Reverse electrolysis

[Kansas Rust Buzzard]

Anyone lese using this for windmills? I have done a few parts for mills but mostly used for rusty mill and lathe stuff I buy at auctions, DC welder with parts hung in cow mineral tubes with washing soda. Fair success, getting ready to do some complete heads later this fall. Just curious what others have done and would do different when trying to clean an entire oil bath head. Thanks

[Windcatcher530 Dan]

My brother does that using a car battery is that the same thing?

[Kansas Rust Buzzard]

Yes, its all the same, I suppose a battery would work, most people use a car battery charger but the bigger your mass of iron the longer it takes so the welder can put out more power, I have done four thirty gal tanks tied together with the welder. I bought at bunch of stuff from a shop that got flooded so I had mill vices and dividing heads hanging in them. It kind of works on a line of sight so my results vary but some things are amazingly good.

[Kenneth]

I plan on trying this on my Red Cross when I get to that point on my project. I will use a battery charger. Will post results.

Kenneth

[topcop491]

Not the same process, but I learned a trick from guys restoring old vehicles. I take 55 gallon drum or kids wading pool, fill with water and place quart size can of dehydrated molasses in the water. It takes several weeks but come out bare metal. It will not take off grease, oil or old paint. Once removed from the water, needs to be washed off with clean water, dried as quickly as possible and primed painted, to stop flash rusting. Works great on surface rust. J.D.

[mtblah]

I use swimming pool acid , changes the ph level , takes 24 hours , not as nasty as others acids , dry form bought in a pool supply store .
Needs good wash to nuteralize acid when it comes out of bath , light wire brush & yes primer to stop flash rush .

[Slim]

If you do this do not use stainless as the anode or the cathode. Under the right circumstances some say it’s possible to create hexavalent chromium which is bad stuff.

[Kansas Rust Buzzard]

Not the same process, but I learned a trick from guys restoring old vehicles. I take 55 gallon drum or kids wading pool, fill with water and place quart size can of dehydrated molasses in the water. It takes several weeks but come out bare metal. It will not take off grease, oil or old paint. Once removed from the water, needs to be washed off with clean water, dried as quickly as possible and primed painted, to stop flash rusting. Works great on surface rust. J.D.

So can you use straight molasses instead of dehydrated? I can get that at the feed store? Interesting process, might try, thanks

[topcop491]

KRB, I don't know about using regular molasses. I get the dehydrated molasses at my local feed store, guessing most local stores would also have it. J.D.

[Mister Ed]

I have had varying results with electrolysis ... I think it just depends on the makeup of the iron.

Yes you can use regular molasses. not sure what the dilution factor is. I think molasses is very slightly acidic, but has natural chelating agents that remove the rust (basically what POR 15 is).

I use a lot of phosphoric acid. This used to be used for paint prep before all the new fangled paints & primers (still is to a point). Will remove rust, may leave/convert rust to iron phosphate (inert) ... depending on what you get, some have zinc in solution and will leave a zinc phosphate coating on the iron. Milkstone remover is 40% or so phosphoric acid and some cleaning agents. Also Kleen-stip metal & concrete etch is 40% or so phosphoric.

Maybe not practical to soak an entire head in phosphoric ... but small parts or spraying on the head once the bulk of the heavy rust is removed or after it has flash rusted.