you can have some control over the rate---faster is not always better as is well known in electroplating!

Any particular voltage and amperage to set the charger to?

I used a 12 volt charger and i added enough washing soda to bring the amps up between 5 and 10. Whenever I turned it all off to take the part out it took a while before I got a good amp rate going again so some patience is required. good luck and let me know how it works for you.

Looks nice.I'v played around with it a little,did a ajustable wrench to get it broke free.Now you got me itching to derust some stuff .I found that PH plus for pools most of the time is Sodium Carbonate,but don't just take my word for it read the label and make sure it has written on it 100% Sodium Carbonate.

I read somewhere that pool cleaners are a good source as well. I went to the big stores and couldn't find any, but the smaller locally owned stores had the Washing Soda. It's likely that they had it because they try to be GREEN so they carry alot of products for making your own___________(insert product).

Will baking soda work or not I have 4lbs of it? Thanks -Jerry P.

If you Google "Electrolytic Derusting", you will find articles that will (most likely) answer all your questions.

I have heard of baking soda working but never tried it.

I see this being used on a large steel ball in the next few day. Just love this site. Learn something new just about every time I come in and spend a little time on here.

Will baking soda work or not I have 4lbs of it? Thanks -Jerry P.

Yes, baking soda will work fine.... just not quite as fast (I have used it).

FYI.... ACE hardware stores carry Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda. Also some grocery stores still carry it.

Any particular voltage and amperage to set the charger to?

Bigger items need more current. I think the right way to specify this would be the current per unit area.
(That would be area of exposed surface being de-rusted.)
This site: http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/andyspatch/rust.htm, which has a lot of good info, suggests 1 milliAmp per square centimeter.

I use two handfulls of washing soda to 5 gallons of water which works very well, generally run between 10 & 20 Amps depending on how much cast iron I have in the barrel. I normally use the process for cleaning cast iron cookware.

My barrels are lined with stainless sheet which lasts much longer than an iron product.

Jerry

what I have use for conservation of iron artifacts is a strong solution of lye, a stainless steel anode, 12 volt charger, and amperage and elapsed time to suit the size and condition of the object.