stt
12-06-10, 05:39 PM
Electrolysis is a cheap and easy way to remove rust
in true blue peter style you will need:
A large plastic container
Some Water
Some Soda crystals
A battery charger
Some scrap new metal
Some wire
Start off with a plastic container - big enough to accomodate the part you want to clean
http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/8742/egtank.jpg
Then line the insides of the tank with metal, the metal needs to be all around the item you want to clean and it needs to be larger in surface area than the item you want to clean
http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/7576/egtankmetal.jpg
Fill the tank with water
http://img687.imageshack.us/img687/8237/egwater.jpg
Add some soda crystals and stir
http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/6615/egsoda.jpg
Wire all the parts you want to clean together - i use mig wire and a pair of lockwire pliers to twist it up
http://img707.imageshack.us/img707/4161/egwiredparts.jpg
Submerge the bits - taking care not to let the part touch the side of the container
http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/7903/egbeamimmersed.jpg
Connect the sacrificial metal to the +ve and the item you want cleaned to the negative
http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/hotfusion/rust/diagram.gif
Once its been switched on for a while it will start to bubble
http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/8957/egbeam1hour.jpg
leave for 24-48 hours - longer if necessary
when you remove it - wash it off in water, and then ideally methalyted spirits - then a quick wire brush and you should see some good results
Before:
http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/4379/egrustycaliper.jpg
http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/5459/egrustybeam.jpg
After:
http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/9282/egcalipercleaned.jpg
http://img697.imageshack.us/img697/1977/egbeamcleaned.jpg
As a note - wear eye protection and gloves as you wont want the soda solution in your eyes!
in true blue peter style you will need:
A large plastic container
Some Water
Some Soda crystals
A battery charger
Some scrap new metal
Some wire
Start off with a plastic container - big enough to accomodate the part you want to clean
http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/8742/egtank.jpg
Then line the insides of the tank with metal, the metal needs to be all around the item you want to clean and it needs to be larger in surface area than the item you want to clean
http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/7576/egtankmetal.jpg
Fill the tank with water
http://img687.imageshack.us/img687/8237/egwater.jpg
Add some soda crystals and stir
http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/6615/egsoda.jpg
Wire all the parts you want to clean together - i use mig wire and a pair of lockwire pliers to twist it up
http://img707.imageshack.us/img707/4161/egwiredparts.jpg
Submerge the bits - taking care not to let the part touch the side of the container
http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/7903/egbeamimmersed.jpg
Connect the sacrificial metal to the +ve and the item you want cleaned to the negative
http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/hotfusion/rust/diagram.gif
Once its been switched on for a while it will start to bubble
http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/8957/egbeam1hour.jpg
leave for 24-48 hours - longer if necessary
when you remove it - wash it off in water, and then ideally methalyted spirits - then a quick wire brush and you should see some good results
Before:
http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/4379/egrustycaliper.jpg
http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/5459/egrustybeam.jpg
After:
http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/9282/egcalipercleaned.jpg
http://img697.imageshack.us/img697/1977/egbeamcleaned.jpg
As a note - wear eye protection and gloves as you wont want the soda solution in your eyes!