Use of Electrolysis to remove rust on steel...

retroxler58

Any one tried this process as yet... ?

My shooting buddy cleaned up a batch of old hand tools owned by his Dad...
And put me on to the process. I've yet to try it myself. But it does seem promising.

Here's a LINK to a "instructable" of one guys method and the simple equipment he used...

If you read a little deeper in the comments section...
You'll see some pretty ingenious ideas of how to cope with rather large or gangly pieces.

A couple of pics of machines cleaned and refurbished by this type process... Not bad.

nmyers

It would be easier to turn iron into gold.

Rust is a loss of steel. Ferric oxide replaces the iron, leaving rust. Once gone, there's no way to go back.

Sure, you can clean things up. You just can't turn back the hands of time.

Neal

andrewsw16

I've used electrolysis in a 5 gallon bucket using instructions found on Youtube. It actually does work, and quite well. Do not expect it to eliminate the damage. The metal will still be pitted, but the oxide will be gone.

rscoleman88

quote:Originally posted by andrewsw16
I've used electrolysis in a 5 gallon bucket using instructions found on Youtube. It actually does work, and quite well. Do not expect it to eliminate the damage. The metal will still be pitted, but the oxide will be gone.



X2

JimmyJack

I use it all the time. I restore and work on old tractors. It only works line of sight, and it works great. You can google all the info you need.

jwharding

I have an old gun that I'm refinishing an was thinking of trying it on the barrel. Was wondering if it might damage the bore. I thought it might remove the old bluing on the barrell that I can't get to.around sights etc.

andrewsw16

To account for the line of sight aspect, I have 7 or 8 poles arranged around the bucket evenly, plus a couple across the bottom. I can suspend a part, mid-liquid, so that just about all sides of a part are line of sight from at least one of the poles. It is interesting to watch the process. Kind of like watching an alkaseltzer fizzing away. [:)]

slinger

It only removes rust. It leaves all metal that is still good.

retroxler58

quote:Originally posted by andrewsw16
To account for the line of sight aspect, I have 7 or 8 poles arranged around the bucket evenly, plus a couple across the bottom. I can suspend a part, mid-liquid, so that just about all sides of a part are line of sight from at least one of the poles. It is interesting to watch the process. Kind of like watching an alkaseltzer fizzing away. [:)]
One suggestion I read to accommodate this 'line of sight' issue is to use a piece of 8 or 10 ga sheet metal
formed into a cylinder rather than multiple poles or rods around the perimeter.

As I understand it... The distance between anode (sacrificial steel) and
cathode (steel part to be cleaned) should be somewhat even to promote even processing.
This can prove to be a challenging criteria...

Also, that the relative distance between anode / cathode reflects the conductance and therefore the speed at which the rust is removed...Closer it works faster or requires less amperage...
Farther it works slower or requires more amperage.I've also read that the electrolysis works by removing or pushing away the rust and debris.
It does not remove steel... Unless of course you inadvertently reverse the poles.

Since the anode (sacrificial part) corrodes away...
I'm wondering if it is "plating" new steel to the cathode (part) simultaneously while it cleans ?
Like how copper plating stuff... Actually builds new copper on the surface of the cathode from the anode ??


Certainly an interesting process for sure...

dlrjj

Works fine, but only removes, does not restore.[:)]

andrewsw16

I use half inch rebar for my anodes, so it will take quite a while for them to dissolve. Also, instead of powering mine with a battery, I use my car battery charger. That way I can adjust the voltage and/or the amps. That system works really well. Setting it to 2 amps/2 volts makes the electroysis take longer, but is probably gentler. Set it to 12 volts/125 amps and that baby really begins to fizz! [:D]

As far as its effects on blueing goes, I haven't tried it. Yes, blueing is a form of oxidation and this system just might remove the blue, but I haven't tried that yet.

Anyone out there try this on gun blue yet?

retroxler58

quote:Originally posted by andrewsw16
Instead of powering mine with a battery, I use my car battery charger. That way I can adjust the voltage and/or the amps. That system works really well. Setting it to 2 amps/2 volts makes the electroysis take longer, but is probably gentler. Set it to 12 volts/125 amps and that baby really begins to fizz! [:D]

As far as its effects on blueing goes, I haven't tried it. Yes, blueing is a form of oxidation and this system just might remove the blue, but I haven't tried that yet.

