I buy, restore, and sell antique hand tools, often badly rusted. Electrolysis is my "go-to" method for rust removal. Your video is the most complete and accurate I've ever watched. I once took a vise that was rusted into an almost unrecognizable ball of rust, and after three weeks and lots of cleaning of anodes, I pulled out the vise. It was down to bare metal and all the previously rusted-together parts of the vise moved freely. It can take a while, but the setup takes only 30 minutes. I do have just a few comments. 1) The anode (the junk iron piece) is not "sacrificial" because the base metal of the anode is not corroded by the electrolyte; however, it does build up with the iron oxides that are removed from the tool you're restoring. For that reason, cleaning the anode frequently is a big help. Nothing fancy, and I don't even remove the anode from the tank. I just unplug the charger and reach into the rusty water with a wire brush and scrape down the accessible parts of the anode. The bubbles will pick up greatly after doing this. If you're OCD, you can remove the anode and really clean it with wire wheels, etc., but that's overkill. 2) Proximity between the anode and cathode is important. The closer they are to each other, the more effective the process will be--just be sure to not short any part of the anode and cathode together. Multiple anodes, as you have set up, help the process. 3) Similarly, I give a quick wipe down of the tool being restored; I do this by reaching right into the tank with a wire brush. This ensures continued good conductivity through the electrolyte. 4) NEVER use stainless steel anodes. They will add hexavalent chromium to your solution and make it extremely carcinogenic. Watch the movie _Erin Brockovich_, in which she is fighting exposure of workers to that deadly chemical. 5) I can't recall the exact chemistry involved, but I've read that the zinc that coats galvanized steel can also produce toxic chemicals in your electrolyte. 6) As noted in this excellent video, the process is line of sight, so it would not work very well at all on, for example, rust on the inside of a steel pipe. However, when I've had hollow spots on a tool that I really want to clean, I will run a piece of steel connected to the anode all the way into (or through) the hollow, being VERY careful not to ground the anode and the cathode. It requires careful placement, but I've seen it done to clean out the rusty insides of the cylinders on a car engine block, so it can be done and it works. 7) As noted in this very complete video, yes, hydrogen and oxygen are produced in tiny bubbles. RUclips videos make much of this as a great danger, which it is NOT. Unless you are deliberately enclosing your entire apparatus in an airtight container and then set a match to it, yes, it would explode, but left out in the shop those bubbles of hydrogen and oxygen just dissipate almost immediately into the atmosphere. 8) I've seen videos of people using vinegar, salt, and even muriatic acid as an electrolyte. These are corrosive to the base metal on your part, which means they'll remove the rust then keep right on eating the "healthy" portion of you're part. Those chemicals are more expensive than cheap washing soda, and they leave you with several gallons of electrolyte that may be toxic and should not be dumped in your yard or down your drain. 9) Evaporust works very well, I'm told, but it's about fifty times as expensive as washing soda, does no better than electrolysis, and, again, you're left with a toxic mess to dispose of. 10) Finally, I go slow, with no more than 2-4 amps and about 15V of DC power. You can use the battery charger if you like, but I have an innate distrust of rushing delicate processes that depend on various chemicals and metals reacting with each other.
If de rusting a chain , a chain to hold a gas tank not a bike chain . does the cathode ( neg terminal ) need to make contact with every link in the chain ? Also where the neg terminal makes contact with the part being de rusted , can it just be connected to the rusty part , or do you have to make connect with the base metal on part being cleaned ?
