Electrolysis-How To???

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clthayer

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Apr 2, 2006
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Chester, VT, USA.
I am looking for a point in the right direction on an electrolysis how to. A friend of mine has a cast iron pot that he wants to remove the rust from and I mentioned to him electrolysis. He had never heard of it and thought it sounded dangerous.

I have never done it myself, only heard about it here and there on the forum so am looking for info.

Thanks in advance for any info.
Christian
 
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It may be much easier to use citric acid (normally available at low cost from brewing supply sources) rather than setting up battery charger, containers, electrodes, and subsequent processes,

Here is a link to Galoot Central -- old tool restoration folks with several pointers to other places.

http://galootcentral.com/index.php/...inkdirectory/task,viewcat/catid,48/Itemid,22/

or

http://tinyurl.com/nl5m3a


For a cast iron pot -- wire brush and a drill may be enough (use safety glasses for sure)
 
It's just about the easiest thing in the world to do as long as you get the polarity correct! It's just a battery charger, a rubbermaid tub, water and washing soda. Positive to a sacrificial piece of rebar, and the negative to your cast iron pot. Let it brew for a few hours or overnight and then unplug the charger and pull it out. It's chemically inert as long as you use steel and not stainless.

Just make sure he seasons the pot really good after doing that because it will be like a brand new pot with no seasoning to it.
 
As Justin said it's that easy.

Put 1 tablespoon of baking soda to a gallon of water in your container. Put a piece of steel in like rebar and attach the positive cable to it. Put your pot inside with negative hooked to it making sure the two metals DO NOT TOUCH. Plug it in and after awhile you'll see tiny bubbles coming off. After a day you'll have the augliest mess but clean metal. It turns all the rust loose into the water.
 
woodboys said:
Put 1 tablespoon of baking soda to a gallon of water in your container.
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They say to use washing soda, not baking soda. Sodium carbonate vs
sodium bicarbonate. But if you heat the bicarb it will give off water and
carbon dioxide, leaving sodium carbonate. You can put baking soda
in the oven and it will turn it into soda ash. (washing soda/sodium carbonate)

OF course I haven't used either one, so I'm only repeating what I read.
 
" After a day you'll have the augliest mess but clean metal. It turns all the rust loose into the water."

In derusting old wood planes (Stanley cast iron bodies), I get a black coating left on the metal that needs to be wire brushed, scraped, or otherwise removed to get to the metal. Pits, etc show up well in the afterproduct.

You may see some salt and vinegar combination touted -- but you never get rid of the chloride and it keeps coming back as rust --
 
KenV said:
" After a day you'll have the augliest mess but clean metal. It turns all the rust loose into the water."

In derusting old wood planes (Stanley cast iron bodies), I get a black coating left on the metal that needs to be wire brushed, scraped, or otherwise removed to get to the metal. Pits, etc show up well in the afterproduct.

You may see some salt and vinegar combination touted -- but you never get rid of the chloride and it keeps coming back as rust --
Click to expand...

The black coating is good! You shouldn't take it off! It's black oxide and will help protect from future rust. I'll never understand why so many people advocate taking off the black oxide, as it helps, not hurts!

If you really want to do it quick use oven cleaner, it should strip the black oxide off really fast.

If your friend is really leery about using that he could use evaporust or some other converter, but I would never put a chemical like that in a cast iron pot that someone could eat out of.
 
Baking soda is All I ever use and I have done this many times.

By the way the nice smooth vises aren't smooth after you get all the rust and bondo off them. DAMHIKT
 
I wish I could find a couple around here! I need some rain barrels to water the garden with! Lucky dog.
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I got mine locally from a guy who gets them from a car wash place. Only 10 bucks a pot. Check out Craiglists or if you have a marketplace on a local AM radio channel.
 
I have obtained many 55 gal and 30 gal barrels from the local coin operated car wash places nearby. The owners seem really happy that someone is using them for a good purpose. They are free as well!
 
Fred said:
I have obtained many 55 gal and 30 gal barrels from the local coin operated car wash places nearby. The owners seem really happy that someone is using them for a good purpose. They are free as well!
Click to expand...

I hope your not using them to store water that will be used on vegetables that you will eat! Only use food grade barrels for this purpose!
 
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