22-01-2022, 03:26 PM
Get a large bucket and a sheet of 20 gauge steel. Cut the steel to make a plate that goes around the inside of the bucket make a connection for a lead to be attached to it; I use a 2BA screw through the sheet.
Connect another lead to the item to be de-rusted, fill the bucket with a solution of washing soda (sodium carbonate). You'll need a handful of soda crystals per couple of gallons of water. Put the item to be de-rusted, attached to its lead, in the centre of the bucket, immersed in the solution, make sure it can't touch the sheet round the edges.
Now connect the lead going to the 20 gauge sheet to the positive pole of a 6/12V battery. Connect the item to be de-rusted to the negative pole. You'll need to connect a charger to hold up the battery...
Leave for between 24 and 48 hours. You should see bubbles rising. Beware, they are bubbles containing hydrogen, so no naked lights! At the end of the time, you can then remove the item, wash it carefully with clean water and wire brush it, the rust will fall off! If there's still stubborn rust, return to the bath for another few hours. Only parts with "line of sight" to the 20 gauge sheet will get cleaned so you may need to reposition the item several times. If no bubbles are rising, check that you have enough current flowing. Not enough soda can cause this problem, or maybe you need to swap to a 12V battery/charger.
Note: DO NOT ALLOW Stainless Steel into the bath, don't use Stainless bolts or nuts. The chromium leaches into the solution and forms some nasty, poisonous compounds. Don't put Aluminium into the bath, the soda will attack it.
You can use a 12V battery to speed up the process but you'll need a heavy duty charger as the current flow will be quite high. You can remove the battery and just power the thing with an old fashioned battery charger if you like. You need to aim for about 3A current flow.
You can probably pick out the other stub axle fizzing away....
I find that most poorly adhering paint comes off in the bath, some however may remain.
Connect another lead to the item to be de-rusted, fill the bucket with a solution of washing soda (sodium carbonate). You'll need a handful of soda crystals per couple of gallons of water. Put the item to be de-rusted, attached to its lead, in the centre of the bucket, immersed in the solution, make sure it can't touch the sheet round the edges.
Now connect the lead going to the 20 gauge sheet to the positive pole of a 6/12V battery. Connect the item to be de-rusted to the negative pole. You'll need to connect a charger to hold up the battery...
Leave for between 24 and 48 hours. You should see bubbles rising. Beware, they are bubbles containing hydrogen, so no naked lights! At the end of the time, you can then remove the item, wash it carefully with clean water and wire brush it, the rust will fall off! If there's still stubborn rust, return to the bath for another few hours. Only parts with "line of sight" to the 20 gauge sheet will get cleaned so you may need to reposition the item several times. If no bubbles are rising, check that you have enough current flowing. Not enough soda can cause this problem, or maybe you need to swap to a 12V battery/charger.
Note: DO NOT ALLOW Stainless Steel into the bath, don't use Stainless bolts or nuts. The chromium leaches into the solution and forms some nasty, poisonous compounds. Don't put Aluminium into the bath, the soda will attack it.
You can use a 12V battery to speed up the process but you'll need a heavy duty charger as the current flow will be quite high. You can remove the battery and just power the thing with an old fashioned battery charger if you like. You need to aim for about 3A current flow.
You can probably pick out the other stub axle fizzing away....
I find that most poorly adhering paint comes off in the bath, some however may remain.