@@jayk2k The old adage that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link applies also to removing rust from a chain. If there is not a complete electrical connection from one link in the chain to the next, all the way through the chain, the removal will only take place up to the point where the connection between two links is broken (for example, by debris). If cleaning a chain, do a wire brushing to remove any loose or flaky rust and debris that might interfere with electrical contact between links, then double-down by weaving the cathode wire through each link. Every few hours, shake the chain and give it a quick wire brushing (right in place, in the tank) and manipulate it to slightly change the points where the links are touching each other and where the cathode wire is touching the links. As time goes by, you'll be able to see if there is a "problem link" that isn't getting de-rusted. If so, just clean it up well by hand with a wire brush and make sure the cathode wire you wove through the chain is now making contact with the link. The other question, regarding base metal: The best connection is made to the cleanest metal. On both the part being cleaned and on the connections to the scrap iron on the anode, I try to get the metal as clean as possible, and that's why repositioning and manipulating and doing a quick cleaning of the chain from time to time will 1) ensure that all links/parts of the chain are getting an electrical connection with the cathode wire and 2) rearranging the chain's position will ensure that all sides of the chain are, at some point in the process, in line of sight with the cathode, since most removal of rust takes place in line of sight. Finally, because both the part and the scrap iron collect debris, regularly brushing them will expose new rust to be removed and make the scrap iron function better. I don't remove the scrap iron or the part to clean them; I just turn off the electricity and reach into the bath with a small wire brush to remove the bulk of the buildup on the part and on the scrap iron. The tank looks nasty, but it's just washing soda and rusty water, so it isn't toxic. Hope this helps some.
@@billdouglas1721 Hi , Thanks for your quick and detailed reply . The chain/s I have are solid , just do not look pretty , with the rust all over them . So , the rust on the chain inbetween the link can break the connection between the links then ? And , I used bi-carb last night , as that is all I had , I went to get so carbonated soda , but could not find any . About an hour ago I added more bi- carb soda , but like last night I did not really see an bubbles , so I added some epsom salt . I noticed it was bubbling now , so , going to go check it in a bit and do what you have said above . Another quick question , if you do not mind . Should the bubbles be coming off the part that is being de-rusted or the scrap iron ? As I noticed after adding the epsom salt that the bubbles where only coming from the part being de-rusted
@@jayk2k First, as far as the electrolyte, i.e., the liquid in the tank... I've heard of people using all types of compounds to add to the water, but the best results I've heard of (and my own experience) is using what is called "washing soda." It's chemically close to baking soda, and comes in the same, familiar, orange box as baking soda made by Arm & Hammer. I've never had trouble finding it in the laundry detergent aisle. The box I'm currently using is 3.5 lbs. and cost about $5--dirt cheap. The front reads, "Household cleaner and laundry booster, Super Washing Soda." It's 100 safe, although it will give you "dishpan hands" if you handle it a lot, just as any powdered laundry detergent would. There is, no doubt, a perfect amount to add to the water, but it's not critical; too little will slow you down while too much will just be wasted. Today I put one cup of washing soda into seven gallons of water. If you absolutely cannot find it at a grocery store or perhaps a hardware store, use Twenty-Mule-Team Borax, another multi-purpose cleaner and laundry detergent, which is chemically very similar and works very well. I never use vinegar or salt or lemon juice or (god forbid!) muriatic acid. These will all function to some degree as electrolytes, but they are all acidic and will continue to gobble up good steel on your part even after the rust is gone. Washing soda, on the other hand, reacts only with the various "flavors" of rust. (There are three main forms of rust, all chemically similar and all of which can be removed with electrolysis.) Rust won't necessarily break the electrical connection between the links, but rust is a poor conductor of electricity, which is why electricians put anti-corrosion paste onto electrical connections for outdoor lighting. The more rust you can remove between the links, the better the conductivity, assuming of course that there is actual physical contact from link to link to link; the current won't "jump" a gap and the removal will cease anywhere the links aren't in contact. It's counterproductive to spend hours with a wire wheel or brush, when all that labor is what you're trying to avoid in the first place. However, before and during the process (which might take several days, depending on circumstances) it's very helpful to give a quick wire-brushing to both the anode and the cathode, because the debris that builds on both of them impedes electrical conductivity. After you clean the anode and cathode and plug your electricity back in, you'll notice the bubbles resume much more strongly. Yes, you'll get bubbles off both the anode and the cathode. One is oxygen and the other is hydrogen--technically explosive, but not in the small volume tanks I use to clean hand tools. I'm not sure about the chemistry, but rust is iron and oxygen. I believe that the electrolysis removes/releases the oxygen from the rust on your part, freeing up the iron to disconnect from your part, travel through the electrolyte, and collect on your scrap iron piece. I don't know what you're using for DC current, but many people think if some is good, more is better. Not necessarily so. I usually use a DC source that puts out 5-20V DC at 2.5 amps, and that works fine for me. Lots of people use battery chargers, and that may work fine for them, but if I'm cleaning a part I don't care if it sits for two or three days (with periodic cleaning, as described above) while I work on other projects. Slow and steady wins the race, but perhaps I'm just innately over-cautious.
