zgeezer Posted November 30, 2004 Share Posted November 30, 2004 A technical side bar or editor's comments to letters in Hemming's magazine this month mentioned electrolysis as an effective means of removing rust from small parts. The recipe seems to be a couple of cups of laundry detergent in a plastic pail filled with H20. Hook the negative end of your battery charger to the piece and the positive to a piece of stainless steel. Submerge both in the laundry detergent solution and walk away for a few hours. This editor's comment was in response to some reader's letter thanking them for writing about MOLASSES as a rust remover. Is there any thing to all of this? g Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Magnum Rockwilder Posted November 30, 2004 Share Posted November 30, 2004 The recipe is close, but a bit off. You use a rod of rebar or other conductive metal with NO chromium or nickel... do NOT use SS, tape the bottom up so that it's insulated, insert it into a tub of salt water, connect the positive clamp of a battery charger to it just above the water level. Clamp the negative of the charger to the rusty item, submerged or not. Add salt until the amperage rises up to as high as you can get it. Sit back and wait. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
staledale Posted December 1, 2004 Share Posted December 1, 2004 American woodworker had an article in the Oct 2004 issue on removing rust off old tools. They used 1 tbs. of Arm and Hammer super washing soda from the laundry aisle at grocery store, mixed with 1 gallon of water. The pos. side of a battery charger was hooked to an iron rod, out side of the water. they bent the rod so it went around the tool (without touching it )and up out of the water. They ran a jumper wire to the tool and hooked the negative to that. I guess this is hard on the battery clips so they are kept out of the soup. The tool had little wooden blocks under it so the bottom would get clean. Bubbles indicates that the process is working. When the bubbles stop the rust is gone. It took a day and a half to clean a wood plane. There was an orange sludge that went to the iron rod that they claim is nontoxic and can be poured down the drain. Hope that helps a little. Stale Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zgeezer Posted October 14, 2008 Author Share Posted October 14, 2008 The recipe is close, but a bit off. You use a rod of rebar or other conductive metal with NO chromium or nickel... do NOT use SS, tape the bottom up so that it's insulated, insert it into a tub of salt water, connect the positive clamp of a battery charger to it just above the water level. Clamp the negative of the charger to the rusty item, submerged or not. Add salt until the amperage rises up to as high as you can get it. Sit back and wait. Here's my set up for rust removal: cost less than $10.00 excepting the battery charger. Here is a comparison of a very rusted 300z brake rotor. The dark spots are very shallow pits. This rotor could be run without turning it. This is the worst spot. The rest of the rotor cleaned up quite well. Here's another view of the out side: I used powder dishwasher detergent. g Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavyZ Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 Speaking of rust! I found this vid while I was searching for a solution to my bushing removal. This definately qualifies for the budget resto: http://www.brightcove.tv/title.jsp?title=572020791&channel=537308532 From another thread. This looks good!! Davy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gr8White Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 I've have good results using muriatic acid on small parts such as rusty bolts. Works great for surface rust, if the bolt is too pitted to do any good then it probably shouldn't be reused anyway. Doesn't take very long to clean them completely (a minute or so) and they come out looking great. What I don't know is whether the muriatic acid has any effect in bolt strength or Structural rigidity (When using on sheet metal)??? I don't leave parts in very long and other than the rust being gone, doesn't appear to damage the bolts whatsoever.... I haven't tried it on sheetmetal...Anyone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwi303 Posted October 15, 2008 Share Posted October 15, 2008 I use a similiar setup for cleaning the gun barrel when I buy in secondhand guns. a steel cleaning rod down the bore into a cork at the muzzle, held clear of contact with rubber bands around the shaft every now and again through the barrel, a mix of cloudy ammonia and water down the barrel provides the ions, and also assists to dissolve the copper residue. The cleaning rod comes out covered with a thick jelly-like black slime, wipe it off and scrub with a good detergent and put a jag on, then clean the barrel as per normal. Never done it to car parts, but no reason why it wouldn't also work there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK-Z Posted October 16, 2008 Share Posted October 16, 2008 Basically phosphoric acid in diluted in a gel. I just dripped a little on my crap bumper. results after a couple minutes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skib Posted October 16, 2008 Share Posted October 16, 2008 ^whered you find that at? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
proxlamus© Posted October 16, 2008 Share Posted October 16, 2008 / Home Depot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Netrix Posted October 16, 2008 Share Posted October 16, 2008 it's generically called naval jelly (i think it was developed by the navy) can be purchase in those small bottles at your local automotive store. Advanced Auto, Napa, Autozone etc... It is nice stuff, spread it on, then let it do its thing, and best of all it deactivates with water. Great for hard to reach places and getting in groves that you can't hit with a DA Sander, wire wheel, or sand paper. Heres the wikipedia article if your curious as to what exactly it is and what it does: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phosphoric_acid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwi303 Posted October 16, 2008 Share Posted October 16, 2008 I believe that stuff, diluted down, is what give Coke it's bite Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK-Z Posted October 16, 2008 Share Posted October 16, 2008 I believe that stuff, diluted down, is what give Coke it's bite you'd be right I got it at walmart of all places, like $3.50 a bottle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwi303 Posted October 17, 2008 Share Posted October 17, 2008 that probably means there's no rust on my teeth I drink coke every now and again through my favourite drink is Demon Energy, I've a bottle of septone rust remover I have used on some jobs to clear rust where i can't get a wire wheel on the angle grinder into before painting farm equipment, reading the label, that's phos. acid too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK-Z Posted October 17, 2008 Share Posted October 17, 2008 phosphorous is what helps plants grow greener. My mom mixes some of this in the plant feeder for her garden. I'd rather do the electrolysis method. There's no film to brush off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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