Electrolysis for rust removal

[Dabbler]

Some guys use a bath with lye, some with washing soda to fill a tank for de-rusing using electrolysis. Here's a PDF to get us all started. Additional comments and tips will be greatly appreciated!

 

[Eddyde]

I was looking into this method a few years ago, I read somewhere, graphite makes a good anode that is safe & doesn't erode.

 

[GT-6 Racer]

I’ve done this on a cast iron surface plate. Worked great. Since then I get a better dc power supply than a battery charger. The charger does need to be old school. The new electronic ones just shut off when they don't sense the battery. -lay around with the method. Kinda fun.

 

[lordbeezer]

I’ve had excellent results with this. Cut a plastic 55 gallon drum longways. Use two chargers. Washing soda little more than what is recommended. Some say it won’t remove paint. Mine does. Took seven layers off a Southbend. One layer was pink. Try to get oil and grease off before bath.

 

[twraska]

I was looking into this method a few years ago, I read somewhere, graphite makes a good anode that is safe & doesn't erode.

No, graphite will erode some. It is the best I’ve found. Not supposed to use stainless steel, makes hexavalent something or other that is a bad carcinogenic.
I’ve used a power supply, old school battery charger and a electronic charger with a battery to trick it into charging. They all worked. Best to have a lot of anodes as the current goes pretty much line of sight.

I salvaged an engine block from my granddad’s F-12 that had sat for 50 years. It was so bad we couldn’t get it apart. Took weeks to get the cam loose and after we got it apart, another couple of weeks to get it clean enough to use but it worked.

 

[Eddyde]

No, graphite will erode some. It is the best I’ve found. Not supposed to use stainless steel, makes hexavalent something or other that is a bad carcinogenic.
I’ve used a power supply, old school battery charger and a electronic charger with a battery to trick it into charging. They all worked. Best to have a lot of anodes as the current goes pretty much line of sight.

I salvaged an engine block from my granddad’s F-12 that had sat for 50 years. It was so bad we couldn’t get it apart. Took weeks to get the cam loose and after we got it apart, another couple of weeks to get it clean enough to use but it worked.

Thanks for the correction, it was looking into it some years ago...
I ultimately did not use this method, going with Evaporust instead. But I can see how it could be more economical especially if one had a lot of or large parts to process.

 

[shackleford]

Thanks for this. I have been using a lot of elbow grease and evaporust. This may come in handy!

 

[kickback1122]

Mrpete222 YouTube channel has multiple videos and he's fun to watch and listen to.

 

[GT-6 Racer]

I’ve done some big parts that would have taken a lot of evaporust. Cheap and easy. Messy though. Worth it for big stuff.