@@billdouglas1721 Thanks , that is a big help . No salts then , I actually kind of thought that after I had put it in , and found out after a bit more research confirmed that . But did not know that it would eat away the good steel . You have been a big help , do you have your own channel ?
If there's anything you want to know about electrolysis, myths v facts, then this is the guy. Terry gives everything you wanted to know. I have learned so much. Cheers
Not to put too find a point on it, but a sacrificial anode is a metal that is of a higher electro activity that is used to protect a metal of a lower activity. For example there is a magnesium anode in your aluminum hot water tank to save the aluminum by providing a higher reactive metal. In a purely grammatical sense the angles “sacrifice “ themselves in that they are plated with the iron ions which are released by the electric current breaking down the Fe2O3 which releases the oxygen and then the electric charge attaches it to the angle iron. Electrons flow from the negative electrode to the positive electrode and carry the iron ions with them.
I've been on this planet for a lot of years, and never heard of this process, and for that matter I've never heard of the black rust, I've encountered it and went nuts with the wire wheel or sand paper getting down to the base metal and in the process removing all the high spots... like lettering GRRRR. Great video, the computer power supply in a box with labeled leads is awesome, gonna make one later today, then de-rust an old belt driven grinding wheel. Thanks for all the information.
Hello Terry, first at all i would like to thank you! i´ve been searching as crazy the proportions and nobody tells this! best regards from Mexico, Paco.
Great explanation and instruction on how to set up. I would use the washing soda for this job like I use washing powder in the washing machine and use enough only to do the job or the powder will spend more time fighting against itself than doing the job it should and as you say it is only wasting powder. I use a small amount of washing powder in my machine about 1/3 cup of washing powder and it also helps the lasting of the washing machine
Nice to know this process, thanks for sharing. I have a pistol I purchased many many years ago, it had a little rust on it. I cleaned it up and stopped the rusting, I may use this to do complete rebluing job on it that it needs. Thanks again for sharing.
Why do you have two pieces of metal attached to the positive lead? To my understanding only one is necessary, I have even seen people using stainless steel stock pots and the positive lead is just connected to the top edge of the pot and they just hang the part to be derusted from a wooden dowel or piece of plastic
The bare copper wire is just a little extension from the positive to the cathode. There is a big difference in electrolysis and electro plating. It would profit anyone to go online and take a look at OHMS law of electricity.
I wonder if I could ask you a question if you're not too busy. I've been trying this electrolysis and it seems to be working great . But I do have one concern. It's hard to get good clean steel around here where I live. So I've been using tin cans Like coffee cans tomato cans but they all have a coating on the inside. When I'm using the tin cans the liquid solution of washing soda and water stays very clean but there is a lot of bubbling action. No rust scum floating on the top of the solution it all goes to the tin cans and builds up there . I cut the tin cans into and hang them in the solution Length wise. My question to you is using tin cans with a coating on the inside is this throwing off any harmful fumes ? The part comes out clean and the tin cans have quite a build-up of rust build up but the solution is very clean. Thanks
If de rusting a chain , a chain to hold a gas tank not a bike chain . does the cathode ( neg terminal ) need to make contact with every link in the chain ? Also where the neg terminal makes contact with the part being de rusted , can it just be connected to the rusty part , or do you have to make connect with the base metal on part being cleaned ?
