Rust Removal via Electrolysis with Terrence James

[billdouglas]

I buy, restore, and sell antique hand tools, often badly rusted. Electrolysis is my "go-to" method for rust removal. Your video is the most complete and accurate I've ever watched. I once took a vise that was rusted into an almost unrecognizable ball of rust, and after three weeks and lots of cleaning of anodes, I pulled out the vise. It was down to bare metal and all the previously rusted-together parts of the vise moved freely. It can take a while, but the setup takes only 30 minutes.
I do have just a few comments.
1) The anode (the junk iron piece) is not "sacrificial" because the base metal of the anode is not corroded by the electrolyte; however, it does build up with the iron oxides that are removed from the tool you're restoring. For that reason, cleaning the anode frequently is a big help. Nothing fancy, and I don't even remove the anode from the tank. I just unplug the charger and reach into the rusty water with a wire brush and scrape down the accessible parts of the anode. The bubbles will pick up greatly after doing this. If you're OCD, you can remove the anode and really clean it with wire wheels, etc., but that's overkill.
2) Proximity between the anode and cathode is important. The closer they are to each other, the more effective the process will be--just be sure to not short any part of the anode and cathode together. Multiple anodes, as you have set up, help the process.
3) Similarly, I give a quick wipe down of the tool being restored; I do this by reaching right into the tank with a wire brush. This ensures continued good conductivity through the electrolyte.
4) NEVER use stainless steel anodes. They will add hexavalent chromium to your solution and make it extremely carcinogenic. Watch the movie _Erin Brockovich_, in which she is fighting exposure of workers to that deadly chemical.
5) I can't recall the exact chemistry involved, but I've read that the zinc that coats galvanized steel can also produce toxic chemicals in your electrolyte.
6) As noted in this excellent video, the process is line of sight, so it would not work very well at all on, for example, rust on the inside of a steel pipe. However, when I've had hollow spots on a tool that I really want to clean, I will run a piece of steel connected to the anode all the way into (or through) the hollow, being VERY careful not to ground the anode and the cathode. It requires careful placement, but I've seen it done to clean out the rusty insides of the cylinders on a car engine block, so it can be done and it works.
7) As noted in this very complete video, yes, hydrogen and oxygen are produced in tiny bubbles. Youtube videos make much of this as a great danger, which it is NOT. Unless you are deliberately enclosing your entire apparatus in an airtight container and then set a match to it, yes, it would explode, but left out in the shop those bubbles of hydrogen and oxygen just dissipate almost immediately into the atmosphere.
8) I've seen videos of people using vinegar, salt, and even muriatic acid as an electrolyte. These are corrosive to the base metal on your part, which means they'll remove the rust then keep right on eating the "healthy" portion of you're part. Those chemicals are more expensive than cheap washing soda, and they leave you with several gallons of electrolyte that may be toxic and should not be dumped in your yard or down your drain.
9) Evaporust works very well, I'm told, but it's about fifty times as expensive as washing soda, does no better than electrolysis, and, again, you're left with a toxic mess to dispose of.
10) Finally, I go slow, with no more than 2-4 amps and about 15V of DC power. You can use the battery charger if you like, but I have an innate distrust of rushing delicate processes that depend on various chemicals and metals reacting with each other.

[nuffsaid]

If there's anything you want to know about electrolysis, myths v facts, then this is the guy. Terry gives everything you wanted to know. I have learned so much. Cheers

[rwnagel]

Not to put too find a point on it, but a sacrificial anode is a metal that is of a higher electro activity that is used to protect a metal of a lower activity. For example there is a magnesium anode in your aluminum hot water tank to save the aluminum by providing a higher reactive metal. In a purely grammatical sense the angles “sacrifice “ themselves in that they are plated with the iron ions which are released by the electric current breaking down the Fe2O3 which releases the oxygen and then the electric charge attaches it to the angle iron. Electrons flow from the negative electrode to the positive electrode and carry the iron ions with them.

[jmccracken]

Terry, thanks for simply explanation of how to use electrolysis to remove rust.

[Snickls]

I've been on this planet for a lot of years, and never heard of this process, and for that matter I've never heard of the black rust, I've encountered it and went nuts with the wire wheel or sand paper getting down to the base metal and in the process removing all the high spots... like lettering GRRRR. Great video, the computer power supply in a box with labeled leads is awesome, gonna make one later today, then de-rust an old belt driven grinding wheel. Thanks for all the information.

[balmori.hangarage]

Hello Terry, first at all i would like to thank you! i´ve been searching as crazy the proportions and nobody tells this! best regards from Mexico, Paco.

[peteflores]

Nice to know this process, thanks for sharing. I have a pistol I purchased many many years ago, it had a little rust on it. I cleaned it up and stopped the rusting, I may use this to do complete rebluing job on it that it needs. Thanks again for sharing.

[billyblackie]

Great explanation and instruction on how to set up. I would use the washing soda for this job like I use washing powder in the washing machine and use enough only to do the job or the powder will spend more time fighting against itself than doing the job it should and as you say it is only wasting powder. I use a small amount of washing powder in my machine about 1/3 cup of washing powder and it also helps the lasting of the washing machine

[billyblackie]

Very good teaching video you all did a great job

[teamsix]

Don't use copper wire under the it makes a mess.

[chrisdaniel]

Why do you have two pieces of metal attached to the positive lead? To my understanding only one is necessary, I have even seen people using stainless steel stock pots and the positive lead is just connected to the top edge of the pot and they just hang the part to be derusted from a wooden dowel or piece of plastic

[markt]

Do you realize how much money this will save instead of using a rust remover like like citrus

[jonbeck]

Great program! How does a person dispose of the waste water? Can I pour it on the ground?

[mufuliramark]

terry, your a star, learn so much from you .

[jaykk]

If de rusting a chain, a chain to hold a gas tank not a bike chain .
does the cathode ( neg terminal ) need to make contact with every link in the chain ?
Also where the neg terminal makes contact with the part being de rusted, can it just be connected to the rusty part, or do you have to make connect with the base metal on part being cleaned ?

[newfiebob]

I wonder if I could ask you a question if you're not too busy. I've been trying this electrolysis and it seems to be working great . But I do have one concern. It's hard to get good clean steel around here where I live. So I've been using tin cans Like coffee cans tomato cans but they all have a coating on the inside. When I'm using the tin cans the liquid solution of washing soda and water stays very clean but there is a lot of bubbling action. No rust scum floating on the top of the solution it all goes to the tin cans and builds up there . I cut the tin cans into and hang them in the solution Length wise. My question to you is using tin cans with a coating on the inside is this throwing off any harmful fumes ? The part comes out clean and the tin cans have quite a build-up of rust build up but the solution is very clean. Thanks

[kenswitzer]

The bare copper wire is just a little extension from the positive to the cathode. There is a big difference in electrolysis and electro plating. It would profit anyone to go online and take a look at OHMS law of electricity.

[sauloldrite]

Great video! Thank you for sharing! Do you think I can use a dead battery as a bridge to electrolysis from a charger?

[FastEddy]

What do you coat the finished piece to protect from rust?

[nilolee]

Can I use circular saw blades for sacrificial anode?