Chris I know you're a serious collector so let me tell you how my e-tanks have evolved into what I use today. I started with a 55 gallon barrel like yours, cut it to 24" tall. It will hold 35 gallons and require 27ozs or half a box of Arm & Hammer laundry booster. I get two tanks from one box of booster and I've cleaned a 22" skillet in it so it's large enough. There's no need in having a tank larger than your oven. Come down 2" from the top and drill 4 evenly spaced 1/4" holes to hold the anodes. For the anodes you'll need 2 sheets of stainless sheet metal 34.5 x 16. Drill them 1' from the top edge to fit the mounting bolts and bend them to fit the barrel. Wire the tank on the outside with a nut on the inside of the tank to hold the bolt and wires in place. Mount the anodes with wing nuts for easy removal and cleaning. My charger is a 200 amp Schumacher 1565 manual charger from Walmart. I can clean 3-4 pieces at the same time in about 12 hours in most cases. I suspend the pieces from two pieces of 3/4" copper pipes with 1/4" "J" hooks drilled into them. Since keeping the anodes clean speeds up the cleaning I'll hang these pieces in pillowcases. They act as a coffee filter, the water becomes stained but the crud is contained. I think you'll get better performance from your tank. I've never had to do a vinegar soak when they come out but I'll keep that in mind. If I'm not cleaning cast iron I'm watching cast iron videos, please send help ! lol
Just came over from your TikTok page, this is awesome stuff. Do you ever worry about lead in your cast iron? I know of a few old timers who melted lead for cast fishing weights and bullets and it’s always made me a little leery of unknown skillets.
It really just depends. If it’s super rusty it goes in the etank first. If it just looks super gunky, it goes into the lye bath first. Sometimes when it’s a mix of both, kinda like this one, I put it in my e tank. And I restore several pieces per week- only one piece can fit in the e tank. So I have 2 e tanks and a big lye bath which a lot of pieces can fit into. If someone wants to restore a single piece, or maybe restore a piece every so often, an e tank isn’t necessary. Lye bath and vinegar bath can get the job done wonderfully and are much easier to setup.
@@cast_iron_chris Appreciate the answer! Found you on TikTok and happy you started a RUclips Channel. I now find myself keeping an eye out for old cast iron pans at thrift stores. Gonna get to a restoration soon.
Very nice pan Chris.
Chris I know you're a serious collector so let me tell you how my e-tanks have evolved into what I use today. I started with a 55 gallon barrel like yours, cut it to 24" tall. It will hold 35 gallons and require 27ozs or half a box of Arm & Hammer laundry booster. I get two tanks from one box of booster and I've cleaned a 22" skillet in it so it's large enough. There's no need in having a tank larger than your oven. Come down 2" from the top and drill 4 evenly spaced 1/4" holes to hold the anodes. For the anodes you'll need 2 sheets of stainless sheet metal 34.5 x 16. Drill them 1' from the top edge to fit the mounting bolts and bend them to fit the barrel. Wire the tank on the outside with a nut on the inside of the tank to hold the bolt and wires in place. Mount the anodes with wing nuts for easy removal and cleaning. My charger is a 200 amp Schumacher 1565 manual charger from Walmart. I can clean 3-4 pieces at the same time in about 12 hours in most cases. I suspend the pieces from two pieces of 3/4" copper pipes with 1/4" "J" hooks drilled into them. Since keeping the anodes clean speeds up the cleaning I'll hang these pieces in pillowcases. They act as a coffee filter, the water becomes stained but the crud is contained. I think you'll get better performance from your tank. I've never had to do a vinegar soak when they come out but I'll keep that in mind. If I'm not cleaning cast iron I'm watching cast iron videos, please send help ! lol
Luv it.
Thanks for watching!
The pitting kinda gives it character
Knowing someone cooked with this over a coal stove- for sure.
Nice!
I gotta redo some bs&r, Griswold and lodge tomorrow
Nice pal, get on it!
have same piece. pitted as heck in middle bottom side. still cookin tho
Magic Man
Thanks brotha! Should be releasing a wagner griddle resto this week, and probably a Dutch resto next week 🍳
I have a #7 favorite Piqua ware so too just got done restoring but I really can’t find how much they sell for
Just came over from your TikTok page, this is awesome stuff. Do you ever worry about lead in your cast iron? I know of a few old timers who melted lead for cast fishing weights and bullets and it’s always made me a little leery of unknown skillets.
Thanks for following! Not really. On any questionable pieces I’ll hit it with a lead test- like ladles or scotch bowls.
Thanks for your input!
What do you use in your electrolysis Bath? is it just some sort of Salt water, or do you dissolve something else to form your electrolyte?
Sodium carbonate. Approx 2 tablespoons per gallon of water
How do you decide when to use a electrolysis for restoration or when to use a lye bath?
It really just depends. If it’s super rusty it goes in the etank first. If it just looks super gunky, it goes into the lye bath first. Sometimes when it’s a mix of both, kinda like this one, I put it in my e tank.
And I restore several pieces per week- only one piece can fit in the e tank. So I have 2 e tanks and a big lye bath which a lot of pieces can fit into.
If someone wants to restore a single piece, or maybe restore a piece every so often, an e tank isn’t necessary. Lye bath and vinegar bath can get the job done wonderfully and are much easier to setup.
@@cast_iron_chris Appreciate the answer! Found you on TikTok and happy you started a RUclips Channel. I now find myself keeping an eye out for old cast iron pans at thrift stores. Gonna get to a restoration soon.
Very cool! Thanks for following along 🍳
how do you clean your rack?
What brand was in the tin?
My own! That was a prototype- official release is in the next few weeks! If you’re on TikTok, I just posted a giveaway to win one!
@@cast_iron_chris I have a brand of my own, Good luck with yours. I was hoping mine was what you were using lol
Hope you’re not on septic!
huh
Money wise that pitting hurts the overall value but cooking wise it's meaningless