Removing rust via electrolysis or what I call: Rustolysis !
With the need for guys like myself, always searching for a better way to remove rust from tooling and such, I discovered via the net the safest and fastest way to remove that crusted on and stubborn film we call rust. I take no responsibility for someone's careless mistakes. In short, electricity kills - so educate yourself before you proceed :) Rust will not form in a basic (as opposed to acidic) environment. Rust can easily be removed from a tool or anything else for that matter. The process is called electrolysis. The solution we use is made to provide the high ph environment and to allow the water to be very conductive to electricity. So keeping your wits about you and playing it safe with proper protection, make a solution of 1oz of chemical per gallon of warm water. The chemicals that can be used are sodium carbonate (Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soda), sodium bicarbonate (Arm and Hammer baking Soda - but may generate a bit more hydrogen) or TSP (trisodium phosphate - from your painting section at the local hardware store). Whatever you choose it's 1oz of chemical per gallon. DO NOT used any aluminum in this setup as it will be gone when you go looking for it. The caustic solutions such as these will react with any aluminum present and totally consume it faster than the rust your trying to remove! Disposing of the solution is simply soapy water and safe. The process should be carried out in a ventilated area due to the hydrogen produced. You want to remove the rust - not your roof! The rest is simple. Place the item in a container. I placed mine on a large piece of 1/4" square chicken wire that ran up the side which allowed easy electrode access. This crate is the negative electrode and attaches to the negative side of your battery charger. You'll need another smaller electrode to hang over the edge of the container away from everything and that becomes the positive electrode. Hook that to your positive terminal on the charger. The item(s) must be totally submerged for this to be effective. Turn on the charger and run the setup for a couple of hours. You will remove the rust but not any base metal. Expect to draw in excess of 10 amps. More is better, but that will get things hot and generate too much hydrogen if that is of a concern to you. So do it when you have a bit of time and your not rushed. The result is awesome !!!
Click on the picture(s) for a much larger view :)
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This is a full sized Bridgeport milling vice that I got packed full of rust, swarf (chips) and grease. It took me a while to take it apart. I scraped it as best I could to remove the scale and degreased it afterward in a tray of hexane. Regular laquer thinner will work too. |
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Here almost everything is placed in the tray on top of the wire mess. Look closely and you can see it on the right side of the container. |
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And here is the setup with the carbon electrode on the left and the simple battery charger. |
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About 1/2 hour into the process and drawing about 10 amps of current. See the rust floating? |
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Less than and hour into it and this is getting clean! Notice that the TSP I used also aids in removing the old paint :) |
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Just another shot and looking good! It's going back into the bath for a few hours more. |
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Everything after the phosphoric acid treatment. The trick I found out is to leave it in the bath for at least a 1/2hr. Then, DON"T rinse under water, but wipe dry with paper towels. The water will leave you white powdery deposits. After drying, place in an oven at about 150°F. |
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What a nice job so far!! |
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This is ready for a good coat of gray epoxy paint. |
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Same here... |
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The results look almost as good as parkerizing. I sprayed the parts that weren't going to be painted with WD40 for the moment... |
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And into the oven we go :) |
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The final result. What a nice vice !!! |
Last updated on 3-30-2008 |