17 replies to this topic

[DaveRob]

Has anyone seen this clip......

http://www.youtube.c...feature=related

This is great for treating all those suspesion arms, hubs etc

if you google electrolytic rust removal and read up...... I tried it...... fantastic results

Think about all the posibilities on a MINI..... their is even a guy did a complete trailer frame.... if you tank is big enough you can do anything, apparently.............

As always DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH......... and most inportant conect the charger the right way round or you just make more rust...........

Mods.... I didnt know where to put this... feel free to relocate .......

DaveRob

[Southy]

Nice find there DaveRob, might have to try this on a few on my items which need to be free of rust for my rebuild, might be worth doing all the nuts and bolts and things like that.

Whats the black coating left behind like does anyone know?Is it like a powder which will wash off?

[edi57]

I'm guessing that the black stuff left behind is neutralised rust, just like as with rust eater products.

I think the idea is just to leave it there and paint over it.

I could be wrong though...other opinions appreciated!

[DaveRob]

The material left behind follows this quotation from someone far more qualified than me

"The ferric iron atoms in the rust begin to reduce to ferrous oxide, which initially results in a mixture of ferric and ferrous oxides. This combination is called magnetite and is often written as Fe3O4. Eventually, all the ferric oxide becomes ferrous iron. Under less powerful reducing conditions the product would be ferrous carbonate or ferrous hydroxide. However, under the extreme conditions of reduction powered by a 12 V battery charger, they found that ferrous iron can be reduced all the way to iron metal. So, based on this work, when we see the rust slowly turning black, we are seeing the formation of Fe3O4 which is black and eventually iron metal, which is also black. Finely divided iron is black, not shiny like a solid chunk of iron."

I interprete this as back to something approaching its original material..... its a really easy thing to set up..... I thried it with a plastic beaker, the rusty alternator bracket off my mini and 2 strips of steel I had around ( for the anode).....

Rob

[sway]

I've read about this before but never seen it demonstrated quite so well. Good find sir!

What did you use for the "washing Soda" shen you tested it? The sound on the clip is quite low and I have bad hearing! Also I don't speak American!! LOL

[Retro_10s]

Baking soda.

[beejay]

More info on this thread
As they mention on there, steer clear of using stainless!

Been meaning to try this for the radius arms and hubs, when I get to that point!

[Danny-T]

That's quality... anyone got a swiming pool I can park in for a few days?

Would love to see some before/afters of anyone on here that's tried it?

[mr_apples]

i'll add some pictures soon, i have a front hub in my tank right now

[Tomf]

So after you have done do you remove the leftover stuff and paint or do you paint straight over this?

[mr_apples]

some pics

before




after (and a light wire brush/wd40 to remove the black stuff)





i need a better setup, at the mo i only have one anode at one end so the object needs to be rotated during the process, i am going to add some more steel plate
around the perimeter of the tank for better/faster results

i always clean it and then (depending on the part) etch/spray it.

Edited by mr_apples, 13 May 2008 - 09:50 AM.

[Danny-T]

Mr Apples that looks great, could you possibly put some pics of your setup on here too?

very cool!

[edi57]

So the more anodes placed round the tank the better I suppose?

Wired in series?

How long did you leave your hubs in the tank to achieve the results shown?

[mike.]

That looks great!!

[woody17]

seems a faf to set up. but if i could leave it set up permanantly....