Chains are typically better handled by something like Evaporust vs electrolysis, otherwise you are correct: you’ll need to ensure every chain link makes electrical contact with both adjacent links, which is next to impossible for very rusty chains.
You could try a soak in 1/1 vinegar / water for maybe 30 min at a time. That is what I have seen on cast iron skillet restoration. Evaporust is $$$, but works well for getting at the last traces of rust.
That's the beauty of electrolysis. It's safer than other methods of removing rust. Using chemical methods can dissolve the base metal of the tool you're trying to clean. Electrolysis won't damage the piece you are cleaning. You can leave a tool in the electrolysis tank for a long time, or repeat the process several times. After the rust has been removed, the process simply stops. It will not "eat" the base metal of your tool like abrasives or chemicals.
well, you are wrong on one subject. using copper, aluminum and so on on positive side will not electroplate anything, as this rust removal process is basically plating positive side with rust.
Vinegar attacks the iron as well as the rust. But many people using a 1/1 dilution of vinegar/water for working on rust on cast iron. A lot of scrubbing needed.
Per the comments on hydrogen buildup, yah they put dire warnings on jumping auto systems, but those "heroes" who are saving your life from an explosion have never done the math. Hydrogen gas quickly disperses in the amounts given off from lead batts.Terry keeps it real.
Battery explosions from hydrogen buildup are not exactly rare. Most of us won’t lose our eyesight or have disfiguring facial scars from a battery explosion, but don’t make fun of people for trying to prevent that from happening.
I saw him touch the electrodes as well and wondered if it was safe. Clearly he never flinched and never mentioned that you shouldn’t so I presume as the voltage is so low it doesn’t matter.
I have a question. Can you use pool salt as the electrolyte? I'm trying to derust the inside of a small tank off a generator with electrolysis but it has a baffle so I can't get directly into the end compartment. I only have access through the filler at one end. Hoping it will clean the whole tank out
Hello, Terry good afternoon from Auckland, New Zealand ...would like to come over and use ya electrolysis but I'm at the bottom of the earth just south of Australia!
Don't those other People in that Room have any Respect for You?! For that matter You must really have low Self-Esteem. Those People all owe You an Apology
Here's a myth that Terry doesnt discuss. If you are using 12 guage wires you need flat iron or rebar. Totally false. If you use any anode larger than the charge wire (in this case 12 guage) it is a total waste of resources. You would get the same results with a 12 gauge annode. Try it if you dont believe it.
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I buy, restore, and sell antique hand tools, often badly rusted. Electrolysis is my "go-to" method for rust removal. Your video is the most complete and accurate I've ever watched. I once took a vise that was rusted into an almost unrecognizable ball of rust, and after three weeks and lots of cleaning of anodes, I pulled out the vise. It was down to bare metal and all the previously rusted-together parts of the vise moved freely. It can take a while, but the setup takes only 30 minutes.
I do have just a few comments.
1) The anode (the junk iron piece) is not "sacrificial" because the base metal of the anode is not corroded by the electrolyte; however, it does build up with the iron oxides that are removed from the tool you're restoring. For that reason, cleaning the anode frequently is a big help. Nothing fancy, and I don't even remove the anode from the tank. I just unplug the charger and reach into the rusty water with a wire brush and scrape down the accessible parts of the anode. The bubbles will pick up greatly after doing this. If you're OCD, you can remove the anode and really clean it with wire wheels, etc., but that's overkill.
2) Proximity between the anode and cathode is important. The closer they are to each other, the more effective the process will be--just be sure to not short any part of the anode and cathode together. Multiple anodes, as you have set up, help the process.
3) Similarly, I give a quick wipe down of the tool being restored; I do this by reaching right into the tank with a wire brush. This ensures continued good conductivity through the electrolyte.
4) NEVER use stainless steel anodes. They will add hexavalent chromium to your solution and make it extremely carcinogenic. Watch the movie _Erin Brockovich_, in which she is fighting exposure of workers to that deadly chemical.
