Electolytic rust and paint removal
July 14th, 2015, 08:38 PM
#1
Electolytic rust and paint removal
I posted this on the Olds facebook page recently but I thought I'd share it here.
The bucket I use is a 5 gallon plastic bucket like you can get at lowes and other places. I added 4-1/2 gallons of warm water then put in 2/3 cup of arm and hammer washing soda. It's in the laundry detergent aisle. Stir until dissolved.
I put those two pieces of steel in hanging on a dowel. Make them so they don't touch the bottom. I bought 3 feet of 10-2 wire from lowes. I attached one end of the wire to each piece of steel and stripped about an inch of insulation off a few inches from one end to connect the positive clamp of the battery charger.
The other wire I stripped a few inches off each end. One connects to the negative battery charger clamp and the other to the piece you want to remove the rust from.
I wrapped the wire around that piece of wood and put the wire through one of the holes. The I set it into the bucket so it is just low enough to be submerged and not touching the bottom.
Do not let your pieces of steel touch the part.
I set the charger on 10 amps and let it go over night. When it's working you will see small bubbles like in the video. Those contain hydrogen which of course is extremely combustible (see Hindenburg). ONLY DO THIS OUTSIDE.
I can't tell you how long it takes. I put that piece in around 3 or 4 and took it out this morning. Then I put the spindle in at about 10 and took it out about 5. You can take it out periodically and rub it down with a scotch brite and stick it back in. BE SURE to unplug your battery charger before moving parts around.
You can use whatever steel you want, some use rebar. It sacrifices it's self in the process and should eventually disappear. They say it works by line of sight so you want at least one piece on each side. DO NOT use stainless steel. It doesn't disolve but it does give off poisonous gas. Some people do this in kiddie pools for larger parts.
It will remove rust and paint. I would not recommend putting anything other than steel/iron in there. If you have parts with aluminum or other things I would remove all that or look for another method. Treat it with something as soon as you dry it or you will get flash rust.
So far I've don the spindles, hubs, tire iron, jack base, some nuts and bolts and I'm working on a bumper mounting bracket now.
I don't know if you'll be able to see the photos since they're on FB.
The bucket I use is a 5 gallon plastic bucket like you can get at lowes and other places. I added 4-1/2 gallons of warm water then put in 2/3 cup of arm and hammer washing soda. It's in the laundry detergent aisle. Stir until dissolved.
I put those two pieces of steel in hanging on a dowel. Make them so they don't touch the bottom. I bought 3 feet of 10-2 wire from lowes. I attached one end of the wire to each piece of steel and stripped about an inch of insulation off a few inches from one end to connect the positive clamp of the battery charger.
The other wire I stripped a few inches off each end. One connects to the negative battery charger clamp and the other to the piece you want to remove the rust from.
I wrapped the wire around that piece of wood and put the wire through one of the holes. The I set it into the bucket so it is just low enough to be submerged and not touching the bottom.
Do not let your pieces of steel touch the part.
I set the charger on 10 amps and let it go over night. When it's working you will see small bubbles like in the video. Those contain hydrogen which of course is extremely combustible (see Hindenburg). ONLY DO THIS OUTSIDE.
I can't tell you how long it takes. I put that piece in around 3 or 4 and took it out this morning. Then I put the spindle in at about 10 and took it out about 5. You can take it out periodically and rub it down with a scotch brite and stick it back in. BE SURE to unplug your battery charger before moving parts around.
You can use whatever steel you want, some use rebar. It sacrifices it's self in the process and should eventually disappear. They say it works by line of sight so you want at least one piece on each side. DO NOT use stainless steel. It doesn't disolve but it does give off poisonous gas. Some people do this in kiddie pools for larger parts.
It will remove rust and paint. I would not recommend putting anything other than steel/iron in there. If you have parts with aluminum or other things I would remove all that or look for another method. Treat it with something as soon as you dry it or you will get flash rust.
So far I've don the spindles, hubs, tire iron, jack base, some nuts and bolts and I'm working on a bumper mounting bracket now.
I don't know if you'll be able to see the photos since they're on FB.
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July 15th, 2015, 11:06 AM
#3
It does flash pretty quick. If you dry it real well right away it takes a little longer, but I try to at least spray a light coating of primer on them. Tonights the problem, I'm doing the large bumper mounting bracket and only part would fit in the bucket. I'm not sure if I can get all of the other end that hasn't been done submerged. I might have to get a bigger bucket.
I also want to try zinc plating for the nuts and bolts.
I also want to try zinc plating for the nuts and bolts.
July 15th, 2015, 01:18 PM
#4
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Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Sacramento, CA
Posts: 75
pretty cool, thanks for sharing!
I tried this last year with so-so success on a steel wagon I rebuilt for my son. I guess it was sitting in a field for unknown amount of time and was quite rusty when I got it. I did mine in my city issued recycle bin (60+ gallons) and was able to do half at a time (wagon can fit 2 adults!)
My neighbor who was working on a 1930s Chevy told me about the technique - said some people even go as extreme as wheeling their car body into an above ground pool, filling it up, then linking car batteries to do the electrolysis!
I tried this last year with so-so success on a steel wagon I rebuilt for my son. I guess it was sitting in a field for unknown amount of time and was quite rusty when I got it. I did mine in my city issued recycle bin (60+ gallons) and was able to do half at a time (wagon can fit 2 adults!)
My neighbor who was working on a 1930s Chevy told me about the technique - said some people even go as extreme as wheeling their car body into an above ground pool, filling it up, then linking car batteries to do the electrolysis!
July 15th, 2015, 07:26 PM
#7
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