[rustyzook]

well let us know

[Damo]

I've done the same thing in a plastic tub. As ball said, I used washing soda too, and mild steel anode. I was thinking of bolting the anodes around the side of the tub, apparantly this is preferable if you're anodising but I don't think it matters much if you'er just going to be killing rust.

Oh, and I run mine outside. As ball said, a shed full of hydrogen would be interesting

[rustyzook]

how did it go?

[want33s]

Wouldn't a tub full of molasses be cheaper and easier?
That shit eats rust like you wouldn't believe!

[Poss]

My old man uses molasses all the time to remove rust for his tractor restorations great stuff

[ball]

want33s wrote:

Wouldn't a tub full of molasses be cheaper and easier?
That shit eats rust like you wouldn't believe!

I don't know about cheaper.

The washing soda was about $5 from memory and I only used about 1/10 of the bag.

Molasses stinks and I have heard if you leave the parts in too long they get eaten.

[want33s]

ball wrote:

want33s wrote:

Wouldn't a tub full of molasses be cheaper and easier?
That shit eats rust like you wouldn't believe!

I don't know about cheaper.

The washing soda was about $5 from memory and I only used about 1/10 of the bag.

Molasses stinks and I have heard if you leave the parts in too long they get eaten.

There are a few sugar refineries around Qld so I can get molasses cheap or free.

Molasses does not eat iron, only ferric oxide (rust).

[31zook]

thats why horses don't rust.

[31zook]

thats why horses don't rust.

[jdk81]

Josh, it wasnt funny the first time

[missmyljdaze]

would any brass that is firmly attached to a lump of horribly rusty steel be affected by molasses de-rusting?
I have a little project I would like to clean up- but cant remove the brass from the steel- and dont know if the acid effect on the steel would chew out the brass as well?

any industrial chemists around that could figure it out?

stephen

[alien]

according to this: http://users.eastlink.ca/~pspencer/nsae ... lysis.html

brass is OK?

[sicktara]

this is the same procedure to do cooper coating

[jason_sgt]

Reading this one made me stress about homework again. Not a pleasant feeling, as I rarely had completed it.

Interesting to see how this will come up, Reminds me of a coin in a glass of coke.

Anyway thought I would chip in.

[royce]

Anymore happen on this?

I have a spun steel camp oven thats sat outside for ages and is rusty on the outside now, I know it wont matter to the oven but I might try and clean it up with this

Can I just hook it to a big battery or do I need to limit the current?

[Vits93]

royce wrote:

Anymore happen on this?

I have a spun steel camp oven thats sat outside for ages and is rusty on the outside now, I know it wont matter to the oven but I might try and clean it up with this

Can I just hook it to a big battery or do I need to limit the current?

I used a car battery with speaker wire, nail, baking soda (should of used washing powder) plus item, it worked to an extent my item was too far gone, but i think what you use as a electrolyte and amount and also voltage the sites i looked up recommend 6 volts. Current i think is more for plating or at least i know for brush cading.

Here's the sites
http://web.archive.org/web/200708191527 ... crust.html

http://www.instructables.com/id/Electro ... aka-Magic/

[ball]

royce wrote:

Anymore happen on this?

I tried a couple of different items with quite mixed results.

Most engine parts that were cast iron cleaned up fine.

I tried a handle of a lathe I am about to start restoring but instead of cleaning it up it just turned black.

Haven't had time to go and research what the material was and why it changed colours.

[rustyzook]

can we have an after pic? i think it would depend on the types of metal you used as to why it turned it black..... was it the brass that turned black?

[Vits93]

This might something to think about as well.

Quote:

Hydrogen Embrittlement of Steel - A Cautionary Note
Atoms of hydrogen absorbed by steel are known to enter the lattice of iron atoms and prevent the layers from sliding past each other easily. This causes the steel to become more brittle and liable to crack. The absorption of hydrogen by steel is a familiar problem in industry which arises during steel refining, heat treatment, acid pickling or electro-plating. It can also happen as a result of simple corrosion. The standard remedy is to bake the objects in ovens to drive out the absorbed hydrogen (200°C for four hours would be a typical regime in industry). The simple passage of time is also known to cause loss of hydrogen from steel. Hydrogen embrittlement may occur to some extent during electrolytic de-rusting. This may be a cause for concern with saws or other edge tools. It might be wise to wait a while before setting saw teeth after prolonged, electrolytic de-rusting. Alternatively, baking the tool in the oven for hour or so at about 150°C (300° F) should remove absorbed hydrogen. Note that this baking temperatures is low enough to leave the temper of most steels unaffected. Since hydrogen embrittlement is reversible, it should not cause too much anxiety. I believe that the advantages offered by electrolytic de-rusting justify wider experimentation by tool collectors. As more experience is gained clearer knowledge of its advantages and disadvantages will emerge.

Ball, the black surface could be black oxide which has anti corrosive properties and if you don't like it, it can be scrubbed off with a wire brush.

[ball]

No brass on it

The surface looked exactly like it was black oxide. Save me chemically treating it if it is.

[royce]

A pinion makes a great anode

bubbling away now at about 2 amps, if you move the anode around you can set teh current to suit whatever is supplying it

In a closed garage, I dont smoke so it will be fine

[royce]

1 campoven sorted and another in the tub, nobody has exploded yet either

[ball]

royce wrote:

1 campoven sorted and another in the tub, nobody has exploded yet either

is your camera broken, I don't see any pics

[alien]

the flash might set it off =)

[royce]

alien wrote:

the flash might set it off =)

Exactly

Here is an early start on a lid, did a great job in no time on it, I started doing the bottom part on its side in sections but decided it was easier to fill it with the liquid and dangle the anode in the middle, worked really well and got it all clean and loose enough to brush off with a little scrubbing.

Ive had a cast one going for almsot 24 hours now so ill get some pics of that, though it slows down really quickly cause the anode gets coated and you have to keep cleaning it all off every few hours, ive jsut let it run itself

[rustyzook]

very nice!

[royce]

Some more, this was a cast iron pot that was really bad, I reckon I would of chucked it

and a trivet thats going now

[rustyzook]

that cleaned it out really quick

[Teracis]

For any of you playing around with this, don't go hooking it up to anything over 120V DC as you get out of the Extra Low Voltage range and you're playing in territory that requires you to be an electrician. You can also get hurt. You shouldn't need that much voltage anyway :p

Back to the science, this stuff is ridiculously cool, good to see you guys using it!