Electrical Rust Removal

[T-CAB]

I have been removing the rust on some of my parts by using baking sode and a battery charger. Seems to be a very slow process. How long does it take to remove rust. I have had to leave the battery charger on for 2-3 days per piece. Am geting concerned that the charger may burn out in the middle of the night and burn the house down!

Are my concerns unfounded as this this a normal time frame.

T-cab

[Tom Bredehoft]

I used washing soda, not baking soda, (I'm not a chemist, dont' know a difference) but found that overnight would take off almost anything, grease, paint, rust, whatever. I used about a cup of W. Soda for about 4 gallons of water.. I made a loop of coat hanger wire that circled the plastic bucket I used, attached one battery clip the the coat hanger. I ran a piece of brake line across the top of the bucket and hung my work from a wire on this line, with the other clip on the end of the brake line.

[JDP]

I have been removing the rust on some of my parts by using baking sode and a battery charger. Seems to be a very slow process. How long does it take to remove rust. I have had to leave the battery charger on for 2-3 days per piece. Am geting concerned that the charger may burn out in the middle of the night and burn the house down!

Are my concerns unfounded as this this a normal time frame.

T-cab

Washing, not baking soda, here:

http://www.stovebolt.com/techtips/rust/electrolysis.pdf

[silverhawk]

Neat idea! Makes me wonder though; imagine a tank big enough to put a whole car in........ Better stop thinking while I'm ahead in life!

[Steven and Michelle]

Yes, this method works real well. I use a few chunks of rebar versus coat hangers as they have more metal to them. Wire together and surround the work piece. If you have a swimming pool you could do a whole car :-)

[silverhawk]

Depending on what dipping a car commercially costs, it may be worth looking into building a temporary tank. Would be interesting!

[leyrret]

Try Sodium Carbonate used to increase ph in swimming pools. I use about tablespoon per gallon of water. I did the tank thing on my car body. Used
several bags of the stuff.

[JDP]

Try Sodium Carbonate used to increase ph in swimming pools. I use about tablespoon per gallon of water. I did the tank thing on my car body. Used
several bags of the stuff.

A pool and a welder instead of a battery charger will do the job, but don't let the dog or anyone nearby with the power on.

[bams50]

This has alway seemed neat, but really just a gimmick to me. Why is it better/easier/quicker than just using any of the multitude of other methods?

[sweetolbob]

Originally posted by layrret

Try Sodium Carbonate used to increase ph in swimming pools. I use about tablespoon per gallon of water.

Just to be clear Washing Soda is Sodium Carbonate ( Na2CO3), Baking Soda is Sodium biCarbonate (NaHCO3). Almost double the Sodium ion level with Washing Soda. Unless there are other differences 2X Baking soda should be close 1X washing soda. Both are weak bases.

Bob

[royvaldez]

I have used Soda Ash. Yes it takes time for the process to work. It takes 9 full measuring container( 2 cups) of Soda Ash per 50 gallon tank.

[bowhawk]

On the parts I've used this method on, I've found it fairly nondestructive. I use Arm and Hammer baking soda, it may be wrong but it seems to work fine for me. I find the greatest advantage is it works with a beer in you hand and sitting down in the air conditioning.

[DEEPNHOCK]

I like your style...
For those impatient people, there are better voltage sources than a battery charger..
There was an earlier thread, and a bunch of websites where people built shallow tanks big enough for complete boat trailer frames, and car frames.
Just be careful if you use stainless steel as one of your materials, as the gas given off is toxic...
HTIH
Jeff

Some more good info is here at:

http://tinyurl.com/elecrtolytic-rust-removal

On the parts I've used this method on, I've found it fairly nondestructive. I use Arm and Hammer baking soda, it may be wrong but it seems to work fine for me. I find the greatest advantage is it works with a beer in you hand and sitting down in the air conditioning.

[Jeff_H]

I've cleaned lots of small parts and bolts, etc with A&H washing soda and a battery charger. The biggest problem seems to be the electrode stuck in the bucket collects all the crud that comes off the part and then the current drops off. Reaction slows way down as you would expect. To keep things going faster requires pulling out that electrode and scraping the gunk off frequently. I usually use scraps of old sheet metal or other junk for the electrode as it slowly gets eaten up. One time I used a coffee can to hold the solution and also be the electrode. Worked great until it became full of pin-holes and made a mess on the floor

[T-CAB]

Thanks for the replies. I will remove the gunk from the 2 rebars that I have attached. The buildup may expain why it is now so slow. I also like the advice about the beer! Will add a few beer nuts into the mix as well!


T-cab