Anyone use electrolysis for removing rust?

[oldbrownhat]

Years ago I had used electrolyis to try and clean the bore of a Boer War-era .303 Martini but had forgotten about it until my neighbor's 15 y.o. son, who is into engines, ATVs etc., asked me how to get the rust out of a gas tank and I went online.

Most articles suggested using a 12v car battery charger set to 2A but mine didn't work. Despite being 10 years old, it was presumably "smart" enough to know that there was no battery attached, so I used a 12v DC power supply I'd got to run a diesel heater. (A Chinese knock-off of a Wabasto and very handy for things like drying painted objects in cold weather until they off-gass enough to bring them inside.)

I did some experiments before he brought over the Briggs & Stratton tank. I washed it out with warm water and Simple Green, made an anode from some 16 ga. steel and carefully suspended it in the tank and filled it with a solution of water and washing soda.

Overall, it took nearly 48 hours and two changes of electrolyte and cleaning of the anode but it did come out pretty clean. There must have been more rust inside than we could see.

A useful technique for removing rust from tools when you can't always get them completely apart.

 

[rustythread]

I use it occasionally, mostly on woodworking machine parts. I use a computer power source to run mine. (bundle alll the red +12VDC wires to positive and the black wires to ground) I'm generally not in a hurry, so don't keep track of the time involved.
Do be sure your electroysis area is vented, and don't smoke near it, to avoid a Hindenberg experience.

 

[oldbrownhat]

...Do be sure your electroysis area is vented, and don't smoke near it, to avoid a Hindenberg experience.

Yup! I neglected to mention that this was being done in the covered entrance to my basement. I had a 50W halogen floodlight aimed at the tank to keep it warm, as it was between 37º and 43º outside. For small objects that can be submerged, I have a large casserole dish I put on an old electric griddle turned up to about 170º which just keeps the electrolyte warm.

 

[Bekeart]

Wish I had known this method.

Wish I had known this method.

Would have saved me MONEY.
Replaced a rusty tank on a BCS rear tine tiller $.

Value with rusty tank $0.

Repaired value exceeded the repair cost.

Bekeart

 

[DWalt]

On YouTube there are videos on how to remove (actually convert) rust from heavily rusted guns by using electrolysis.

 

[LVSteve]

Lots of threads about this over on Gunboards regarding the bores of Mosins, Mausers etc.

 

[ameridaddy]

I've done it to clean antique handsaws. Messy, leaves the saws a dirty gray color, but on the plus side, it gets rust out of pockets and pits that I could not sand, and does not remove the shallow etched makers' logo.
I used a plastic wallpaper wetting tray for the container, Arm and Hammer Washing Soda for electrolyte, and a 1/16" x 1" x 30" stainless steel strip for the anode. That way, the anode doesn't become something else to clean. It's very important to place the anode as close to the work as possible without touching it to get the max efficiency out of the set up. I use an old sears 12v battery charger for my power source.

 

[Maddog 521]

I've cleaned a lot of cast iron skillets and griddles with the electrolysis method. There is a lot of information on some of the cast iron cookware sites.

 

[oldbrownhat]

I've done it to clean antique handsaws. Messy, leaves the saws a dirty gray color, but on the plus side, it gets rust out of pockets and pits that I could not sand, and does not remove the shallow etched makers' logo.
I used a plastic wallpaper wetting tray for the container, Arm and Hammer Washing Soda for electrolyte, and a 1/16" x 1" x 30" stainless steel strip for the anode. That way, the anode doesn't become something else to clean. It's very important to place the anode as close to the work as possible without touching it to get the max efficiency out of the set up. I use an old sears 12v battery charger for my power source.

A couple of articles warned against using stainless steel for the anode but I don't recall why. Probably something to do with toxicity of the fumes, but if you're working outdoors this isn't a problem. The anode I made for the gas tank cleanup was a pitted mess afterwards! Looked like it had been pulled up with artifacts from the Spanish Armada.

Good idea with the wallpaper wetting tray for long thin items

 

[Tom S.]

I wonder if it would work on my rusty old bones?

BTW, speaking of Rusty....

 

[oldbrownhat]

I wonder if it would work on my rusty old bones?

BTW, speaking of Rusty....

LOL. "FOR EXTERNA USE ONLY"