Doug, I've done it and it works. Here is what you do:
* get a five gallon (or larger) plastic bucket, and fill with water.
* Add a large tablespoon of Arm & Hammer laundry soda. This can be found in
the laundry aisle at most stores...yellow box about the size of a cerial box.
Be sure it says "soda." This contains lye, and can be used for household
cleaning. Using more is not necessary.
* Down one side of the container, put a piece of steel (this will be
sacrificial) the larger the better. For best results, this should be larger
than the item you are de-rusting. You can make a ring around the bucket, or
an "L" shaped piece to go under your workpiece.
* Place the item to de-rust in the bucket not touching the steel sacrificial
piece. I hang both pieces with wire, to protect the alligator clips on the
charger. Using a battery charger, connect the negative to your workpiece, and
the positive to the sacrificial electrode, and turn it on. My charger is an
old 10 amp.
* That's it....it will begin to bubble a little, and the rust will come off
the piece. Sometimes it doesn't work all the way into little concave areas,
but it is certainly worth the time. You can check the piece from time to
time, but usually 4 to 10 hours will de-rust anything. The solution will get
orange and messy, but you can scoop of the top gunk and reuse it, no problem.
The last thing I did was an old rusty pipe wrench, and I clamped the two
moving jaws together for good contact, and it cleaned it perfectly, except a
little area under the adjusting ring. Immediately after removing the item,
wash, dry quickly, then coat with WD-40, or oil, because it will want to rust
again, just like a part out of a hot tank. Good Luck! Jerry in Dallas
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----- Original Message -----
From: Doug Odom
To: Land Speed List
Sent: Sunday, February 20, 2005 10:06 PM
Subject: Rust remover
List, Has anyone ever made or used an reverse electrolysis rust remover?
Guy was telling me how he made one with a plastic bucket, trickle
charger, sodium carbonate and some wires. I can't see why it wouldn't
work but how good is my question. So its time for all you people with
them letters after your name to splane it to me. Doug Odom in big ditch
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