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Re: Electrolysis Rust Removal Redux

LOL!!!! Willie

Well..... I wasn't really digging just toothing through the 'stuff' you know how demo jobs are... no 811 on this job, just remove the buildings, footings and crap.

Re: Electrolysis Rust Removal Redux

Are you sure the owner wasn't in the same hole.

Re: Electrolysis Rust Removal Redux

Originally Posted by Willie B

Stolen? Used in a murder? Particularly ugly divorce?

I have customers, a Northern Italian immigrant about 80 with heavy accent, and his 2 generations ago Sicilian 59 year old wife.

She was getting on his nerves one day. He was clowning around with a butcher knife; "...divorce Italian style!" She responded that her Sicilian grandfather did use a rifle to kill her grandmother as she was walking down the same driveway we were looking at. No charges were ever filed. In Vermont murders are rarely prosecuted. I'd guess after you do that sort of thing you bury the evidence.

Well being this is in a self declared 'sanctuary city' the local constabulary rarely prosecutes most crimes... unless you are a taxpaying legal citizen... then they'll go after you and make you pay!!!!

I took a couple pics in the shop showing the crustiness and one spot on the 12ga that still had blueing! about 3 inches long and 1/3rd around the barrel.

Attachment 1705943
Attachment 1705944

Re: Electrolysis Rust Removal Redux

Looks to be in pretty good shape for being buried in the ground.

I hope you post up some pictures after it’s cleaned up.


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Re: Electrolysis Rust Removal Redux

Stolen? Used in a murder? Particularly ugly divorce?

I have customers, a Northern Italian immigrant about 80 with heavy accent, and his 2 generations ago Sicilian 59 year old wife.

She was getting on his nerves one day. He was clowning around with a butcher knife; "...divorce Italian style!" She responded that her Sicilian grandfather did use a rifle to kill her grandmother as she was walking down the same driveway we were looking at. No charges were ever filed. In Vermont murders are rarely prosecuted. I'd guess after you do that sort of thing you bury the evidence.

Re: Electrolysis Rust Removal Redux

I found a couple candidates for rust removal buried on a job today One is a 12 gauge the other is a .22 probably a ruger 10-22

Might be a while before I get to soaking these as we are busier than ever!!!

Thought I was picking up a piece of metal pipe! turned out to be a 12ga.
Attachment 1705940
Here is the 22
Attachment 1705939

Re: Electrolysis Rust Removal Redux

I have tried the process several times. When I hope to remove surface rust, it has worked just fine. Removing the rust inside an assembly, I have been less successful.

I have a lathe thread syncronizer. It is ancient! By the time I bought it, it had laid on a cellar floor for I don't know how many years. It was seized, and there was little hope of freeing it to a functional state.

I soaked it in oil years, did a molasses soak, used penetrating oil. Tried a battery charger & washing soda. All failed......or did they?

I needed to use it. Clamped it in a vise, tried a strap wrench several times. My son sprayed it with Kroil. A day later it moved! A few subsequent sprays, it was utterly free!.

Re: Electrolysis Rust Removal Redux

Originally Posted by ndnchf

I just finished restoring this 100 year old Sasgen Derrick winch. It sat in the electrolysis bath for about 8 days. That took a lot of the rust off, but not all. I still had to go at it with wire wheels and a needle scaler. If I had left it in longer it probably would have gotten more off, but I was getting impatient. It is a great way to remove rust. I used scrap steel for anodes, but I may buy some carbon rods before the next project. They don't require cleaning like steel does.

Never mind the winch, (it isn't correct anyway), that CJ is pretty!. Same color as mine. Mine is 1947 CJ2A. I've had it since 1969.

Re: Electrolysis Rust Removal Redux

Voltage controls amps.... I'm thinking you're gonna need a lot more voltage to get the amp draw up there of course you could add a catalyst to the water... but it still won't get up to the capacity of the welder.

Re: Electrolysis Rust Removal Redux

I have wondered how this would work out with a welding machine hooked up to it, pumping in 130-150 amps of DC power. It may take only minutes instead of days to de-rust something. Probably need a welding machine with a high duty rating to have a chance to make it work. Does anybody have a clue on if this is a feasible idea or not?