5) I can't recall the exact chemistry involved, but I've read that the zinc that coats galvanized steel can also produce toxic chemicals in your electrolyte.
6) As noted in this excellent video, the process is line of sight, so it would not work very well at all on, for example, rust on the inside of a steel pipe. However, when I've had hollow spots on a tool that I really want to clean, I will run a piece of steel connected to the anode all the way into (or through) the hollow, being VERY careful not to ground the anode and the cathode. It requires careful placement, but I've seen it done to clean out the rusty insides of the cylinders on a car engine block, so it can be done and it works.
7) As noted in this very complete video, yes, hydrogen and oxygen are produced in tiny bubbles. RUclips videos make much of this as a great danger, which it is NOT. Unless you are deliberately enclosing your entire apparatus in an airtight container and then set a match to it, yes, it would explode, but left out in the shop those bubbles of hydrogen and oxygen just dissipate almost immediately into the atmosphere.
8) I've seen videos of people using vinegar, salt, and even muriatic acid as an electrolyte. These are corrosive to the base metal on your part, which means they'll remove the rust then keep right on eating the "healthy" portion of you're part. Those chemicals are more expensive than cheap washing soda, and they leave you with several gallons of electrolyte that may be toxic and should not be dumped in your yard or down your drain.
9) Evaporust works very well, I'm told, but it's about fifty times as expensive as washing soda, does no better than electrolysis, and, again, you're left with a toxic mess to dispose of.
10) Finally, I go slow, with no more than 2-4 amps and about 15V of DC power. You can use the battery charger if you like, but I have an innate distrust of rushing delicate processes that depend on various chemicals and metals reacting with each other.
If de rusting a chain , a chain to hold a gas tank not a bike chain .
does the cathode ( neg terminal ) need to make contact with every link in the chain ?
Also where the neg terminal makes contact with the part being de rusted , can it just be connected to the rusty part , or do you have to make connect with the base metal on part being cleaned ?
@@jayk2k The old adage that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link applies also to removing rust from a chain. If there is not a complete electrical connection from one link in the chain to the next, all the way through the chain, the removal will only take place up to the point where the connection between two links is broken (for example, by debris). If cleaning a chain, do a wire brushing to remove any loose or flaky rust and debris that might interfere with electrical contact between links, then double-down by weaving the cathode wire through each link. Every few hours, shake the chain and give it a quick wire brushing (right in place, in the tank) and manipulate it to slightly change the points where the links are touching each other and where the cathode wire is touching the links. As time goes by, you'll be able to see if there is a "problem link" that isn't getting de-rusted. If so, just clean it up well by hand with a wire brush and make sure the cathode wire you wove through the chain is now making contact with the link. The other question, regarding base metal: The best connection is made to the cleanest metal. On both the part being cleaned and on the connections to the scrap iron on the anode, I try to get the metal as clean as possible, and that's why repositioning and manipulating and doing a quick cleaning of the chain from time to time will 1) ensure that all links/parts of the chain are getting an electrical connection with the cathode wire and 2) rearranging the chain's position will ensure that all sides of the chain are, at some point in the process, in line of sight with the cathode, since most removal of rust takes place in line of sight. Finally, because both the part and the scrap iron collect debris, regularly brushing them will expose new rust to be removed and make the scrap iron function better. I don't remove the scrap iron or the part to clean them; I just turn off the electricity and reach into the bath with a small wire brush to remove the bulk of the buildup on the part and on the scrap iron. The tank looks nasty, but it's just washing soda and rusty water, so it isn't toxic. Hope this helps some.
@@billdouglas1721 Hi , Thanks for your quick and detailed reply .
The chain/s I have are solid , just do not look pretty , with the rust all over them .
So , the rust on the chain inbetween the link can break the connection between the links then ?
And , I used bi-carb last night , as that is all I had , I went to get so carbonated soda , but could not find any .
