Restoration Tip: Electrolysis Derusting

[Mike K]

For those of you who've been using the battery charger and caustic soda method of removing rust . I've been experimenting and have found a better solution that caustic soda . The local 'Warehouse' store ( chain store here in OZ, mainly in qld, nsw and vic. ) sells stuff called 'SUPREME Laundry active soaker' . It's $3 for a 1kg tub .

Start off with hot water .. it seems to aid the process a lot . The Laundry soaker is far less hazardous than caustic soda is , and is about 1/3rd of the price and it works better ! It comes in slightly different forms , I use the variant with a orange lid . ( It's made in Melbourne too )

Once you've finished derusting ,you can soak the bedsheets in it too !!!!!

Mike

[Alex Blair (RIP)]

Hi Mike ..If you look at the ingredients in your laundry soaker you will probably find that the active ingredient is Sodium Carbonate..not Sodium Bicarbonate,but sodium carbonate...That is the best grease killer and probably works on rust too..with electrolysis..
Any laundry soap with that formula,sodium carbonate will do..
Grandma was using that 100 years ago by the name of washing soda..great stuff..I use it mixed up in a spray bottle around the oven..and stove..takes off grease that has been burned on with ease..
Love the stuff and cheep..that is the kicker.

[Rob Beale]

If you mix 3 parts Washing Soda with 1 part Baking Soda you get Natron, which the ancient Egyptians used to dry out the bodies when they were being mummified.

I spent an enjoyable afternoon helping my daughter with a science fair project. We used thin strips of beef schnitzel and it was still hanging round the shed months later: no smell and no rot!

Rob

[Bob Moseley (RIP)]

Hi all - I don't know who uses caustic soda and a battery charger, but my tip, that started the Restoration Forum, was utilising washing soda. I still marvel at this process and use it exclusively for electrolysis derusting of the instrument panel parts.
Bob

[Jeff Gordon]

I have been wanting to give it a go for years and have never got around to doing it.
Does the negative or positive go to the part?
Does a higher amp charger work faster?
I was told to use washing soda and a scrap piece of stainless steel as it lasts longer.
I have a caustic soda wheelie bin for paint removal and a molases bin for rust but it is too slow.
Jeff

[Mike K]

Jeff

The Negative lead goes to the rusty part ... Positive lead connects to a small piece of steel , can be stainless or galv. anything really .

I've found as little as 4 Amps works fine .. it depends on how big the part is and how close the electrodes are to each other .. Closer electrodes = higher Amps . Ideally, you want to surround the rusty part with the POS electrode ,this isn't easy to do in practice .

Watch the charger ... check it often to see it isn't overheating . If its pulling too much current , just move the Pos electrode away slightly .

After removing the part , wash it down with clean water and brush off the residue . I give the part a quick coat of that diluted phosphoric acid solution , before the air has time to recoat it with rust.

Mike