Re: Electrolysis Rust Removal Redux

I did this with a crankshaft out of a Kohler KT17 several years back using an older Exide Battery Charger. That battery charger has since failed but I think I have a manual battery charger from a Big Joe Pallet lift that could probably work for this. Thanks for reminding me about this.

Re: Electrolysis Rust Removal Redux

Originally Posted by shortfuse

The power supply was a great idea, if you have one. If someone wants to use a battery charger for electrolysis, it has to be a MANUAL one. The newer automatic chargers have a sensing circuit that looks for a battery. If it has an option for manual charging use that. They don't work for electrolysis in automatic mode.

You can connect the charger to a battery, then run leads from the battery to the electrodes in the electrolyte solution to overcome the auto battery mode. The charger then has a battery to sense and try to charge, make sure it is a chargeable battery though. One with a dead cell or otherwise is no good won't work.

Re: Electrolysis Rust Removal Redux

Evaporust works as good and it's easier to use. Doesn't sting, no electrical and it leaves a black oxide finish. But, it's not readily available around here so you have to plan ahead. Fairly pricey for big stuff also.

Re: Electrolysis Rust Removal Redux

I've used electrolysis a number of times and only use it when absolutely necessary. I've had as good, or better results on irregular shapes soaking them in EvapoRust overnight, or a couple of days for heavily corroded pieces.

Re: Electrolysis Rust Removal Redux

^^ Only a spammer would say it works everytime...

Re: Electrolysis Rust Removal Redux

That is a cool old winch.

Re: Electrolysis Rust Removal Redux

I just finished restoring this 100 year old Sasgen Derrick winch. It sat in the electrolysis bath for about 8 days. That took a lot of the rust off, but not all. I still had to go at it with wire wheels and a needle scaler. If I had left it in longer it probably would have gotten more off, but I was getting impatient. It is a great way to remove rust. I used scrap steel for anodes, but I may buy some carbon rods before the next project. They don't require cleaning like steel does.

Re: Electrolysis Rust Removal Redux

^^ Yep!!!! All for your safety

Re: Electrolysis Rust Removal Redux

Originally Posted by shortfuse

The power supply was a great idea, if you have one. If someone wants to use a battery charger for electrolysis, it has to be a MANUAL one. The newer automatic chargers have a sensing circuit that looks for a battery. If it has an option for manual charging use that. They don't work for electrolysis in automatic mode.

So many of the modern battery chargers have gone the way of many welders...................inverter, I think the battery even has to have some residual voltage before the inverter chargers will work. I watched a video on fixing power tool batteries, and on both NI-CAD & LI-ION batteries the key to restoring their ability to charge was getting some voltage BACK into the battery by other means, the nicads can be "shocked with a welder to "jolt" it, after that a manual charge from an AC adapter of proper voltage. He used a small stick welder. The LI-ION were just manually charged the same way after bypassing the sensing circuit, after he got the voltage up to about 12 volts the charger would sense it and charge, amazing the $hit they're doing to us to make us buy overpriced tool batteries.

Re: Electrolysis Rust Removal Redux

I agree that the computer power supply would be ideal. The battery charger was always sketchy, but did work.

Re: Electrolysis Rust Removal Redux

The power supply was a great idea, if you have one. If someone wants to use a battery charger for electrolysis, it has to be a MANUAL one. The newer automatic chargers have a sensing circuit that looks for a battery. If it has an option for manual charging use that. They don't work for electrolysis in automatic mode.

Re: Electrolysis Rust Removal Redux

Originally Posted by hvw

I think I always used a battery charger as the electrical source. What is that you're using in photo 2?

It's an old HP DC power supply I had laying around.

Tim

Re: Electrolysis Rust Removal Redux

I've used electrolysis many times also. I think I always used a battery charger as the electrical source. What is that you're using in photo 2?

Re: Electrolysis Rust Removal Redux

I've used that method before....

works great.

Re: Electrolysis Rust Removal Redux

Originally Posted by snowbird

You did paint them, did you?

No, nothing is painted yet. I did spray the parts with WD40 to keep the rust from coming back. I need to talk to the factory guys to find out what kind of finish they are supposed to have on them.

Tim