Non-Destructive Rust Removal
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Junior Member
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 323
From: Toronto/Belleville
Non-Destructive Rust Removal
I just saw this on tv and thought I would share it with everyone.
What do you need to start?
water
washing soda (sodium carbonate)
a battery charger (with a current meter if possible) or a car battery
steel or iron electrode (I use rebar as it's cheap and the anode will eventually be eaten away)
a plastic tub (slightly larger than the part to be cleaned, although it is possible to clean a part with some of it sticking above the solution and then rotating it to clean the rest it may leave a small mark or discoloration which is undesirable)
The Procedure
The first step in the process is to prepare the cleaning solution. dissolve roughly 1 tablespoon/gallon of washing soda in water. Ensure that all the crystals are dissolved.
Roughly clean the steel anode. It doesn't have to be perfect just good enough that you can get good electrical contact. Attach the positive lead (red) from the battery charger to the steel anode. Submerge the anode in the cleaning solution, ensure that the clamp from the battery lead isn't submerged. If it is it will be eaten away with this process. The steel electrode will also be eaten away but very slowly. If you are trying to clean a large piece you will likely need more than one anode as this process almost works "line of sight". In other words the anode and part to be cleaned shouldn't be hidden from each other, for example if you are cleaning a large piece and only have one anode the side facing the anode will clean better than the side facing away from the anode. You can use multiple anodes so that the piece to be cleaned is surrounded, just connect them together with wire.
Attach the negative lead from the battery charger to the piece to be cleaned. Submerge this piece, it doesn't matter if this clamp is submerged as it won't be eaten away. Ensure that this piece and the anode don't contact each other as this will cause a short circuit. They should be separated by several inches.
Turn on the battery charger. If the current is too high on the battery chargers current meter there are a number of things you can do to reduce it;
increase the distance between the part and the anode
dilute the solution by adding more water
if you have a 6/12 volt charger set it to the 6 volt setting. 2 Amps is all you need.
What do you need to start?
water
washing soda (sodium carbonate)
a battery charger (with a current meter if possible) or a car battery
steel or iron electrode (I use rebar as it's cheap and the anode will eventually be eaten away)
a plastic tub (slightly larger than the part to be cleaned, although it is possible to clean a part with some of it sticking above the solution and then rotating it to clean the rest it may leave a small mark or discoloration which is undesirable)
The Procedure
The first step in the process is to prepare the cleaning solution. dissolve roughly 1 tablespoon/gallon of washing soda in water. Ensure that all the crystals are dissolved.
Roughly clean the steel anode. It doesn't have to be perfect just good enough that you can get good electrical contact. Attach the positive lead (red) from the battery charger to the steel anode. Submerge the anode in the cleaning solution, ensure that the clamp from the battery lead isn't submerged. If it is it will be eaten away with this process. The steel electrode will also be eaten away but very slowly. If you are trying to clean a large piece you will likely need more than one anode as this process almost works "line of sight". In other words the anode and part to be cleaned shouldn't be hidden from each other, for example if you are cleaning a large piece and only have one anode the side facing the anode will clean better than the side facing away from the anode. You can use multiple anodes so that the piece to be cleaned is surrounded, just connect them together with wire.
Attach the negative lead from the battery charger to the piece to be cleaned. Submerge this piece, it doesn't matter if this clamp is submerged as it won't be eaten away. Ensure that this piece and the anode don't contact each other as this will cause a short circuit. They should be separated by several inches.
Turn on the battery charger. If the current is too high on the battery chargers current meter there are a number of things you can do to reduce it;
increase the distance between the part and the anode
dilute the solution by adding more water
if you have a 6/12 volt charger set it to the 6 volt setting. 2 Amps is all you need.