About an hour ago I added more bi- carb soda , but like last night I did not really see an bubbles , so I added some epsom salt . I noticed it was bubbling now , so , going to go check it in a bit and do what you have said above .
Another quick question , if you do not mind .
Should the bubbles be coming off the part that is being de-rusted or the scrap iron ?
As I noticed after adding the epsom salt that the bubbles where only coming from the part being de-rusted
@@jayk2k First, as far as the electrolyte, i.e., the liquid in the tank... I've heard of people using all types of compounds to add to the water, but the best results I've heard of (and my own experience) is using what is called "washing soda." It's chemically close to baking soda, and comes in the same, familiar, orange box as baking soda made by Arm & Hammer. I've never had trouble finding it in the laundry detergent aisle. The box I'm currently using is 3.5 lbs. and cost about $5--dirt cheap. The front reads, "Household cleaner and laundry booster, Super Washing Soda." It's 100 safe, although it will give you "dishpan hands" if you handle it a lot, just as any powdered laundry detergent would. There is, no doubt, a perfect amount to add to the water, but it's not critical; too little will slow you down while too much will just be wasted. Today I put one cup of washing soda into seven gallons of water. If you absolutely cannot find it at a grocery store or perhaps a hardware store, use Twenty-Mule-Team Borax, another multi-purpose cleaner and laundry detergent, which is chemically very similar and works very well. I never use vinegar or salt or lemon juice or (god forbid!) muriatic acid. These will all function to some degree as electrolytes, but they are all acidic and will continue to gobble up good steel on your part even after the rust is gone. Washing soda, on the other hand, reacts only with the various "flavors" of rust. (There are three main forms of rust, all chemically similar and all of which can be removed with electrolysis.)
Rust won't necessarily break the electrical connection between the links, but rust is a poor conductor of electricity, which is why electricians put anti-corrosion paste onto electrical connections for outdoor lighting. The more rust you can remove between the links, the better the conductivity, assuming of course that there is actual physical contact from link to link to link; the current won't "jump" a gap and the removal will cease anywhere the links aren't in contact.
It's counterproductive to spend hours with a wire wheel or brush, when all that labor is what you're trying to avoid in the first place. However, before and during the process (which might take several days, depending on circumstances) it's very helpful to give a quick wire-brushing to both the anode and the cathode, because the debris that builds on both of them impedes electrical conductivity. After you clean the anode and cathode and plug your electricity back in, you'll notice the bubbles resume much more strongly.
Yes, you'll get bubbles off both the anode and the cathode. One is oxygen and the other is hydrogen--technically explosive, but not in the small volume tanks I use to clean hand tools. I'm not sure about the chemistry, but rust is iron and oxygen. I believe that the electrolysis removes/releases the oxygen from the rust on your part, freeing up the iron to disconnect from your part, travel through the electrolyte, and collect on your scrap iron piece.
I don't know what you're using for DC current, but many people think if some is good, more is better. Not necessarily so. I usually use a DC source that puts out 5-20V DC at 2.5 amps, and that works fine for me. Lots of people use battery chargers, and that may work fine for them, but if I'm cleaning a part I don't care if it sits for two or three days (with periodic cleaning, as described above) while I work on other projects. Slow and steady wins the race, but perhaps I'm just innately over-cautious.
@@billdouglas1721 Thanks , that is a big help . No salts then , I actually kind of thought that after I had put it in , and found out after a bit more research confirmed that . But did not know that it would eat away the good steel . You have been a big help , do you have your own channel ?
If there's anything you want to know about electrolysis, myths v facts, then this is the guy. Terry gives everything you wanted to know. I have learned so much. Cheers
Not to put too find a point on it, but a sacrificial anode is a metal that is of a higher electro activity that is used to protect a metal of a lower activity. For example there is a magnesium anode in your aluminum hot water tank to save the aluminum by providing a higher reactive metal. In a purely grammatical sense the angles “sacrifice “ themselves in that they are plated with the iron ions which are released by the electric current breaking down the Fe2O3 which releases the oxygen and then the electric charge attaches it to the angle iron. Electrons flow from the negative electrode to the positive electrode and carry the iron ions with them.
