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electrolysis question

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JerryB4

02-01-2008 17:26:38

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From reading the archives it sounds like electrolysis does not harm machined surfaces.I want to dip my rear axel housings to get off the rust and multiple coats of paint on my Super A, "I got carried away" I am worried about those machined surfaces. Has any one done this and were the surfaces OK ? Thanks, Jerry

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tractorhank

02-02-2008 20:06:11

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Re: electrolysis question in reply to JerryB4, 02-01-2008 17:26:38

It has been about a year since I used electrolysis but if I remember right I used washing soda and lye together. The washing soda took off the rust and the lye took of the paint. Worked great.

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Haas

02-01-2008 18:17:19

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Re: electrolysis question in reply to JerryB4, 02-01-2008 17:26:38

I've tried this on a small scale. Not much good for removing paint, but it does well on rust. It would take a long time for heavy rust scale though. I tried this on some NOS clutch pressure plates that had been in a flood and were rusted. The clutch lever return springs were destroyed. The springs became brittle and just broke. No affect on the clutch pressure springs that I could tell. The clutch plate machined surface was not damaged except for the damage already there from the rust. They will need to be remachined before use.

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Scott Rukke

02-01-2008 18:26:20

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Re: electrolysis question in reply to Haas, 02-01-2008 18:17:19

Now I had the opposite results. It took almost all paint off overnight. The rust on the other hand took a lot longer. May depend on the amperage you're using with your battery charger.

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Haas

02-02-2008 19:22:49

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Re: electrolysis question in reply to Scott Rukke, 02-01-2008 18:26:20

These were NOS parts that I was trying to clean up. I think if the paint was put on clean bare metal, that electrolysis would not take it off. On the other hand, if there is rust (iron oxide) under the paint, the paint might loosen and come off. I don't believe the electrolysis would have any direct affect on the paint. The other items I tried cultivator parts) were only rusty, they did not have any paint on them and the rust was removed reasonably well. I only had a small system in a 5 gallon plastic bucket and a 2 amp battery charger. I have no ideal how much amperage I was getting, but I expect it was more than 2 amps, as on the 12 volt setting, I was getting maybe 8 or 9 volts.

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Scott Rukke

02-01-2008 18:06:23

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Re: electrolysis question in reply to JerryB4, 02-01-2008 17:26:38

I have used an electrolysis tank extensively during my F-20 restoration. It works great for smaller parts. It also works better on the side facing the sacrificial steel. This is dependant on how you build your tank of course. I use one large steel chunk for the anode. I posted earlier about accidentally hooking up the terminals backwards too and it destroyed the air pipe on my tractor over night. Myself with a larger heavy cast iron part I would sand blast it. I bought a small portable sandblast gun for under 20 bucks and it works great on the bigger parts. Plus sand is cheap and you can recycle it. I stick the sand tube in a bucket of sand and it's amazing how fast it takes rust off. Messy yes but just surround the piece with a tarp. Wear a hood and gloves with a dust mask too.

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Nebraska Kirk

02-01-2008 17:33:13

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Re: electrolysis question in reply to JerryB4, 02-01-2008 17:26:38

I have used electrolysis to clean some steel parts and can confirm that it will not harm the metal, period. The electrolysis process only attacks the rust and not ferrous metal.

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Greg-N-CA

02-02-2008 05:37:41

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Re: electrolysis question in reply to Nebraska Kirk, 02-01-2008 17:33:13

I've been using electrolysis for years now and it woks great removing rust, paint, and baked on grease/oil. It will not harm any surface (machined or otherwise) beyond what the rust has done. I did all my sheet metal, housings and engine block for my 48 Super A restoration.

Now that hot tanks are illegal (in California anyway) there are no better (or cheaper!) options for cleaning parts. My son took first place in his science fair with a demonstration on electrolysis.

I made a tank out of a 55 gal. plastic drum using rebar space every 4" around the perimeter. I have the bars linked together with heavy gage wire to form a grid. I can get many uses out of my grid by cleaning it well with a pressure washer when changing my solution (1/2 cup Arm and Hammer washing soda to five gal. water).

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JerryB4

02-02-2008 05:55:44

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Re: electrolysis question in reply to Greg-N-CA, 02-02-2008 05:37:41

Thanks all for the input, I will give some machined stuff a shot.I'll let you know how it goes. I sand blasted my Super M piece by piece and I really hope this works as that was a huge time consuming project. Jerry

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Greg-N-CA

02-02-2008 07:05:00

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Re: electrolysis question in reply to JerryB4, 02-02-2008 05:55:44

I usually have two tanks going at the same time, that way you can speed up production. I leave my parts in for a week or two, checking them periodically. I pull them out and pressure wash the residue off. Works slick!

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JerryB4

02-02-2008 14:49:20

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Re: electrolysis question in reply to Greg-N-CA, 02-02-2008 07:05:00

I like the 2 tank method, I have a 5 gal now, working on a 55 gal.
As It too cold to let the tank out side, I was thinking of putting a hood over the drum and using a small fan set in a tube with the tube exhausted outside, I would be bummed if I blew up my shop!
Any one do this?

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JerryB4

02-03-2008 07:58:25

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Re: electrolysis question in reply to JerryB4, 02-02-2008 14:49:20

Oops, I ment set up an exhaust system, not blow up your shop !!

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