Home Made Electrolysis Machine(Picture Heavy)

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shakey0818

New Member
#1
#1
Made a home made Electrolysis Machine to clean any rust from tools and just about anything.So far it works great.I used a 5.2 watt and a 6 watt Cell phone charger.You can use basically any volt but the higher the volt the more you have to keep an eye on it.Yo can use 1-2 gallons of water and 1 table spoon of Arm n Hammer laundergent and a tablespoon of salt to a 5 gallon bucket and use rebar for a grounding rod and hook it up to a car battery.That would be good for bigger items.The pliers you seen in the pict were hooked up to the 5.2 watt for about 15 min.I would leave things in longer if there really rusted.I won't go into to many details how i made it cause of my poor writing skills so heres a few links.Works great so far.

How to use electrolysis for rust removal - YouTube
TreasureDigging.com DIY Electrolysis Device - YouTube







 
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Bill Ellerby

New Member
#2
#2
For those of you who have a pool you can use the chemical used to treat your calcium hardness(calcium carbonate). Also I hear oxyclean works great too.
 
Newoldstock

Newoldstock

New Member
#3
#3
Here I am using caustic soda dish soap and a plastic bin

a current limiting 24vdc power supply lets .5 amps displace rust.
Caustic soda is also devolving the paint as well as being the electrolite

This stove is vintage 1950s Coleman Canada 4M.
The paint is very hard to remove with most chemicals and the steel is so thin sandblasting is out of the question.




Not perfect some rust and paint need to be cleaned but that will be much less work now.


The restored parts from several stove were used to make this 4M.
In service for several years now,this is one of my favourite cookers.

 
ogygopsis

ogygopsis

#6
#6
Nice set up Shakey. But I have to ask you where did you get all those corroded pliers. They look like they were salvaged from a great lakes shipwreck. LOL.....Ogy
 
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shakey0818

New Member
#7
#7
ogygopsis said:
Nice set up Shakey. But I have to ask you where did you get all those corroded pliers. They look like they were salvaged from a great lakes shipwreck. LOL.....Ogy
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Lol,funny.It seems like it.There actually just pliers i'v got over the years and keep in the basement.It is kinda damp down there and i have had a few leaks over the years.There just part of my house tools i barely use.I have at least 1/2 that amount in my tool boxes in nice shape that i do use.
.
 
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bugzaper

New Member
#8
#8
I built one several years ago and used a 55 gallon heavy food grade plastic barrel.
Cut top off, drilled a 1" hole through both sides (at the top) to suspend parts from, use a 35 amp battery charger and have had great response with "Arm & Hammer" brand clothes washing soap. I use ole sheet metal from barn roofs / sides lined around the inner sides of the barrel for the reverse contact. I've tried stainless but, don't like the idea of dangerous gasses from the stainless, but on the flip side it can be used over and over again. After I use the mixture for a summer of so I just dump the detergent and rusted metal onto my lawn as it's a great fertilizer!

All in all I'd say I have about $40.00 bucks in my set-up (not including the battery charger). I've used it on everything from small tools to engine heads and cast iron manifolds.
Been kicking the idea of building another but, this time lying the barrel down length ways and cutting the side out to be able to fit an entire engine block into.

Best thing since bread and butter!! :thumbsup:
 
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b52bombardier1

New Member
#9
#9
Yes, that is hexavalent chromium from the stainless steel you are talking about. Nasty stuff that can kill you and you are wise to be cautious.

Rick

Two CT90 and two ST90 bikes
 
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Havasu Dave

Moderator
#11
#11
I've got a five gallon plastic bucket of 50/50 muratic acid. Cheap as hell. I hold parts in with bailing wire, and when clean toss it in the next bucket with water and soda ash. Also cheap as hell. All of that is followed by a soapy wash in the deep sink.

No worries about live juice in the garage overnight, very little odor, and cheap, cheap, cheap. (as hell)
 
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murph4478

New Member
#13
#13
removes paint?

I have an old sears gas tank that has some rust in it. If I do this, will it remove the paint on the exterior of the tank too? Thanks
 
gumpit

gumpit

#14
#14
Has anyone done an entire frame? I would think a nice survivor you wanted the rust off would be a good candidate. I have access to plastic tanks that would easily hold an entire mini bike.
 
Inventorpardue

Inventorpardue

Member
#15
#15
gumpit said:
Has anyone done an entire frame? I would think a nice survivor you wanted the rust off would be a good candidate. I have access to plastic tanks that would easily hold an entire mini bike.
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Yes. My largest setup is a thick-walled plastic barrel that originally contained weed killer, free from a commercial landscaper. A larger power supply or battery charger will speed up derusting a frame.
 
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Bill Ellerby

New Member
#16
#16
If you want to avoid that nasty scum buildup use a carbon or graphite rod as the anode. Leaves the surface clear of any crap. For those that like youtube check out the oldtimer "Shopdogsam". He has alot of good videos on the subject.
 
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SimpleTom

SimpleTom

#17
#17
murph4478 said:
I have an old sears gas tank that has some rust in it. If I do this, will it remove the paint on the exterior of the tank too? Thanks
Click to expand...
Yes, It will remove some or all the paint if you leave it in long enough.

gumpit said:
Has anyone done an entire frame? I would think a nice survivor you wanted the rust off would be a good candidate. I have access to plastic tanks that would easily hold an entire mini bike.
Click to expand...
That would be a problem if you wanted to preserve the paint. The process will remove some or all the paint. I used it on a garden tractor hood and it removed almost all the paint. I have a 110 gallon plastic tank and my bird frame fit in there completely but again it removed a bunch of paint as well as the rust.
 
gumpit

gumpit

#18
#18
I can get these from the auction. 275 gallon totes. I have been thinking about using them for storing some of my stuff outside. Like the snowblower during the summer. The lawnmower during the winter. The generator until needed. Mini bikes..etc...
 
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GTO

#19
#19
Havasu Dave said:
I've got a five gallon plastic bucket of 50/50 muratic acid. Cheap as hell. I hold parts in with bailing wire, and when clean toss it in the next bucket with water and soda ash. Also cheap as hell. All of that is followed by a soapy wash in the deep sink.

No worries about live juice in the garage overnight, very little odor, and cheap, cheap, cheap. (as hell)
Click to expand...

And If you don't want to harm paint or other materials you can degrease and use Evaporust. :thumbsup:
 
T-Town Mini

T-Town Mini

Well-Known Member
#20
#20


I've used the electrolysis method to remove rust from a tank a couple times and got excellent results.
I used Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda (Sodium Carbonate) mixed 1/4 cup per 2 1/2 gallons of water.



The tank was filled up with the solution and a piece of rebar was submerged into it making sure it didn't contact the metal sides or bottom.
A 10 amp battery charger was connected to it with the Positive lead attached to the rebar and the Negative lead to the tank exterior.



After a few hours I emptied the tank to examine how it was working.
I cleaned the rust accumulation off the rebar and put more solution into the tank and started the charger again...
It required many hours of operation to get it all but the tank is now rust free.
No damage whatsoever to the paint...in fact, it came out very clean.
 
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