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Electrolysis


firefoxz1

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Have the 110 gal. tank fired up and doing a broadmoor deck. Will post more pics when I take it out. Forgot to take before picsB). I have three old brake rotors welded together for a anode. When first started it draws over 20 amps but has since settled down to about 12-15. [IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v233/kismar/UB/Image012.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v233/kismar/UB/Image011.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v233/kismar/UB/Image013.jpg[/IMG]
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Wow, I can't wait to see how this turns out! dOddOddOd I've never tried this but I think you guys have convinced me to give it a go. Any info on your set up would be appreciated and please keep us posted!
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Cleaned and ready for paint. I did manage to end up with a couple pin holes but the deck is still solid as a whole. Paint maybe atleast a week away. The power supply (battery charger for now) is in the deck box so I can let it run rain or shine. The tank will fit a 42" deck or a large frame frame:D. I use Arm&Hammer super washing soda, 1 cup/10gals, for the solution. After removing from the tank I scrape which removes the loose stuff. Hose off. Then I scrub with Castrol Super Clean using a rough stripping pad. Hose off. This time I also wire brushed it good. hose off. I then usually let it sit for a couple days or till the next weekend to let it air out, something to do with hydrogen build up in the metal? Then I usually have to sand off the solid paint, rewash and protect. Right out of the tank before a scrub. [IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v233/kismar/36D/Image014.jpg[/IMG] After scraping and before a good scrub. [IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v233/kismar/36D/Image019.jpg[/IMG] After the sanding and the rust protection sprayed on. [IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v233/kismar/36D/Image022.jpg[/IMG] Underneath ready for paint. [IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v233/kismar/36D/Image020.jpg[/IMG]
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I've been doing some reading on this lately and it certainly intrigues me. But what I don't understand, is that this whole convoluted process probably took you several days, some elbow grease and reletively messy clean-up (by the time you empty the tank, and scrape and Castrol Super Clean). Why not grab a few bags of sand with an outdoor blaster and just have it done in a half hour?
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This is really cool and it intrigues me as well. Like Matt, I would have attacked this with a sand blaster too. However, the idea of blasting big stuff (outside of the cabinet) no longer appeals to me since I don't have the unrestricted space to do so any more. Where I'm at now, I would have to set up some type of outdoor blasting booth which is a PITA to say the least. Maybe I'm just getting lazier, but this 'drop it in and walk away' process is appealing to me. firefoxz1, I see that you did an excellent job of removing a great deal of rust dOd but I was thinking more would be removed by the electrolysis. Maybe it's just the photos or more likely, I don't know what the heck is going on here? Is this process used to remove only rust or rust, grease, oil, dirt etc?? Thanks for sharing - looks great! Mike
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Matt: I put another one in yesterday after I did this one and pulled it out when I got home from work. It takes almost no time to scrap off the loose stuff. The scrubbing is just to remove the residue and some more of the stubborn paint because the rust is already gone. You could probably just use a pressure washer let dry and paint. The water doesn't get drained, I will leave it all summer and use it several more times. I have a five gallon bucket at work I throw wheels and smaller stuff in which has only been cleaned a couple times in the last 2 or more years, I have added water and lately I added a little more super washing soda. I have a sand blaster and this is way easier and I feel more confident that the rust is actually taken care of more than any other way. Mike, all the rust is removed through electrolysis. What you think you might see in the pictures is not rust. I only scrape and scrub to remove the residue left by the process and only sand to remove the solid paint that was left. This process is basically for rust but everything else comes off easy after the process, except the good solid paint over non rusted metal.
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After seeing this I went out yesterday and bought the washing soda. Ive got an Exide 2/20/200 amp charger/starter. The instructions on the charger state that 200A should be used for 9seconds or less (for jump starting) do you think that is to not fry the battery or to not fry the charger/jumper. What do you think about using 200A? Maybe just stick w/ 20 to be safer? Also, what do you use for your + electrode? I read the article which suggests rebar... but i have some scrap romex cable (copper) would using this cause trouble?
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also, undistilled white vinegar does the job. takes longer but will give you same results. get a big tank. and fill. put parts in let soak, pull out and scrub a few times. bout two weeks should be bare metal. might be longer depending. really helps to take it out and scrub with a clean wire brush. works if your not in a hurry. me and my dad do that for our bigger old farm tractor parts were painting.
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Chris(sammiefish): My big tank didn't draw more than 20 amps, and turning your charger on any higher would not yield any more amps through the solution. Being I'm a mechanic I grabbed three old brake rotors from work and welded them together to lay accross the bottom of the tank. This is the article I read when I set mine up. [url]http://antique-engines.com/electrol.asp[/url]
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