I've been on this planet for a lot of years, and never heard of this process, and for that matter I've never heard of the black rust, I've encountered it and went nuts with the wire wheel or sand paper getting down to the base metal and in the process removing all the high spots... like lettering GRRRR. Great video, the computer power supply in a box with labeled leads is awesome, gonna make one later today, then de-rust an old belt driven grinding wheel. Thanks for all the information.
Terry, thanks for simply explanation of how to use electrolysis to remove rust.
Hello Terry, first at all i would like to thank you! i´ve been searching as crazy the proportions and nobody tells this! best regards from Mexico, Paco.
Great explanation and instruction on how to set up. I would use the washing soda for this job like I use washing powder in the washing machine and use enough only to do the job or the powder will spend more time fighting against itself than doing the job it should and as you say it is only wasting powder. I use a small amount of washing powder in my machine about 1/3 cup of washing powder and it also helps the lasting of the washing machine
Do you realize how much money this will save instead of using a rust remover like like citrus
Don't use copper wire under the surface..... it makes a mess.
Great program! How does a person dispose of the waste water? Can I pour it on the ground?
Wonderful demonstration, Sir.
Nice to know this process, thanks for sharing. I have a pistol I purchased many many years ago, it had a little rust on it. I cleaned it up and stopped the rusting, I may use this to do complete rebluing job on it that it needs. Thanks again for sharing.
Very good teaching video you all did a great job
Why do you have two pieces of metal attached to the positive lead? To my understanding only one is necessary, I have even seen people using stainless steel stock pots and the positive lead is just connected to the top edge of the pot and they just hang the part to be derusted from a wooden dowel or piece of plastic
Very nice and clear elaboration
The bare copper wire is just a little extension from the positive to the cathode. There is a big difference in electrolysis and electro plating. It would profit anyone to go online and take a look at OHMS law of electricity.
I wonder if I could ask you a question if you're not too busy. I've been trying this electrolysis and it seems to be working great . But I do have one concern. It's hard to get good clean steel around here where I live. So I've been using tin cans Like coffee cans tomato cans but they all have a coating on the inside. When I'm using the tin cans the liquid solution of washing soda and water stays very clean but there is a lot of bubbling action. No rust scum floating on the top of the solution it all goes to the tin cans and builds up there . I cut the tin cans into and hang them in the solution Length wise. My question to you is using tin cans with a coating on the inside is this throwing off any harmful fumes ? The part comes out clean and the tin cans have quite a build-up of rust build up but the solution is very clean. Thanks
What do you coat the finished piece to protect from rust?
terry, your a star, learn so much from you .
Can I use circular saw blades for sacrificial anode?
Very informative. Thank you!
Will the process damage a wood handle?
If de rusting a chain , a chain to hold a gas tank not a bike chain .
does the cathode ( neg terminal ) need to make contact with every link in the chain ?
Also where the neg terminal makes contact with the part being de rusted , can it just be connected to the rusty part , or do you have to make connect with the base metal on part being cleaned ?
Chains are typically better handled by something like Evaporust vs electrolysis, otherwise you are correct: you’ll need to ensure every chain link makes electrical contact with both adjacent links, which is next to impossible for very rusty chains.
Great video! Thank you for sharing! Do you think I can use a dead battery as a bridge to electrolysis from a charger?
wr r u from sir .iam from india
Can you take a 12-volt battery and then put a charger behind it and then use it for the electrolysis
Why would you want to?
Can electrolysis be used to remove "millscale" before welding?
the problem with this is hydrogen embrittelment
my favourite method is 10% molasses solution for a couple weeks
Great content !
Is there something to remove the black soot thats on the surface after electrolysis treatment? I have it in areas that are hard to reach.