Anyone out there try this on gun blue yet?

In that Gun Bluing is a controlled 'oxidation' of the steel.... I think you're right.
But I would also like to know for sure... [;)]

woodshed87

WARNING Do Not Hook it to A DODGE Truck
Woody

35 Whelen

Tried that process on a pre-'64 Model 70, that was solid surface rust. It worked great! Took off what little remained of the bluing too. I used a TIG welding rod for one electrode, placed in the barrel, with O-rings of the proper size in the chamber and muzzle, to keep the rod centered and away from contact with the bore.

bigoutside

It is recommended that one remove ones tin foil hat while executing this process.

Too risky to go that long exposed to government mind control. IMHO. [;)]

retroxler58

quote:Originally posted by 35WhelenClassic
Tried that process on a pre-'64 Model 70, that was solid surface rust. It worked great! Took off what little remained of the bluing too. I used a TIG welding rod for one electrode, placed in the barrel, with O-rings of the proper size in the chamber and muzzle, to keep the rod centered and away from contact with the bore.
Kinda makes you wanna start looking at rust buckets for cheap... [:D]
Kinda like a box o'chocolates... Never know what you might get. [;)]

17tobyracing

Never tried electrolysis, but have had some success by soaking rusted parts in oxalic acid bath.

COLT

jwharding

quote: I have an old gun that I'm refinishing an was thinking of trying it on the barrel. Was wondering if it might damage the bore.

No, and it will clean decades of crud from the bore.

I made one years ago using an old flashlight, works great on old bores with lands filled with years of crud.

I just grabbed the first "build instructions" I came to in search just now, Im sure there are lots of easy variations, just do a search, or can probably find on You Tube...[;)]

http://thedolk.com/borecleaner/index.html

35 Whelen

quote:Originally posted by retroxler58
quote:Originally posted by 35WhelenClassic
Tried that process on a pre-'64 Model 70, that was solid surface rust. It worked great! Took off what little remained of the bluing too. I used a TIG welding rod for one electrode, placed in the barrel, with O-rings of the proper size in the chamber and muzzle, to keep the rod centered and away from contact with the bore.
Kinda makes you wanna start looking at rust buckets for cheap... [:D]
Kinda like a box o'chocolates... Never know what you might get. [;)]





Indeed. I used the same process on an old bolt-action 20 gauge shotgun as well. The bolt was locked up solid. Unfortunately, as a whole, it was too far gone to put back into service.

retroxler58

quote:Originally posted by 35WhelenClassic
quote:Originally posted by retroxler58
quote:Originally posted by 35WhelenClassic
Tried that process on a pre-'64 Model 70, that was solid surface rust. It worked great! Took off what little remained of the bluing too. I used a TIG welding rod for one electrode, placed in the barrel, with O-rings of the proper size in the chamber and muzzle, to keep the rod centered and away from contact with the bore.
Kinda makes you wanna start looking at rust buckets for cheap... [:D]
Kinda like a box o'chocolates... Never know what you might get. [;)]





Indeed. I used the same process on an old bolt-action 20 gauge shotgun as well. The bolt was locked up solid. Unfortunately, as a whole, it was too far gone to put back into service.
Makes you wish you could plate steel with NEW steel don't it... [:)]
If you could do that... then you could add material and rebore or remachine away to a new surface...

But if it were that easy.... We'd never buy new guns... [:D]

kannoneer

I have seen it used on pieces that were unrecognizable; the results were astonishing.

grumpygy

From Rod and Kulture Magazine they have a Whole Article on this. Called build an better Mouse trap.

They go thru the whole Process on how to set up and use. For old car parts it looks like a very good idea. I kept the Article just in case I need to use it later.

andrewsw16

Here is a good design. Very very similar to my own. The primary difference is that a couple of my rebars are extra long and bent in an L-shape so they extend across the bottom of the tank instead of just hanging vertically, thus giving exposure to the bottome of any suspended pieces. You can use any source of DC current. A battery is fine, but you get more control over the volts and amps if you use a battery charger. I encourage everyone to try this. It's amazing what it does with rusted ferrous metals. [:)] Also, while most designs you see on the internet use a 5 gallon bucket, I've also seen the same design used with a 30 gallon rubber trash can, useful for those bigger projects, like maybe gun barrels. [:D]

http://farmallcub.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=9506