It's science Jim, but not as we know it....

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jifflemon
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It's science Jim, but not as we know it....

Post by jifflemon » Sat Dec 28, 2019 4:59 pm

So, been meaning to try this for a while and today, I've given in a bash....

Rust removal via Electrolysis

Its all sounds too good to be true; You leave some rusty stuff in metal and it comes out rust free? :shock:

Ok, so there's a bit more too it.... In the water, you add some soda crystals.
Then you add some sacrificial metal. Then you add some wire hooks to your rusty thing

Finally, you connect the sacrificial metal and wire hook to a battery charger, making sure they're not touching.

This is how it looked before switching on:

Image

The brakes discs are, potentially, scrap. They're simply being used as test subjects as I didn't want to ruin anything.

Here's how it was looking after an hour

Image

That, I believe, is a positive thing.... (no pun in tended!)

Current travels from negative to positive (yup, I'll leave that one to melt your noodle for a while). As the brake discs are earthed, the current travels through the solution and in the process flakes off the rust - the flaking/softening occurs because of the reaction at the surface of the good steel that pushes the rust off.

I've left it "baking" over the weekend, so will check on it on Monday. Stay tuned...

Alan 480
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Re: It's science Jim, but not as we know it....

Post by Alan 480 » Sun Dec 29, 2019 4:16 pm

Seen a load of these options of tinternet. I considered using the ally grid from a BBQ as a useful 'donor' as it would be complete around the sid eof the bucket.

ideally dissolve some zinc in caustic (real Mcoy) then repeat and effectively it is not only rust removed it is also 'zinc' coated .. . . . :hopping:

I just 'happen' to have some zinc anodes from offshore kit :wink:

EDIT
zinc is also used as the weights for wheel balancing? ever since lead was banned :wink:

not sure I'd be allowed to do this in the house, 'er indoors' would get twitchy :shock:

don't leave it too long!!
Alan

480 ES 2litre 'Celebration' ? , C30 1.8ES, SS1

jifflemon
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Re: It's science Jim, but not as we know it....

Post by jifflemon » Sun Jan 05, 2020 2:18 pm

So, the brake disc came out ok, but forgot to take pictures!

Well, at least one person on here is going to recognise the next test subject:

Image

Typical condition tyre lever. Been sat in a damp bag, in a damp boot.

Dropped into the magic bucket and zapped for a while et voila!

Image

You can see that the rust has been completely removed, even from the deep pitting...

Image

Image

I'm liking this method! (although my mate has now borrowed the setup to de-rust some WW2 stuff he dug up in France!)

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Re: It's science Jim, but not as we know it....

Post by arthuy » Sun Jan 05, 2020 3:02 pm

This is interesting, I have been looking at some videos as I am looking to de-rust and re-plate some old car parts.

I was wondering if it would work on door bottoms, if you were to submerge the lower few inches an leave it running it would get the rust out of the seams.

How did the zinc work out? or do you still need to try that.

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Re: It's science Jim, but not as we know it....

Post by jifflemon » Sun Jan 05, 2020 6:29 pm

arthuy wrote:
Sun Jan 05, 2020 3:02 pm
This is interesting, I have been looking at some videos as I am looking to de-rust and re-plate some old car parts.

I was wondering if it would work on door bottoms, if you were to submerge the lower few inches an leave it running it would get the rust out of the seams.

How did the zinc work out? or do you still need to try that.
In theory, you could drop a door bottom in and de-rust it; You'd have to make a custom container for it of course.

Not tried it with a painted surface yet though..

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Re: It's science Jim, but not as we know it....

Post by Alan 480 » Sun Jan 05, 2020 6:53 pm

jifflemon wrote:
Sun Jan 05, 2020 6:29 pm

In theory, you could drop a door bottom in and de-rust it; You'd have to make a custom container for it of course.

Not tried it with a painted surface yet though..
Custom container is the bath??? :hopping:

It wont work if oily/greasy or painted as it is a water based reaction . ..
Alan

480 ES 2litre 'Celebration' ? , C30 1.8ES, SS1

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Re: It's science Jim, but not as we know it....

Post by jifflemon » Sun Jan 05, 2020 7:02 pm

but then in theory, its only the rust that would get removed?

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Re: It's science Jim, but not as we know it....

Post by Alan 480 » Sun Jan 05, 2020 7:12 pm

jifflemon wrote:
Sun Jan 05, 2020 7:02 pm
but then in theory, its only the rust that would get removed?
fair point but I'd guess you want to make sure ALL the rusty bits are clean, I was thinking of blisters under any paint, or if greasy then the rsut might still be there?
Alan

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Re: It's science Jim, but not as we know it....

Post by edie_fox » Sun Jan 05, 2020 7:18 pm

Haha. Gold star! Great job. :D

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Re: It's science Jim, but not as we know it....

Post by Alan 480 » Mon Feb 17, 2020 8:01 pm

I think I'll try it on the rear towing eye.

I'd removed it from Nora when fitted the tow bar but now realised that with the detachable ball detached, I've no way of towing anything, which is a bit silly, so towing will be tried (especially as SWAMBO is at her folks for a few days) :wink:

Might have to shorten/chop the front end off the towing eye to get it into place? fouls against the new towing mount
Alan

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Re: It's science Jim, but not as we know it....

Post by jifflemon » Mon Feb 17, 2020 8:29 pm

Good thick metal is where it works best.

We tried it on my friends dug up Bren ammunition magazine. Sadly, it was the rust that was basically keeping it in one piece! :rofl:

Alan 480
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Re: It's science Jim, but not as we know it....

Post by Alan 480 » Thu Mar 05, 2020 12:29 pm

How strong did you make the mixture?
I lobbed in a table spoon in a litre, then left it running for an hour
Alan

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Re: It's science Jim, but not as we know it....

Post by jifflemon » Thu Mar 05, 2020 3:56 pm

That sounds about right - I was slightly less scientific about actual measures! :rofl:

Alan 480
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Re: It's science Jim, but not as we know it....

Post by Alan 480 » Fri Mar 06, 2020 12:35 pm

jifflemon wrote:
Thu Mar 05, 2020 3:56 pm
That sounds about right - I was slightly less scientific about actual measures! :rofl:
it looked like a table-spoon ish cos just poured some into bottom of the empty screen wash/ cleaner container
repeated again after dumped the sludge from bottom and repeat to see how it looks .. . .
Alan

480 ES 2litre 'Celebration' ? , C30 1.8ES, SS1

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