You could try a soak in 1/1 vinegar / water for maybe 30 min at a time. That is what I have seen on cast iron skillet restoration. Evaporust is $$$, but works well for getting at the last traces of rust.
it seems that everybody use objects that are easy how about bolts how would you clean bolts i have a bucket of bolts i would like to clean
Experiment with these methods yourself until you find something that works then post your results as a video. That's how we all learn.
can you do it more than once...with better results?
That's the beauty of electrolysis. It's safer than other methods of removing rust. Using chemical methods can dissolve the base metal of the tool you're trying to clean. Electrolysis won't damage the piece you are cleaning.
You can leave a tool in the electrolysis tank for a long time, or repeat the process several times. After the rust has been removed, the process simply stops. It will not "eat" the base metal of your tool like abrasives or chemicals.
well, you are wrong on one subject. using copper, aluminum and so on on positive side will not electroplate anything, as this rust removal process is basically plating positive side with rust.
I have used copper and I did get copper on the part I was derusting.
did you even watch this vid?
I see some use salt and vinegar, Is that better?
Vinegar attacks the iron as well as the rust. But many people using a 1/1 dilution of vinegar/water for working on rust on cast iron. A lot of scrubbing needed.
Per the comments on hydrogen buildup, yah they put dire warnings on jumping auto systems, but those "heroes" who are saving your life from an explosion have never done the math. Hydrogen gas quickly disperses in the amounts given off from lead batts.Terry keeps it real.
Battery explosions from hydrogen buildup are not exactly rare. Most of us won’t lose our eyesight or have disfiguring facial scars from a battery explosion, but don’t make fun of people for trying to prevent that from happening.
@@svrdhd8293 well you are wrong. Jumping a battery will not generate an explosive amount of hydrogen.
@@wisconsinfarmer4742FYI jumping a dead flat battery with a dead cell will get that gassing real quick so beware
Great, let´s do this. Got a lot to de-rust 🙂
At 15:47, you touched Cathode. Didn't you get any shock?
I saw him touch the electrodes as well and wondered if it was safe.
Clearly he never flinched and never mentioned that you shouldn’t so I presume as the voltage is so low it doesn’t matter.
Hello Sir, can we take same sacrificial anode again and again to remove rust?
should work fine but you will want to clean the rust off before reusing
Watch at 1.75x speed. Good videos….
I have a question. Can you use pool salt as the electrolyte?
I'm trying to derust the inside of a small tank off a generator with electrolysis but it has a baffle so I can't get directly into the end compartment. I only have access through the filler at one end. Hoping it will clean the whole tank out
Using pool salt may generate toxic chlorine gas. Stick with sodium carbonate or sodium bicarbonate, ie washing soda or baking soda.
Pool salt is what salt?
Anyway, I have seen videos where people use a pool product called pH up, which is supposed to be sodium carbonate.
Pool salt same thing as pH up
Hello, Terry good afternoon from Auckland, New Zealand ...would like to come over and use ya electrolysis but I'm at the bottom of the earth just south of Australia!
What happens if you touch the water while it’s on?
And what about the wooden parts you can't remove from your tools, they will be damaged from the soaking?
Thank you
Will this work for removing gun bluing?
best sir u r great
Good advice, but could You please please put that damn rag down.
What the heck is japanning
Don't those other People in that Room have any Respect for You?! For that matter You must really have low Self-Esteem. Those People all owe You an Apology
Here's a myth that Terry doesnt discuss. If you are using 12 guage wires you need flat iron or rebar. Totally false. If you use any anode larger than the charge wire (in this case 12 guage) it is a total waste of resources. You would get the same results with a 12 gauge annode. Try it if you dont believe it.
MASK??????????
Oh my C0VID!!!! Amiright?! I may have gotten something through the video.
Kind of put off with the face nappies in the back ground in a science video.? as we know they don't work.
Yep..Virtue signalling to show eager compliance with government control, and a few are still doing it 3 years later.
Asking a mask to stop a virus is like asking a chainlink fence to serve as a mosquito net
Noiosissimo...prolisso....